Liebfrauen Columbarium

Designing LED lighting in the Liebfrauen Grabeskirche in Dortmund

Both the question of the appropriate place for the ritual of urn burial and the handling of the existing church space were at the forefront of Staab Architekten GmbH’s considerations.
With the cemetery-like arrangement of an urn field close to the ground, only about 80 cm high, as an analogy to the traditional burial in the ground, it was possible to create a plausible link between the architectural premise and a place adequate for the burial ritual. With basic and accent lighting, the lighting concept supports this hierarchy of architectural space and burial site. With a higher lighting level than that of the nave, the choir room proves to be the first visual point of reference. Directional light from discreet spotlights concealed on columns accentuates the altar, the ambo, the urn stele and the cross.

The warm white light and high colour rendering quality of the gin.o LED spotlights from Hoffmeister ensure a true-colour perception of the material and emphasise the plasticity of these central places of mourning ceremonies, artistically designed by Lutzenberger&Lutzenberger.
The basic lighting of the central nave is provided by direct/indirect lighting installed in compact, cuboid housings. Diffuse light evenly and gently dazzles the vaulted ceilings, creating a balance of luminance in the room. At the same time, visitors are made aware of the room’s height. The direct light component illuminates the horizontal plane calmly and in warm tones, thus emphasising the material depth and colourfulness of the urn fields, which were made of corroding architectural bronze in relation to the earth.