Light + Building 2024: Looking Back to the Future

"We inherently work only with materials that are recyclable," reports David Einsiedler from Midgard Licht in Hamburg. At the world's leading trade fair for lighting and building technology, the company – as an unexpected "newcomer" – was awarded the Architeller Prize for the German-speaking region for its AYNO luminaire in a live jury process. The new 10x3-minute short-pitch format featured by the trade fair together with World-Architects addresses limited resources, climate change, and social responsibility. David Einsiedler further explains: "It's a great honor that confirms our path. Midgard has its origins in 1919. Our products are design classics, durable, and repairable. We don't just limit ourselves to one luminaire to show that we are sustainable. It only works if we think holistically, all of us – how do we function better and more sustainably as a society?" This attitude brought Midgard, alongside four other exhibitors, another award at the fair: they won the "Sustainable Exhibition Stand" category of the "Designplus Award" by Light + Building.

This year's motto "Be Electrified" at Light + Building focused on the ongoing need for electrification as a cornerstone for more sustainability and a future-proof building sector. Another sign towards future responsibility was set by the "Designplus Award" by Light + Building with the newly introduced "Sustainable Exhibition Stand" award. The industry's overall awareness that developments in the construction sector play a central role in achieving climate goals was clearly evident across all halls in the products and solutions for buildings and lighting. Keynotes, talks, and other formats further sensitized attendees to the issues that drive the industry.

Wolfgang Marzin, President and CEO of Messe Frankfurt, concludes: "With the transition to renewable energy sources, increased efficiency and sustainability in buildings, the industry has set decisive goals on its agenda. That's why it has intensively used the platform, especially in the first few days, to present and discover innovations and drive forward key topics. After all, if we want to achieve the climate protection goals, the building sector is an essential milestone."

Approximately 151,000 visitors from around the world explored the high-quality, comprehensive, and international offerings of lighting technology and building services. Among lighting manufacturers, there was a clear trend towards ecological design, towards recyclable materials. Acoustic lighting, which combines pleasant lighting ambiance with sound-absorbing functions through the materials used, was increasingly on display. Further progress was seen in modular linear systems and in the miniaturization of luminaires, which are becoming increasingly compact. The industry for the buildings of tomorrow presented solutions for dynamic power control, energy storage systems, and applications for connected security technology. A growing area included offerings for e-mobility and charging infrastructure, as well as decentralized energy supply systems and components. 

Returning exhibitor and lighting specialist Zumtobel secured a Guinness World Records title for installing the world's "largest continuous illuminated ceiling" with a length of 45,029 meters and a width of 4,503 meters at the company's booth – a world record that was also an absolute first for Light + Building. In line with sustainability, the illuminated ceiling could be dismantled into its original parts after the trade fair and is therefore ready for reuse. 

To better navigate the wide range of offerings at the trade fair, World-Architects invited visitors to attend Talks+Tours and Guided Tours and was positively impressed by the large influx of interested guests from around 60 countries. The international lighting experts led visitors to their personal trade fair highlights – in the case of Talks + Tours, following an in-depth expert lecture. All the tours started at the Design Plaza. 

On Tuesday evening at the Design Plaza, the second winner of the Architeller – where both lighting design/technology and building technology had their say – was awarded for the international sector: Deltalight from Belgium received the majority vote of the live jury for its High Profile Collection developed in collaboration with MVRDV. "The High Profile Series stands out for creating innovative, sustainable designs from leftover aluminum profiles. A parametric design approach allows for flexible and continuous design, adapting to the changing availability of materials. The design of the collection, which considers easy disassembly for later recycling, underscores our environmental awareness," says Danilo Mandelli from Deltalight, Global Brand Ambassador and Director Project Management Division.