Buttenheim, March 17^th 2020: Commissioned by Ranger Design Production GmbH, SALZBRENNER media made an important contribution to the timely opening of the Osram “World of Light” lighting experience by planning and installing the media technology at the high-tech company´s headquarters in Munich. Spectacular visual stimuli build a bridge between more than one hundred years of history and the future of the Osram Group. The project has now been awarded the `Sinus – Systems Integration Award´ 2020.

The modern world of experience was created in an area of around 1,300 square meters extending over two levels in two buildings. Visitors can enjoy experiences in light and get a glimpse of the future in three main areas: `Brand & Heritage´, `Products & Solutions´ and ´The Osram Mission´. Designer, planner and general contractor Kurt Ranger (www.ranger-design.com) developed the media concept and technical configuration of the Osram experience in collaboration with Martin Schniz (Techniz). SALZBRENNER media was commissioned to complete the project due to their good price-performance ratio.

An illuminating concept – ground floor

The `World of Light´ consists of two parts which are located on the ground floor and the first floor respectively. The ground floor comprises a multifunctional foyer/reception area with space for smaller events, café, press conferences and so on. An information display in reception offers scrolling text among other functions. The `Light Lab´ area, which can be separated by a glass wall, is intended for meetings and workshops and is equipped with a multifunctional 80” Microsoft Surface Hub display. A big video wall for audio and video content is located on the mobile stage. The entire area is equipped with a Fohhn sound system. Due to the limited ceiling height of only 3.5 m SALZBRENNER media opted for a front sound reinforcement system and three smaller delay line speakers at the rear for uniform sound distribution.

The `Megatrends´ area behind the foyer accommodates a coffee bar and a mobile exhibition space with six sliding walls and four integrated NEC displays with Brightsign media players. Two additional displays can easily be added when required – connections are provided. Four synchronized videos give a glimpse of the future. The large `dashboard´ display shows current information such as employee numbers, sustainability data, share prices and so on. An extra loudspeaker helps unexpectedly large audiences to hear and see what is going on at the front of the foyer. The whole ground floor has been equipped with a Sennheiser wireless microphone system and a Clickshare system for laptop access to the Microsoft Surface Hub or the large video wall. The entire media system is controlled by a Crestron DigitalMedia Matrix – any video and any audio signal can be routed to any screen. Floor boxes and three junction boxes offer flexible options for connecting mobile phones, tablets or laptops and several microphones. Additional audio signals can be fed to a separate control unit and mixed with the other signals.

Clear concept – first floor

The `Light Works´ area on the first floor incorporates six exhibition spaces for the Osram-Business Units. Each Business Unit space has at least one 46” touchscreen and a Brightsign media player for playing image films and commercials, presentations etc.. These can be operated by visitors via a touch screen interface. The spaces are designed as individual islands which are networked over IP and can be controlled via the Crestron media control system.

The `Light Box´, is a black showroom, with seating for approx. 25 people: it is equipped with a large screen, a projector and a Fohhn sound system for the presentation of image films. Osram and Clay Paky show lighting are also installed here. Data sheets for each type of lamp can be recalled on screen via associated pre-sets and a demonstration of the respective lamp´s performance is started at the same time. Light shows are run with or without video content, but always with appropriate music. Kurt Ranger: “Here, the layman may experience here what it feels like to be an artist performing on stage“.

The `Light Lane´ museum area with three display cabinets can be found behind the `Light Box´: the 11-metre-long timeline is full of exhibits of the entire history of artificial light and the Osram company. A monitor in the second display cabinet shows a continuous loop of old Osram commercials with original sound. The display cabinet is equipped with invisible acoustic transducers which utilize the glass panel surface as a `speaker membrane´. Finally, the third display cabinet presents exhibits from the Osram archive such as historical lamps, packaging, advertising posters and signs.

A successful premiere

The `World of Light´ was the first large scale industrial project for SALZBRENNER media with new challenges in networking and flexible media control. Nevertheless, all the requirements could be met swiftly. A follow-up order for a smaller `Traxon´ display cabinet with film contributions and LED exhibits for exterior lighting is scheduled to be delivered soon. Wolfgang Salzbrenner, managing director of SALZBRENNER media: “This is something completely different from a theatre project: You have to deal with other circumstances. We have gained many new insights and are looking forward to further industrial projects“.

The Sinus Award jury particularly praised the multifunctional approach, which allows for a wide range of scenarios as well as the consistent implementation from the first model to the finished project, which meets all of the customer´s requirements optimally. Special challenges were mastered in an outstanding manner including integration of the World of Light into existing areas of the company headquarters and the planning and installation of a complex media control system distributed over several parts of the buildings. The jury and the board of trustees of the prize are made up of representatives of the Professional Lighting & Sound Association (Verband für Medien- und Veranstaltungstechnik e.V. – VPLT), the European Association of Event Centres (Europäischer Verband der Veranstaltungs-Centren e.V. – EVVC), industry experts, representatives of the trade press and Messe Frankfurt.

The award ceremony

The award should have been presented to the client and project participants at Prolight + Sound 2020 in Frankfurt. Following the cancellation of the trade show the award ceremony has been postponed until next year at Prolight + Sound 2021.

The project participants at a glance:
– Osram Licht AG (main client)
– Ranger Design (general contractor)
– Techniz Ingenieurbüro (media technology design)
– 3lpi (lighting design)
– Salzbrenner media (media technology system house)
– Schindler Lichtdesign (GrandMA programming)
– Tricksal (Lightelligence installation)
– Livebau (lighting installation)