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With its second outlet in Berlin opened in early 2014, eyewear manufacturer MYKITA demonstrates commitment to the city that already houses its production and head office. The new shop integrates neatly in the Bikini Berlin, a concept mall with boutiques, cafés and restaurants. Built between 1955 and 1957 based on designs by architects Paul Schwebes and Hans Schoszberger, the structure was upgraded and meticulously redesigned in recent years. With plans drawn up by Belgian architectural firm SAQ, the upgrade was implemented by Hild und K from Munich as executive architects.
The unique shop architecture, developed by MYKITA itself for its global outlets, also defines the new shop: Retaining the original character of the location, the interior presents a bold and minimalist construction with purpose-designed, largely white furniture. The primary design element of the shop interior is the "MYKITA Wall", a 31m long backlit structure that serves as a presentation and display area for the label’s eyewear collections. Lighting accents produced by ERCO LED spotlights direct the focus onto the product displays, the sales counter and the metal trolleys used to store the glasses. Diffused light on the support walls gives the impression of unusual depth in the room. The light colours were selected to suit different functions. The sales floor is illuminated in warm white light, complementing the white walls to create an inviting gesture in the shop. LED spotlights in neutral white form a contrast that divides off the area used for eye tests and custom-fitting eyewear. The lighting here needed to be particularly clear to ensure full focus on accuracy and precision. With the ribbed ceiling being a listed structure, mounting the luminaires presented a special challenge, which was cleverly solved by using suspended ERCO track.
The ERCO Light Factory in Lüdenscheid is a leading international specialist in architectural lighting using LED technology. The family business, founded in 1934, now operates as a global player with over 60 subsidiaries, branches and agencies in over 40 countries worldwide. Since 2015 ERCO's portfolio has been 100% LED. Inspired by "light digital" as its leitmotif, ERCO in Lüdenscheid develops, designs and produces digital luminaires with focus on photometrics, electronics and design. Working closely with architects, lighting designers and engineers, ERCO develops lighting tools used primarily for applications in the following fields: Work, Shop, Culture, Community, Hospitality, Living, Public and Contemplation. ERCO understands digital light as the fourth dimension of architecture - providing highly precise and efficient lighting solutions to support creative designers in turning their visions into reality.
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