Bürchen Mystic is a lighting concept developed by architect Fernando Menis who was inspired during an exchange of ideas with Zumtobel at the Biennale Architettura 2014 in Venice.

Bürchen, a community in the Swiss canton of Valais, is home to 700 residents and has been struggling with a weak economy and a steady stream of young people leaving. In 2013 the village organised an architecture competition to try and reverse this trend, complement winter tourism with a summer offer and create long-term jobs.

The competition attracted a host of renowned international entrants, but it was Fernando’s concept of bringing together the redesigning of the village square with the construction of a new hotel and other facilities that impressed the jury.

His design approach was both aligned with nature and deeply rooted in the imposing landscape, history and alpine traditions of Bürchen. It also fulfilled the core requirements of economic, social and ecological sustainability.

Fernando got his idea as sunbeams fell through dense foliage and illuminated the Giardini della Biennale with soft radial light circles, inspiring him to light the village square in Bürchen with similar circles.

To imitate the mystical light moods created by the interplay between the suns rays and their surroundings it was necessary to use artificial light, which also takes into account the changes in daylight during the different seasons. Additionally, the concept interacts with pedestrians by creating subtle pools of light to guide them across the square.

The realisation of Fernando’s design was made possible by a customised lighting solution from Zumtobel, which is now available as a further-developed version of a standard product, SUPERSYSTEM outdoor.

The LED exterior luminaire has been optimised for the multi-zonal showcasing of streets and open spaces. Each luminaire has a number of LED light tubes, which can be individually and precisely equipped with appropriate optics which, despite the uniform appearance, blends specific accents with enhanced visual comfort and wellbeing.

Highlighting the natural charm and mystical effect of Bürchen’s central square, the Zumtobel lighting solution creates an atmosphere that harmonises perfectly with nature.

Once largely devoid of people, the new village square is now a welcoming place for both visitors and villagers.

Bürchen Mystic has been named among the 20 best projects out of hundreds of submissions for the European Prize for Urban Public Space recognises special achievements in the fields of architecture and urban planning.

It is also one of ten initiatives vying to be named ‘best landscape project’ at the World Architectural Festival (WAF) in Berlin, the largest international architectural festival.