LINKE.PLEWA.DESIGN – Brillantleuchten TWI LIGHT – Halogen Lighting System

In the early 1980s, 12-volt halogen lighting suddenly became the new sensation. Designs such as the iconic Tizio had already demonstrated the potential of compact, low-voltage light sources. Soon, parallel tensioned steel wires stretched from wall to wall with small automotive halogen lamps suspended between them became the fashionable solution — minimal, bright, and technically daring.

Linke.Plewa.Design appreciated the concept but considered the tension wires too limiting in terms of construction and spatial flexibility. Track lighting systems had existed for years — so why not adapt this principle to the new generation of compact halogen lamps?

Instead of cables, the designers developed a system based on two parallel 6 mm silver steel rods, combined with a specially designed adapter and a universal luminaire head. When presented to Brillantleuchten, the concept was received with enthusiasm. Coincidentally, at the same time the company Haloform (Eckhard Halemeier) introduced an innovative low-voltage lighting rail system, using a protected current-carrying copper conductor integrated into a slim aluminium/plastic profile of only 6 mm diameter. The adapter designed by Linke.Plewa.Design proved to be perfectly compatible.

What followed was the development of a comprehensive lighting programme: individual luminaires, table and floor lamps, adapters, accessories, and complete modular configurations. Technical challenges were solved, production tooling was completed, an initial series was manufactured, catalogues were printed, and the system was presented at trade fairs where it received design awards.

And then — quite suddenly — it was over.

In 1991, the former owners of Brillant sold their shares. The newly formed Brilliant AG immediately and drastically reduced the product range. With that decision, the ambitious TWI LIGHT system was discontinued, despite being fully developed, launched, and internationally recognised.

Today, TWI LIGHT stands as an example of early 1980s low-voltage innovation: technically precise, modular in concept, and ahead of its time — a system that ended not for technical reasons, but for corporate ones.

LINKE.PLEWA.DESIGN – Art Light Floor Lamps – Trident, Cinema & Cosmo

Under the label Art Light, several technically expressive halogen floor lamps were introduced, each reflecting a distinct mechanical character and formal clarity. These designs demonstrate the studio’s consistent interest in visible construction, adjustability, and functional honesty.

The Trident (Art. No. 4102) is a halogen floor lamp with three articulated joints and a distinctive triangular base with integrated handle. Available in white, black, or red, it combines mobility with structural directness.

The Cinema (Art. No. 4100) is a powerful 300-watt halogen floor lamp with wide-beam reflector and integrated dimmer switch. The reflector, protected by a chrome-plated grid, can be adjusted via articulated joints. With a height of 1720 mm and available in black/red, white, grey, or black, it presents a bold and almost architectural presence.

The Cosmo (Art. No. 4104) features a cylindrical column base and a freely adjustable reflector. With a height of 900 mm and an extension of 800 mm, it offers controlled flexibility within a compact, vertical structure. Available in white, black, or grey, the Cosmo expresses a quieter but equally precise technical language.

Together, these models illustrate Art Light’s ambition to combine industrial robustness with refined mechanical detailing — lighting conceived not as decorative objects, but as functional instruments.

LINKE.PLEWA.DESIGN – Art Light “Cosmo” Desk Lamp (1978)

Originally developed as a semester project by Heico Linke at the HfBK Hamburg in 1978, this halogen desk lamp already demonstrated the mechanical clarity and construction-driven thinking that would later define much of his professional work.

The lamp is fully adjustable, rotating 360° and tilting approximately 60° vertically. The spherical joint — realised in the working prototype using a billiard ball — rests on top of the column and is held in position by a tension spring. Precisely balanced counterweights and calibrated friction allow the arm to be positioned freely while remaining stable without locking mechanisms. The original functional model was constructed from aluminium and PVC, with a brass counterweight and the transformer housed inside the vertical column.

In 1979, the lamp was produced in a very small edition by a Dutch lighting company and presented at the Hannover Messe. A licensing agreement was repeatedly promised but never concluded, despite legal discussions. Shortly afterwards, the manufacturer died unexpectedly, bringing the original production to an abrupt end.

Only a few years later, the exact same design resurfaced in the programme of the Swiss company Baltensweiler, where it was manufactured and sold under their own name. In some references the design was even attributed to Rosmarie Baltensweiler.

Let’s be clear: this was not a case of “inspiration”. The design had already been developed, prototyped, exhibited and produced in small numbers under Heico Linke’s authorship. Its later commercialisation elsewhere occurred without proper attribution. The lamp still appears today on high-end sales platforms as a Baltensweiler model — as if its earlier history never existed.

Technically, the original prototype was not entirely VDE-compliant due to the absence of a stabilising base plate. But formally and conceptually, the design was remarkably coherent — and undeniably original.

