Together with 25 Interior Architecture students, Professor Mary-Anne Kyriakou and academic staff member Valerie Meyer presented innovative student projects—including 3D-printed lighting fixtures and a student-led study using eye-tracking glasses, which was very well received by visitors.
There was a special focus on additive manufacturing technologies in lighting design. Kyriakou looks back on nearly a decade of development: “We have made great strides in teaching 3D additive manufacturing techniques for lighting fixtures. My first 3D-printed lighting project in 2017—in collaboration with Fraunhofer IOSB-INA and our engineers—was an important test run. Even back then, it became clear to me that this is the future of the industry.” This prediction has been confirmed: “Today, innovative German lighting manufacturers offer 3D printing as an integral part of their production—with the goal of reducing costs and promoting innovation.”
This approach is also being consistently pursued in teaching: “In the coming semester, we will continue to experiment with additive processes—particularly with hybrid materials and creative, artistic methods of form-finding.”
The Light Lab’s conclusion is clear: The transfer from the university to practice—and back—works particularly well where students are actively involved. “Such experiences have a lasting impact. They demonstrate the significance of light in Interior Architecture—and how important it is to think beyond the classroom when it comes to teaching,” the team summarized.
