New Scheyern Town Center – Tradition in a Contemporary Lighting Context
Simple lighting design for a vibrant place with history and a future
With the redesign of its village centre, the municipality of Scheyern set itself an ambitious task. It sought to preserve the historic heart of the village, create a variety of uses, and establish a central village square complete with a traditional maypole — a place for residents and visitors of all ages alike.
What was once a sealed parking area has evolved into a vibrant civic hub. With its redesigned town center, the municipality of Scheyern has created a flagship project in sustainable urban design. Historic structures, contemporary architecture, and modern uses now form a cohesive ensemble that strengthens local identity and fosters community.
At the heart of the ensemble stands the carefully restored and heritage-protected former Tafernwirtschaft and pilgrims’ inn dating from 1568. Today it serves as a civic centre with café, adult education facilities and a community hall. Complemented by a new building housing the town hall and library, as well as an ancillary structure for slope stabilisation, the development has created an open square for markets, social interaction and cultural events.
“The New Scheyern Town Centre is a space defined by its understated natural character — deeply rooted in tradition yet open to the future. It brings history and modernity together in a harmonious way, creating a vibrant meeting place for the people of Scheyern.”
Project Architect Sebastian Falkner, Deppisch Architekten
In the library, ring-shaped pendant luminaires of the »berliner ring« type (Inlight, Direct and Indirect) were installed, providing both direct and indirect light. They were specified in diameters of 600 mm, 800 mm, 1,000 mm and 1,200 mm, suspended at varying drop heights. The luminaires create uniform, glare-free ambient lighting, ideally suited to the library’s function as a calm space for reading and study, while subtly highlighting the exposed timber ceiling surfaces.
“The ‘New Scheyern Town Center’ combines urban integration, contemporary architecture, and a strong identity-forming element. For us, it was important not only to create a functional space, but also a place for encounters, participation, and regional rootedness. This tension between tradition and modernity is what makes the project particularly special to us.”
Architect Michael Deppisch, mlab.design, Deppisch Architects
For the lighting design, the municipality chose mawa, known for its precision-engineered luminaires and bespoke solutions. In collaboration with Deppisch Architekten, a lighting concept was developed using only a small number of luminaire types, combining functionality, aesthetic clarity and sustainability while allowing the architecture to remain centre stage.
In the corridors and staircases, specially manufactured »one piece 8« wall luminaires were installed, complemented by »wittenberg 4.0« downlights for targeted accentuation of door signage. This custom solution provides clear orientation, visually structures the circulation areas, and adds depth to the spatial experience.
In the café area, »one piece 8« luminaires create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Their clear geometry and unobtrusive design integrate seamlessly into the historic setting while providing comfortable, even general lighting.
From the outset, the collaboration was characterized by partnership, solution-oriented thinking, and a high degree of mutual understanding. Through regular coordination, we were able to efficiently and purposefully implement technical details, lighting effects, and design adaptations. The communication with the mawa team proved particularly valuable when it came to custom solutions.
Interior Designer Laura Bauer, Deppisch Architekten
mawa’s tailored solutions play a key role in maintaining the balance between tradition and modernity. The result is a sustainable lighting scheme that respects the past, looks to the future, and bathes the centre of Scheyern in a welcoming light.
“mawa offers products that combine a high degree of design clarity with cutting-edge lighting technology. We particularly appreciated their ability to customize within existing product lines — a feature that allowed us to respond specifically to architectural requirements without compromising on design or technical performance.”
Architect Michael Deppisch, mlab.design, Deppisch Architects
The redesign of Scheyern’s town center was awarded the ‘2025 Prize for Architectural Culture of the Munich Metropolitan Region.’ This honor recognizes the project not only as a successful contribution to architecture but also as a solution shaping the region for the future. By combining sensitive heritage conservation with innovative architecture, a space has been created that unites historical value with modern usability.
