Fine dining and a beautiful view "Invisible light" solutions from Nimbus create atmospheric lighting at Vienna's exclusive V8cht restaurant with bar and lounge. In summer 2021, the new Classic Depot Wien (CDW) opened not far from Schönbrunn Palace in the southwest of Vienna. The sophisticated new-build had already won the BIG SEE Architecture Award 2021. It houses 100 exclusive, "serviced" spaces for vintage cars, sports cars and collectors' vehicles plus the corresponding specialist businesses for classic vehicles. The beating heart of the CDW is the exclusive V8cht restaurant on the third floor. The restaurant with bar features a high-class design in an industrial look. Its floor-to-ceiling glazing and spacious roof terrace afford an expansive view over the former site of the "Fritze Lacke" paint factory. Nimbus luminaires immerse the dining area in atmospheric artificial light. The "V8cht – Restaurant | Bar" caters for its patrons' every wish in a space covering over 350 square metres including seating and standing room for a total of 99 guests in the indoor and outdoor areas. As Jan Christoph Pollak, founder and proprietor of the restaurant is keen to emphasise: "It is not only reserved for the clients of Classic Depot Wien but also welcomes a wide range of diners for lunch or an elegant dinner – for private parties or for corporate events." Two Vienna architects, Matthäus Wagner and Sebastian Illichmann, were responsible for the outstanding interior design of the V8cht and also devised the concept for the entire new-build for the CDW. Explaining their idea for the V8cht, the two architects stressed: "The food and drink are the stars of a restaurant. The design is meant to be very discreet, giving priority to the use of space." But bearing in mind that eating should also be an aesthetic experience, Wagner and Illichmann placed great importance on the use of high-quality materials and a clear division of functions. For example, picking up the theme of the "garaged" cars, many vertical surfaces are made of sheet steel, with horizontal surfaces such as tables, floors and ceilings made of warm wooden materials. Dinner on an island of light When dinner time comes around, and it gets dark outside, the lighting concept, also created by the two Viennese architects, immerses the restaurant in a very special atmosphere, whereby all of the Nimbus luminaires used are based on the concept of "invisible light". That is to say, the light source remains almost invisible to the eye, and the light only illuminates the surfaces it strikes. The luminaires skilfully showcase the tables and the bar, with V8cht's guests seeming to dine on their own island of light. Light and acoustics solution in one product Wagner and Illichmann describe their lighting concept as follows: "The light from the luminaires above the tables places the focus firmly on the food and drink." Elegant suspended Nimbus Lighting Pads have been installed above the tables, where they serve as glare-free light sources with their special LED lenses. Furthermore, the Pads are laboratory tested sound absorbers that ensure optimised room acoustics with their pleasant-to-the touch fleece surfaces. As Wagner and Illichmann underlined: "The Nimbus products look beautiful and the Lighting Pads also perform an acoustic function." New Nimbus track system Luminaires from the Nimbus Q FOUR range are also installed in the V8cht. They too are characterised by perfect glare suppression and a precise, focused lighting effect. The special lenses in the minimalistic body of the Q FOUR luminaires direct light to precisely where it is needed, whereby the lenses themselves remain almost invisible as the source of light. Q FOUR surface-mounted luminaires illuminate the corridors in the V8cht, for example. Special Q FOUR TT TRACK luminaires are mounted in two conductor rails above the bar. The tilting and turning ceiling spots can be moved around within this system to highlight the extremely well-stocked bar, whereby the V8cht's "liquid refreshment menu" includes around 200 alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and cocktails. Wallwashers for works of art The architects chose Q ONE wallwashers from Nimbus to illuminate the works of art hanging in an inviting seating alcove. In terms of design, these surface-mounted luminaires are a perfect match for the Q FOUR range. They use their free-form reflectors to direct light in a targeted fashion onto the pictures on the walls. Nimbus's Q FOUR, Q FOUR TRACK TT and Q ONE luminaires give lighting designers a coordinated, sophisticated lighting kit for high-quality, focussed light. Unimpaired views Thanks to the luminaires' special glare suppression – which applies to both the Q FOUR range and the Lighting Pads – they cause hardly any reflection in the restaurant's large windows, allowing