Lighting icons – 10 years of Nimbus LED
"LED is the light source of the future." That was the much quoted statement made ten years ago by Dietrich F. Brennenstuhl, the founder and CEO of Nimbus. His vision has turned into reality. In 2006 on the occasion of the world's leading lighting fair, Light+Building, Nimbus surprised the entire lighting sector with the first range of LED luminaires for interior lighting to be ready for series production. And Nimbus did not realise this feat with the obvious solution of a LED retrofit but designed the "archetype" of the minimalistic LED luminaire: the iconic Nimbus Modul Q 36.
Showing an uncompromising attitude unlike that of any other manufacturer, ten years ago Nimbus catapulted lighting into the digital age of the semiconductor – from the filament to the light pixel. The appearance of the Modul Q 36 and of the Modul Q range as a whole has hardly changed since 2006. The conical indentations precisely placed in the matt panel made of acrylic glass became the luminaires' identifying feature. Thanks to the conical indentations with the uncovered LEDs behind, the Modul Q luminaires produce a brilliant yet glare-free light. The luminaires have never needed additional light reflectors or complex light directing systems. It was this innovation that paved the way for the extremely slim profile of the Modul Q luminaires. During the last 10 years we have been very sensitive with any changes to the "bodywork" of the Modul Q luminaires – only making alterations in connection with changed technical parameters. The constant technological progress in LED development forces us to perform a little fine-tuning once in a while. On the design side, the evolutionary process is of course a matter for the well trained eye when it comes to the minimalistic design of the Modul Q luminaires.
"There is nothing permanent except change"
The Nimbus original is constantly undergoing further development: its energy efficiency is constantly being optimized and new versions are constantly being added to the range. For example, the latest version of the square Modul Q 36 impresses with an efficiency of over 110 lm/watt – and that with an excellent colour rendering index of CRI > 90. Whereas upon its launch the Modul Q 36 required around 12 watts for a lumen output of 470 lm, 10 years later the figure is just 4.7 watts for a lumen output of 550 lm. This enormous increase in efficiency applies to both the Modul Q family and the Modul R, Rim R ranges as well as to many other Nimbus LED luminaires.
Design icons
Nimbus has always concentrated on the essentials in its luminaire designs. LED technology suits this approach down to the ground and – thanks in part to the minimal dimensions involved – has presented Nimbus with a completely new field of design options. The multi-award-winning design of the LED modules is puristic, and at just ten millimetres the profile is extremely low allowing perfect integration into the surroundings – from a modern ambience through to a country house style. On the other hand, when the luminaires are switched off, they almost entirely melt in with the surrounding architecture. The LED modules become a visual element in the ceiling design.
Originals
Many architects, interior architects and lighting designers have opted for Nimbus LED luminaires in the last 10 years; we have realised over 12,000 projects with LED since 2006. And enthusiasm for Nimbus continues unabated. Stefan Behnisch, Behnisch Architekten, who realised the first "large-scale Nimbus LED project" in 2007 with the "Haus im Haus" (House-within-a-House) in the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, is among those who are brimming with enthusiasm for Nimbus: "If you look at a LED, you only see a tiny point of light. However, you can put together almost as many as you like, connect them up with each other and set them inside surface, thus creating large, glowing elements in an almost endless variety and range of illuminance. For us architects, it has opened up a field that enables us to work with light even more intensively than we did in the past."
In 2011 the Nimbus launched a remarkable advertising campaign in the trade press entitled "Nimbus Originals". The aim of the campaign, in whose advertising motifs Nimbus employees take a committed or even provocative stand against plagiarism: to sensitise people towards the outstanding quality and originality of Nimbus LED luminaires.
Miracle of assembly
The Modul Q and R luminaires have always been among the ceiling luminaires that are fastest to install. Using the patented Nimbus magnetic fastening system and the ceiling installation ring, they are fast and easy to install, and aligning them is child's play. This applies to a wide variety of installation situations such as direct, surface-mounted or cavity installation.
Miracle of efficiency at the cutting edge of technology
The highly efficient LED luminaires from Nimbus enable users to dramatically cut their energy requirement for artificial lighting. Integrated intelligence and sensors (e.g. ambient light and/or presence sensors) minimise energy demand even further. Combined with the modular Nimbus control unit, the Modul Q and R modules, for example, can either be equipped with simple on/off functionality, with a 1-10 V dimming unit, with Light Control or with ZigBee technology (so-called swarm technology). Control by means of DALI is also possible.
10 years of Modul Q
For over 10 years now, the Modul Q range has captivated with its innovative technology, high-class quality and significant, minimalistic design – all these aspects have gone into making our first range of LED luminaires a classic product which more and more people, both professional and private users alike, are coming to appreciate. And since 2006, the DNA of the Modul Q has become the basis for a large part of our luminaire development.
