by Markus Frenzl

Refining the shape of light
25 years of serien.lighting

It all started with the idea of the straightforward architectural luminaire, made from simply semi-fi nished materials, assembled so that the connections were visible, using the then new halogen technology and the fi rst compact fluorescent lamps: a minimal shape offering maximum light. It was quite a courageous step that Manfred Wolf and Jean-Marc da Costa took on graduating in design at the Offenbach College of Design, namely to found their company around this idea. Would a small company from somewhere south of Frankfurt manage to survive given the power of the Italian luminaire makers? Were their design ideas even viable on the market? And would dealers and clients even acknowledge the design focus and quality finishing?


25 years on and serien.lighting is a firm fixture in the world of technically
discerning luminaires with a quality design. Luminaire design from Germany is, among other things thanks to the duo, now regard worldwide as a guarantee of quality. And the market has duly rewarded the two designers’ standards in terms of the quality and manufacture of their ingenious lighting solutions.


The company’s success began with the luminaires that Wolf and da Costa created while still at college. “Lift”, “Reflex”, “Quadrat”, “Status” and “Status Wall” were first launched, all together, at the 1985 Cologne Furniture Fair on the Wohnbedarf Stoll stand, and so convinced the trade that only six months later the designs were already on sale from more than 30 dealers. They were technical and functional, but also elegant in thrust and precisely formulated solutions, each of them the result of closely addressing the respective design, technological and lighting issues. This was the policy for all the products that serien.lighting has made in the intervening years: Over the 25 years it has repeatedly caught the eye and stimulated new luminaire design.


Thus, the “SML” line, as a minimalist and precise modular system soon become a favorite among architects. “Take Five” by Ginbande and “Zoom” by Floyd Paxton both then used the concertina principle for surprising new solutions to the question of adjustability. And nextscape’s “Reef” was one of the first luminaires to use the unusual texture of foamed ceramic for a lamp shade. “Poppy” uses bi-metal to have the shade open and close with the heat of the lamp. And the most recent additions to the company’s series are likewise convincing combinations of light, design and technology: “Annex” by Uwe Fischer has fi nally found a compelling shape and lighting solution for a central ceiling mounting in rooms that are not very high. And “Elane” by Jakob Timpe boasts an arm that introduced a perfectly fl owing, almost acrobatically angled line into space.


Unlike many other luminaire makers, at serien.lighting the idea is not to always serve the latest trends and always present new products at the next trade fair. “We do not want to sell modern illuminated geese,” says MD Manfred Wolf. “We do not primarily focus on luminaires, but on lighting.” Each product is therefore intended as a statement that will endure down through the decades. So the development of the idea through to the fi nished marketable product, something that in many a company takes only a year, can here take several, if the duo rejects what they first design, start over, start over again, and then get the idea advanced to the point they feel it is ready to go. They chisel away at the shape until the perfect lighting effect is found, until a truly independent, contemporary form and a refi ned technical structure have been devised that simply cannot be advanced further or changed. It is not surprising that the results of this intensive exploration have won dozens of design prizes.


Today, serien.lighting has a line of luminaires that covers both technical and decorative light, that can form a logical part of both a corporate lobby, a doctor’s surgery, or an office, not to mention a bar or a private apartment. It includes both the straightforward, restrained designs of the pioneering years (and they have long since become classics) and striking solo items that catch the eye in any room. They all share a combination of mature technology, well-construed shape and precise lighting effects.


The goal of serien.studios, which have been founded in recent years at selected dealerships in all Germany’s major cities, it to ensure consumers can likewise experience the fascination with design, technology and light. 20 such Studios now present the entire serien.lighting collection in a setting that derives from the company’s trade-fair stand. “In this way, we want to make sure that consumers are familiar with the breadth and quality of our products, and likewise with serien.lighting’s values,” comments MD Jean-Marc da Costa. In future, the values will ensure that the company’s products are more than merely sources of light: The serien.lighting luminaires are sensitively developed lighting solutions that go beyond functionality and stand for a love of the details, high quality, serious design work – and passion.


Parallel to the Light & Building trade fair in Frankfurt/Main serien.lighting celebrated its 25th anniversary in April 2010 with an exhibition and other jubilee events.