Artland, Private Farm

Private Farm in Artland: Historic Preservation and Contemporary Living in Harmony

A historic half-timbered farmstead in Artland, which had suffered years of decay and overgrowth, was meticulously restored in close collaboration with architect Klaus Keller (Quakenbrück) and transformed into a contemporary home. The main hall (Diele), kitchen (Flett), and chamber wing (Kammerfach) were reconstructed according to the traditional North German farmhouse architecture, with original building components restored and reinstalled.

For the lighting, stglicht developed a comprehensive lighting concept that highlights the structural logic of the half-timbering and allows the history of the house to be experienced atmospherically.

Light and Shadow as a Design Principle
Bright wall and floor surfaces are selectively illuminated, while the dark wooden beams absorb light and emerge as a supporting structure. In the former threshing floor – now the dining area – subtle, dark ceiling lights provide a calm basic brightness, while discreetly installed LED wallwashers softly accentuate the wall surfaces. A DALI-based control system allows for a transition from a neutral, daylight-oriented mood during the day to warm, candlelight-like illumination in the evening.

Custom-Made Luminaires for the Existing Structure
Above the central dining table floats a specially developed ensemble of approximately 35 delicate luminaires made of cast bronze with acrylic rods – reminiscent of free-floating candles. Slender light steles along the wooden posts create vertical accents without disturbing the tranquility of the room. In the kitchen, cylindrical pendant and wall lights with precise glass lenses provide functional clarity – a motif that continues in the bedrooms and guest rooms. In the entrance area, a delicate wagon wheel chandelier, about 1.20 meters in diameter, ensures uniform, glare-free basic brightness, while in the Flett, a custom luminaire above the reading table combines ambient and task lighting.

Result
Along the long sightline from the barn door to the fireplace, the light accompanies the spatial generosity of the house and underscores its new openness. The result is a finely balanced interplay of function and atmosphere that respects the historical substance and, at the same time, gives it new presence: borne by history, shaped by craftsmanship, staged by light.