guests to let their gaze wander freely across the view of the night-time city lights while they enjoy dinner or a cocktail. This special effect, this "invisible light", recently received recognition in the form of the Baden-Württemberg International Design Award, with the Q FOUR range winning Focus Open 2021 in Gold. Client: Clemens Stiegholzer, Vienna Architecture, interior architecture and lighting concept: Matthäus Wagner, Vienna and Sebastian Illichmann, Vienna Implementation: 2016–2021 Photos: Kurt Kuball, Vienna Stuttgart, January 2022 Reprint free of charge / File copy requested 1 The V8cht restaurant with bar features a high-class design in an industrial look. Its floor-to-ceiling glazing and spacious roof terrace afford an expansive view over the former site of the „Fritze Lacke” paint factory in Vienna. Photo: Kurt Kuball/design: Matthäus Wagner, Sebastian Illichmann 2 The turning and tilting ceiling spots from the Nimbus Q FOUR TT TRACK range highlight the extremely well-stocked bar. They are mounted in two conductor rails above the bar. Photo: Kurt Kuball/design: Matthäus Wagner, Sebastian Illichmann 3 The architects chose Q ONE wallwashers from Nimbus to illuminate the works of art hanging in an inviting seating alcove. Photo: Kurt Kuball/design: Matthäus Wagner, Sebastian Illichmann // Art: Andi Ehlers 4 Elegant Nimbus Lighting Pads are suspended above the tables, where they serve as glare-free light sources with their special LED lenses. Furthermore, the Pads are tested sound absorbers that ensure optimised room acoustics with their pleasant-to-the touch fleece surfaces. Photo: Kurt Kuball/design: Matthäus Wagner, Sebastian Illichmann 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 Vienna architects Matthäus Wagner and Sebastian Illichmann: „The Nimbus products have a lovely design, and the Lighting Pads also perform an acoustic function.” Photo: Kurt Kuball/design: Matthäus Wagner, Sebastian Illichmann 6 Eating should also be an aesthetic experience, which is why the architects placed great importance on the use of high-quality materials and a clear division of functions. Photo: Kurt Kuball/design: Matthäus Wagner, Sebastian Illichmann 7 Explaining their idea for the V8cht, the architects stressed: „The food and drink are the stars of a restaurant. The design is meant to be very discreet, giving priority to the use of space.” Photo: Kurt Kuball/design: Matthäus Wagner, Sebastian Illichmann 8 All of the Nimbus luminaires used in the V8cht are based on the concept of „invisible light”. That is to say, the light source remains almost invisible to the eye, and the light only illuminates the surfaces it strikes. Photo: Kurt Kuball/design: Matthäus Wagner, Sebastian Illichmann 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 Nimbus Q FOUR ceiling luminaires are characterised by perfect glare suppression and their precise, focused lighting effect. Photo: Nimbus Group 10 The jury of the Baden-Württemberg International Design Award recently praised the „invisible light” as an outstanding example and awarded the Q FOUR range of luminaires "Focus Open 2021 Gold". 11 The minimalistic Lighting Pads are both efficient sound absorbers and suspended luminaires with a brilliant lighting effect. Photo: Nimbus Group / Frank Ockert 12 The Q FOUR TT TRACK conductor rail version: The advantage of this version is its great versatility, especially when rooms have to be changed around and adapted to new requirements. Photo: Nimbus Group 9. 10. 11. 12. 13 In terms of design, the Q ONE surface-mounted luminaires are a perfect match for the Q FOUR range. They use their free-form reflectors to direct light onto works of art for example – such as the paintings on the walls of the V8cht. Photo: Nimbus Group 13. About the Nimbus Group With its Nimbus Lighting and Rossoacoustic brands, the Nimbus Group belongs to the Häfele Group under the management of Sibylle Thierer, Jörg Schmid and Dietrich F. Brennenstuhl. The Nimbus Group's focus is on design innovation, room and furniture lighting, and integrated light-acoustics solutions. The Nimbus Group is located in Stuttgart and employs a staff of 111. www.nimbus-group.com About Häfele Häfele is an internationally operating company headquartered in Nagold, Germany. The family firm was founded in 1923 and today provides furniture fittings, architectural hardware, electronic access control systems and LED light to the furniture industry, architects, planners, carpenters, cabinet makers and dealers in over 150 countries around the world. Häfele develops and manufactures in Germany and Hungary. With its 8,000 employees, 38 subsidiaries and numerous dealerships, the Häfele Group achieved a turnover of 1.39 billion euros worldwide in fiscal year 2010 with exports accounting for 79% of sales. https://www.haefele.de QR-Code der Pressemitteilung