Artificial lighting plays an essential role in spatial quality. Badly thought-out lights can disrupt an architecture project and even bring harmful effects to occupants' health; while a well-balanced luminotechnic project can highlight positive aspects of the surroundings and make it much more enjoyable. Generally, however, projects tend to be too rigid and not in-tune with the flexibility of contemporary spaces. In addition, a badly made lighting decision can be complex and expensive to rectify. For example, electrical points in slabs, linings or walls are not easily modified if the distribution of a space is changed. At most, when this is resolved with hanging or free-standing lamps, we end up having to deal with bothersome electrical wires throughout the space.
Vibia has developed an innovative and highly flexible lighting system that can be adapted to fit each individual user's vision, needs and experiments, called Plusminus. Designed by Stefan Diez, the entire system is structured around a conductive textile belt that curves into any shape, allowing the user to pair it with other lamps at any point along its length. It is a simple click-and-connect system that offers total freedom of creation. “The conductive belt can dip into soft curves to allow for pendant lamps; trace geometric track lighting; or else cut across a space to produce dramatic lighting installations.”
Each belt can be cut as needed, accommodating multiple lamps and operating with a simple plug-in technology for unparalleled ease of installation and connection. The belt's 'fit' can be adjusted from tense to relaxed, as well as the click-and-connect functionality, by fitting it into a buckle that is attached to each lamp. It can be placed in ceilings and walls, or even be left loose on the floor, seeing as the belts are aesthetically pleasing themselves.
To achieve the desired lighting effect in each project with Plusminus, there are a variety of lamp options that meet different function:
Sphere
Light is directed to the entire space, including upwards and downwards, with a 360° diffusion lighting. This type of lighting reduces glare and hard shadows.
Semisphere
Similar to the sphere, the main difference here is that the lamp is partially opaque, making it a targeted diffused luminaire. It works well to illuminate a portion of a space, like a corner, for example.
Cone
The cone also provides directed diffusion lighting and is widely used on tables, as it can shape the ambience through its light.
Linear Diffuser
This option can be used for general lighting, and is widely seen in kitchens or other environments that require a good amount of light. In this case, the angle of light is wide. There is another option, however, called Linear Low UGR, where the brightness and angle of the lighting are narrower, working well for rectangular tables or workspaces.
Spotlight
These types of luminaires direct the light to a particular point. You can use lamps with a small or large incidence angle, which will influence the amount of emphasis placed where the light is being directed. This type of solution goes well on shelving and bookcases.
The Vibia’s professional area allows users to test some lighting configurations and organization settings, as well as showing preconfigured layouts and adapting them to the needs of your project.
Learn more about the products and the company in our catalog.