Same lamp form appears on 1stdibs under Baltensweiler branding — illustrating how the design later re-entered the market.

LINKE.PLEWA.DESIGN – Elkamet Standby Table Lamp 1994 iF Design Award

The lamp was originally designed for Brillantleuchten, but the designers were advised to approach ELKAMET instead. The large version was soon put into production. At the manufacturer’s request, a smaller version was later developed, which would eventually be found in countless children’s rooms around the world.

Over time, several graphic designers and artists contributed to the lamp’s success. Particularly memorable were the charming and distinctive motifs created by the incomparable graphic artist Janosch.

LINKE.PLEWA.DESIGN – 1991 Lustry Desk Lamp (Unrealised Design)

Lustry is a historic glass manufactory in the Czech Republic, located not far from Dresden. The glassworks is internationally known for its elaborate and ornate chandeliers.

Linke.Plewa.Design was commissioned by Lustry to develop a contemporary table lamp — a design intended to bring a more modern direction to the company’s traditional production. The concept combined a plastic housing with a reflector and a curved base element made of hand-blown glass.

Despite the careful balance between tradition and modernity, the final design proved to be too forward-looking for the manufacturer. In the end, Lustry decided not to proceed with production. The step into a more contemporary design language was, at that time, one they were not prepared to take.

The project remains an interesting example of an unrealised attempt to bridge historic craftsmanship and modern industrial design.

LINKE.PLEWA.DESIGN – 1991 KASKAD Table Lamp for Brillantleuchten

The original KASKAD table lamp was designed in 1991 and marked the final project Linke.Plewa.Design created for Brillantleuchten.

This version shows a far more refined and characteristic design language than the later IKEA adaptation. The elegant curved metal stem, carefully proportioned base and the balanced glass shade reflect the studio’s precise and technically controlled approach to lighting design. It was a compact yet sophisticated halogen desk lamp — minimal in appearance, but clearly engineered with attention to detail.

As the last design delivered to Brillant before the collaboration ended, the KASKAD represents the closing chapter of an important partnership. Ironically, it would not be the end of the lamp’s commercial life.

LINKE.PLEWA.DESIGN – 1995 IKEA KASKAD

A few years later, the design reappeared in a modified version produced by Brillantleuchten for IKEA, where it was included in the Swedish IKEA catalogue of 1995.

The IKEA version retained the basic concept but was clearly adapted to meet mass-market production standards and pricing structures. The result was a more simplified and commercially styled interpretation — practical, accessible and in line with IKEA’s mid-1990s product identity, but less distinctive than the original Brillant model.

While the 1991 KASKAD closed the creative collaboration between Linke.Plewa.Design and Brillantleuchten, the adapted version proved commercially successful. Brillant continued producing the lamp for IKEA and reportedly generated significant revenue from it — a design that ended one partnership quietly continued its life elsewhere, and quite profitably.

BUCHNER.LINKE.PLEWA.DESIGN – 1979 Table Clock

Designed in 1979 under the name BUCHNER.LINKE.PLEWA.DESIGN, this remarkable table clock represents an early and radical exploration of electronic aesthetics as visible design.

In 1980 the clock was awarded a prestigious horology prize, including a prize money of DM 2,500 — a considerable sum at the time.

What made this design exceptional was the decision to treat the printed circuit board not as something to be hidden, but as a graphic element. The clock consists of a single circuit board carrying all functional components, enclosed between two vacuum-formed acrylic housing halves. A rubber profile holds both transparent parts together.

The goal was clear: the structure of the electronics itself — the layout of components, connections and circuitry — should remain visible and become part of the visual identity of the object. In 1979 this approach was highly unconventional and ahead of its time.

Only ten examples of this clock were ever produced.

Beyond lighting design, Heico Linke created a substantial body of clock designs. A separate page dedicated to these works is linked below.

LINKE.PLEWA.DESIGN – BASF – Glysantin / Glysantin Super Redesign (1983)

In 1983, Linke.Plewa.Design was commissioned by BASF to redesign the product presentation of Glysantin and Glysantin Super, with a clear objective: improved usability and a stronger, unified visual identity.

The task was not limited to graphic adjustments. The studio developed a comprehensive design concept intended to support an expandable product family. The existing plastic bottle was retained due to positive functional experience, but was improved with the introduction of a screw cap to ensure safer and cleaner handling.

Colour schemes were revised according to principles of colour psychology, particularly to emphasise the higher positioning of Glysantin Super within the product range. The label design was restructured through a distinctive three-part division — effectively creating “three front sides.” This ensured that the product name GLYSANTIN remained readable from multiple viewing angles. The slightly angled typography added dynamism and increased visual impact.

The resulting design not only improved functionality and clarity but also strengthened brand recognition at the point of sale, successfully meeting the strategic objectives defined by BASF.

Many thanks to Heico Linke for all the images and help.