New lighting concept showcases the textile industry at Textile Academy NRW, Mönchengladbach

“Clothes make the man” – this old saying also applies to the simple, cubic structure of the Textile Academy NRW in Mönchengladbach. A membrane sheath transforms the training centre for professions in the textile industry into a shimmering eye-catcher, especially at night when the façade lighting plays with the transparency of the material.

Mönchengladbach is a centre of the textile industry with a long tradition. The new building of the Textile Academy NRW, a private vocational college funded by regional industry associations, is located on the campus of the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences. The design by the Düsseldorf firm Slapa Oberholz Pszczulny SOP Architects implements the construction task with strong symbolism in the form of a shimmering silver textile sheath nestling around the functional building structure like a tailor-made dress. The membrane of approximately 2,100 m² in size is composed of individual lengths of fabric which – alternately stretched in front of, and behind the ropes – form an irregular wave pattern.

The clear geometry of the three-storey cube contrasts with the flowing form of the membrane sheathing it. It houses a central atrium, teaching and administration rooms and an auditorium. The window areas are hidden behind the sheath, which has an opening in the entrance area where a large glass façade welcomes students and visitors alike.

The lighting designers from Maass-Licht developed a lighting concept for the unusual textile façade that subtly illuminates the sweeping curtain with uplights in the form of inground luminaires and spotlights. The intensity of the illumination allows the transparency of the textile membrane to be adjusted to showcase the complex design language of the building’s sheath. As tools for this concept, the designers opted for ETC140-GB inground luminaires and FLC141 projectors mounted on the canopy of the entrance area. Very narrow-beam LED optics with additional honeycomb louvres ensure the necessary precision and optimum glare protection.

The shimmering metallic textile sheath reacts to changing light conditions, greatly contributing to the fascination of the building. The membrane appears almost opaque during the day, despite a permeability of around 48 per cent. However, this effect is reversed in darkness when the illuminated windows of different sizes irregularly distributed over the façade become visible under the sheath modelled by the uplights – creating a distinctive night-time look.

Principal: Textile Academy NRW, Mönchengladbach
Architects: Slapa Oberholz Pszczulny SOP Architects, Düsseldorf
Light planning: Maass-Licht, Hamburg/Mainz/Hanover
Planning of membrane facade: FormTL engineers for structural and lightweight construction, Radolfzell 
Photos: Thomas Mayer