SOLISCAPE

UNStudio and Delta Light have joined forces to endeavour to improve the wellbeing of people in our rapidly changing work environments, where human health and the war on talent have become a primary focus of employers. Together we developed SOLISCAPE, a lighting system that facilitates, responds, and contributes to solving these complex challenges. An extremely versatile and flexible system specifically designed to create human-centric environments.

Soliscape presents a toolbox with flexible components to architects and designers, to create unique constellations in human-centric environments. The modules that make up Soliscape combine lighting, acoustics and connected sensors into an aesthetically appealing solution that can easily connect to any building management system.

The intention is to create flexible lightscapes that are responsive to the user’s ever-changing needs and activities, where design is no longer imposed by the designers, but guided by the user, resulting in responsive and adaptive design. The system combines miniaturization and personalization, in a unique design language.

With its basic framing, the system allows for a variety of complementary circular materials to expand its aesthetics, and for its language to morph, whilst retaining a clear and strong aesthetic. Different materials can be used within the system to facilitate for specific functionalities, from acoustic to decorative and illuminous atmospheric scenes.


UNSTUDIO
UNStudio, founded in 1988 by Ben van Berkel and Caroline Bos, is a Dutch architectural design studio specialising in architecture, interior architecture, product design, urban development and infrastructural projects. The name, UNStudio, stands for United Network Studio, referring to the collaborative nature of the practice.

Throughout over 30 years of international project experience, UNStudio has continually expanded its capabilities through prolonged collaboration with an extended network of international consultants, partners, and advisors across the globe. This network, combined with the centrally located offices in Amsterdam, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Frankfurt, enables UNStudio to work efficiently anywhere in the world. With already 120 built projects in Asia, Europe, and North America, the studio continues to expand its global presence with recent commissions in among others China, South-Korea, Australia, Germany and the UK.

As a network practice, a highly flexible methodological approach has been developed which incorporates parametric designing and collaborations with leading specialists in other disciplines. The office has worked internationally since its inception and has produced a wide range of work ranging from public buildings, infrastructure, offices, residential, products, to urban masterplans.

Current projects include the mixed-use FOUR development in Frankfurt, the wasl Tower in Dubai and the Southbank by Beulah development in Melbourne. Pivotal realised projects include the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Arnhem Central Station, Raffles City Hangzhou in China, the Mobius House in the Netherlands and the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam.

BEN VAN BERKEL
“As what we design today is normally built in three to five years’ time, we’re used to working with the future in mind. However, the future is changing faster than ever before. Even the most accurate predictions can be made redundant by a sudden advance in technology. To ensure we don’t contribute to a waste of materials and investment that is no longer sustainable or appropriate in today’s world, we develop strategies that not only anticipate the future, but possible changes to that future as well.”

Ben van Berkel studied architecture at the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam and at the Architectural Association in London, receiving the AA Diploma with Honours in 1987.

In 2018 Ben van Berkel founded UNSense, an Arch Tech company that designs and integrates human-centric tech solutions for the built environment. Ben van Berkel has lectured and taught at many architectural schools around the world. From 2011 to 2018 he held the Kenzo Tange Visiting Professor’s Chair at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, where he led a studio on health and architecture. In 2017, Ben van Berkel also gave a TEDx presentation about health and architecture. In addition, he is a member of the Taskforce Team/Advisory Board Construction Industry for the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.