50 light boxes for 50 years of Artemide

Artemide is celebrating its 50th birthday. And because Artemide has always been much more interested in the future than the past, it embarked on an experiment with 50 architecture practices in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

By Artemide for

Artemide

November 24, 2010 | 11:00 pm CUT

"A project of this type and on this kind of scale is an adventure for everyone taking part. It is an experiment, a process with an open outcome. It reflects a culture of cooperation between architects and companies": Steffen Salinger, MD, Artemide

Independently curated by architectural think-tank Architekturbüro Deutschland, represented by Prof. Amandus Sattler (Allmann Sattler Wappner architects, Munich), Till Schneider (Schneider+Schumacher architects, Frankfurt/ Vienna) and Jan Störmer (Störmer Murphy and Partners, Hamburg) 50 architectural offices were chosen to devise a visionary piece of work on light. The selection was made from all generations of architecture practices, ranging from the internationally renowned to the unknown. Architectural offices were selected solely by Architekturbüro Deutschland based on the crucial criteria of their architectural quality and how they handle light. The idea involved giving the architecture firms an empty 35 x 35 x 35cm black box and asking them to put an installation in it. The architects were given completely free rein in what they chose to do. Six weeks later, the outcome exceeded everyone's expectations, with the architects presenting 50 fascinating and architecturally visionary "light gifts" to Artemide.

"Artemide is much more than just lights, design and innovation – Artemide is a thought form, just like architecture itself": Jan Störmer, Störmer Murphy and Partners, Hamburg, Representing Architekturbüro Deutschland as exhibition curator

Artemide celebrated is anniversary in October with private views in its Frankfurt, Vienna and Zurich showrooms where these unique items were presented amid huge interest to all the participating architects and guests. It was a hugely successful and memorable evening.

Guests listened with interest to the nominated architects. L to R: Claus Anderhalten, Anderhalten Architekten, Berlin; Prof Manfred Grohmann, Bollinger und Grohmann Ingenieure, Frankfurt; Prof Amandus Sattler, Allmann Sattler Wappner Architekten, Munich

Dates of opportunities for viewing the Artemide light boxes in 2011 will be available shortly on www.artemide.de. A book is also being published In November by Jovis Verlag entitled "Fifty Years of Artemide" and features all the architecture firms and light boxes. It can be ordered from www.amazon.de