Modern architecture meets historic walls | Alter Hof in Munich perfectly staged


Once a ducal castle and later residence of the Dukes of Upper Bavaria: Today the Alte Hof serves as a location for innovation and economic drivers in the heart of Munich. The old castle walls were extensively renovated and a glass roof forms a striking, modern contrast and allows a phenomenal view over the Bavarian capital.

Sensitivity was particularly required in the lighting design of a modern office on the upper floor, in order to provide adjustable lighting that does justice to the characteristics of these premises.


Open air urban working environment

The two-storey, elegant and majestic looking openings of the facades allow a view over the Frauenkirche, the landmark of Munich and to the peaks of the Alps into the distance. Daylight defines and shapes the atmosphere of the office in a new way every day and creates the maximum spectrum of lighting situations. Artificial light reacts soothingly to the dynamics of daylight, which always serves as a model for any lighting design.


Impressive entrance

The striking architecture of the two-storey office world becomes apparent as soon as entering. The sublime architecture is characterised by a clear use of materials and forms in which wood, glass and black steel dominate. With a seemingly floating Mito sospeso cloud in the entrance hall, the weightless, open character of the architecture with its wide visual axis is additionally emphasised. The warm surfaces of the luminaires, with different diameters and pendant heights, form a harmonious contrast and underline the representative character of the entrance area.


Good communication

Mito sospeso pendant luminaires in rose gold set contrasts and accents in the minimalistic, clearly structured meeting rooms. Meetings can be complemented by precisely coordinated lighting conditions.

The appropriate atmosphere can be set in a matter of seconds using the typical Occhio features: The freely adjustable color temperature from 2,700 to 4,000 Kelvin creates either an invigorating or a relaxed lighting atmosphere. The possibility of continous control of direct and indirect light ensures perfect light distribution with absolutely glare-free light.


Floating lightness

The numerous transparent surfaces of the sophisticated architecture demand a great deal of sensitivity from the lighting designers. The luminaires, floating in the room as if by magic, were installed with minimal intervention into the architecture. Lighting and architecture complement each other perfectly. Seemingly without touching one another.


Light creates focus

Mito linear is Occhio's answer to modern office lighting. The luminaire series combines light and design quality and lifts the use of light to a new level. 

The technically elegant floor luminaire Mito terra 3d is used in work areas. Its shape harmonises as if tailor-made with the inclined roof surfaces of the architecture and also blends into the design of the room with its matt black surface. The Mito terra 3d creates focus at work with its linear shape and its precisely defined light characteristics.


Joy of use – intuitive control

The innovative luminaire features make it possible to adapt the light perfectly to the individual performance curve. The high-quality lens optics guarantee glare-free light that can be continuously adjusted between warm and cold color temperature. The contactless gesture control at the head with up and down light makes it possible to adjust the luminaire perfectly to any table or room situation. The lighting is controlled intuitively and contactlessly directly at the luminaire head. 

In addition, an activatable »presence sensor« and »ambient light control« responds to presence or absence or dynamically adjusts to the surrounding brightness. The so-called »body sensor« on the body of the luminair enables convenient control of the luminaire at seat height.


Occhio air – holistic lighting control

Artificial light not only complements daylight but also extends it and creates different atmospheres. The Bluetooth-based lighting control, Occhio air, enables central and intuitive control of the luminaires and combines them like an invisible band. This creates individual lighting situations at the touch of a button.



Year of realization: 2019

Client/Architect: Auer Weber

Office planning: Concept Süd

Lightning design: Occhio

Luminaires: Mito sospeso 40, Mito sospeso 60, Mito terra 3d, io duna

Photography: Robert Sprang