Raiffeisenbank in Breitenbach 01. April 2021

Exposed concrete, glass, and natural stone in the clearly structured rooms of Raiffeisen Bank’s new branch in Breitenbach set a pleasantly reserved tone. The VIOR point light sources refer back to the architecture, and their playful arrangement creates a comforting, warm atmosphere in the room.

Building materials old and new come together in harmony in Lüsselpark, a residential development in a former industrial area in the centre of Breitenbach. The so-called pavilion marks the start of the area, home to a medical centre, a cafe, and the Raiffeisen Bank branch.

The pavillon
The site was designed by architects Eggenschwiler Perroud and completed in 2018. Two offset volumes create the building’s form. Thanks to construction with external exposed concrete supports and a flush glass facade, the two-storey building is industrial, but with a certain lightness.

Raiffeisen Bank’s new offices are on the ground floor. One enters the customer hall and adjoining reception area, consultation rooms, and slightly raised lounge via a public area open around the clock. Exposed concrete, natural stone floors, and semi-transparent panel curtains give the spaces a quiet elegance. Targeted lighting artistically accentuates the architecture. «From the earliest planning stages, it was important to us to find a lamp that fit the spaces specifically together with the lighting designer – and from the lighting to then return to definitive spatial design,» explains architect Rahel Schenker from the offices of Eggenschwiler Perroud in Laufen. They brought in lighting designer Bernhard Herzog, with whom the architects had already developed the lighting concept for the Raiffeisen Bank main office in Laufen.

The owner wanted a clear, creative link between the new branch and headquarters, where a stately chandelier catches the eye. Not an easy task for the lighting designer. «The two buildings are entirely different even just in terms of size, and for that reason I ruled out the idea of using a central chandelier in the small branch,» Bernhard Herzog explains. Instead of one large lamp, he planned many point light sources placed sporadically across the ceiling – like dancing lights. He found the perfect solution with VIOR, a new product in the RIBAG collection that was developed in cooperation with Bartenbach Lichtlabor from Austria. Given the many advantages, Herzog and the owner decided on VIOR. The innovative lighting solution combines brilliant direct light with soft, ceiling-illuminating indirect light. The lamps are compact in form, timelessly designed, and emphasise precise, discreet features.

«I enjoy working with RIBAG because the quality is spot on and I can completely rely on the product,» affirms Herzog. His concept was in line with that of the architects, emphasises Rahel Schenker from the Eggenschwiler Perroud office: «During the day, the glass facade brings enough light into the bank, and every active VIOR lamp adds to the atmosphere. At night, the room is taken over by backlit curtains that reflect the individual lamps on the ceiling in the panes of glass, making the ceiling appear to wander outside,» adds the architect. In her opinion, the VIOR lamps work especially well to combine perfect illumination and emotional lighting atmosphere.

Bernard Herzog installed 48 VIOR lamps in the bank branch in Breitenbach. They provide the ideal lighting for the various rooms and create a pleasant lighting mood. Additionally, the 3000 Kelvin lighting colour supports the comforting, warm effect. This allows guests at the new branch of the Raiffeisen Bank to feel the atmospheric ambience and even a touch of cosiness in the reception area, the consultation rooms, and in the lounge.