The Grimbergen Residence: i.s.m. architects choose Orbit

An atypical family house with typically functional Orbit lighting

For this contemporary residence in Grimbergen, Belgium, Orbit provided a lighting system that helps balance the industrial and warm elements in the family home.

Antwerp-based i.s.m. architects, who designed the house, are known for the wide scope of their practice, from homes to cafés to museums. They settled on Orbit when searching for lighting fixtures for this particular family home. “In our work, we look for lighting fixtures that are functional, elegant and cleverly detailed”, say Koen Pauwels and Wim Van der Vurst, founders of i.s.m. architects. “We eschew loud design or bright colours, but lean towards timeless designs that complement the space through their materials, measurements and proportions. Automatically, this led us to working with Orbit’s architectural lighting fixtures.”

Made almost completely out of concrete, the brutalist-inspired design also incorporates organic elements, through the technique of pouring the concrete on site, which allows for imperfections. This way of working makes the geometry of the surfaces look less cold, an effect also achieved by pinewood panels throughout the house, the wooden furniture and an abundance of green, leafy plants that add a natural feel to the living spaces.

The top floor is almost entirely made out of glass, letting loads of natural light in. But for additional light, the couple chose Orbit to install their signature Snap, Limbik, Cone Border Up and F-LED UP, LED fixtures that have wireless controlls. The LED lights, that have various colour temperatures according to which room they are in, have been carefully and especially chosen to produce a traditional warm, dimmed effect. Their precision is guaranteed by a colour tolerance of less than 3 SDCM.