More natural light, lower energy consumption, and streamlined costs

… How Glazing Systems Sustainably Brighten Spaces In our projects, the use and integration of light always play a central role. Whether in offices, laboratories, or residential spaces, daylight is a crucial factor in both new construction and renovation projects. And for good reason—flooded with natural light, rooms not only create a pleasant atmosphere and a sense of spaciousness but also significantly impact energy efficiency and indoor climate. Last but not least, light and air have been proven to influence human psychology. In the following, we take a closer look at the key aspects of daylight planning from an architectural perspective and how the right glazing systems can enhance daylight supply in interior spaces.

Michael Fritschi

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Building Orientation and Positioning. The orientation of a building significantly impacts natural light exposure and its intensity. Seasonal variations introduce different challenges: while a south-facing orientation is beneficial in winter, it can cause overheating in summer, making a well-planned shading concept essential. East- and west-facing orientations allow for morning and evening sunlight, ensuring even light distribution, but also require shading solutions to prevent glare—especially in workplaces, where optimal lighting conditions are crucial for employee productivity. A thorough site analysis is necessary to assess factors such as shading from vegetation, neighboring buildings, and seasonal light variations.

Window Size and Placement. The size and positioning of windows greatly influence the amount of daylight entering a space. While larger windows bring in more light, they can also lead to heat loss in winter or excessive heat gain in summer. Swiss building regulations, such as SIA 331, govern planning, execution, and quality, indirectly influencing window size.

Room Depth and Controlled Light Management. In shallow rooms, daylight is evenly distributed, whereas in deeper spaces, light penetration decreases. Solutions such as skylights, light wells, louvers, and glass partitions help guide daylight further inside. Interior courtyards and atriums can also improve daylight distribution, ensuring that even central areas receive sufficient natural light.

Not All Glass Is the Same. The choice of glass affects both the project and window size. Well-insulated windows and solar glass can contribute to energy savings and passive heating, particularly in winter, reducing heating costs over time. While energy-efficient coated glass minimizes heat loss, it can also alter light intensity and color perception, similar to wearing sunglasses.

Louvers, Blinds, and Smart Shading Systems. External blinds, louvers, and facade shading systems help regulate sunlight and minimize glare. Smart control systems with built-in sensors dynamically adjust shading based on light intensity and time of day, enhancing both comfort and energy efficiency. However, when shading is manually operated, user behavior becomes a factor. Many people lack awareness of daylight management and tend to keep blinds closed regardless of the season, reducing the benefits of natural light.

Interior Design for Brighter Spaces. Interior design choices also influence brightness perception. Light-colored and reflective materials enhance daylight distribution, making spaces feel brighter and more inviting, while dark materials absorb light, creating a dimmer atmosphere. Thoughtful placement of reflective surfaces can help redirect and amplify natural light throughout a space.

Daylight & Well-being: A Scientific Perspective. Natural light boosts metabolism, regulates hormones, and positively impacts the immune system, cellular function, respiration, pulse, and body temperature. In 1983, the WHO identified Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), which describes non-specific symptoms caused by prolonged indoor stays, often linked to poor ventilation and insufficient daylight exposure. Whether in offices or homes, access to natural light improves mood, enhances productivity, and supports overall well-being.

More blog posts

David Stauffer
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08. July 2026

Sustainable Building Practices

Sustainability in the construction industry is one of the key challenges of our time, while also offering significant opportunities to shape the built environment responsibly and with a long-term perspective. It is a topic that we engage with every day. Whether working on private or commercial developments, small-scale interventions or large, complex projects, the many dimensions of sustainability are an integral part of our planning process and influence a wide range of project tasks. They continue to shape the way we design, plan and build.

Credit letztes Bild: ©ferdinandogodenzi
Anna Stärk
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22. June 2026

In Focus: Custom-made lighting objects for individual spaces. Conversation with PrintYourLight.

How are lighting fixtures created that go far beyond their function as sources of light and become an extension of a space’s architecture? In conversation with the founders of PrintYourLight, we discuss the influence of architecture, nature, and co-design on their work, the possibilities of 3D printing, and the role of light as an identity-defining element of design.

Anna Stärk
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25. June 2026

REVISITED: A visit to Taverne Johann after 20 years

With our REVISITED format, we revisit completed projects and ask: How does architecture stand the test of time? Following a single-family house in Witterswil last year, our second visit takes us to Taverne Johann in Basel. More than 20 years after the renovation, Christian and head chef Christoph Hartmann speak again in the video about the interplay between hospitality and space.

Zamri Thüring
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04. March 2024

Digitale Transformation in der Baubranche

Auch wir bei Blaser Architekten befinden uns mitten in der digitalen Transformation aller Geschäftsabläufe und können von uns behaupten, dass wir bereits vieles umgesetzt haben. Die Digitalisierung ist aber kein Sprint, auch kein Marathon – viel mehr ein Weg, den wir nicht mehr verlassen werden. Laufend werden neue Tools entwickelt, KI wartet in immer kürzer zu werden scheinenden Intervallen mit neuen Möglichkeiten auf. Das bedeutet, dass wir die digitale Transformation nicht als Prozess verstehen, der nun bald abgeschlossen sein wird, sondern als selbstverständlich gewordener Teil unserer täglichen Aufgaben. Deswegen ist es uns wichtig, diesen Weg aufmerksam zu gehen, was heute möglich ist zu implementieren, aber auch neue Entwicklungen nicht zu verschlafen. Einer unserer Mitarbeitenden ist in diesem Thema besonders zuhause und legt sich dafür ins Zeug. Zamri Thüring ist Student des Master-Studiengangs in Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) an der FHNW und arbeitet bei Blaser Architekten in der Qualitätssicherung für Computer Aided Design (CAD, QS). In diesem Blogbeitrag teilt er seine Erfahrungen und Einsichten.

Anna Stärk
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02. April 2026

In Focus: Interview with Prof. Raphael Guzman, Head of Clinic and Chief Physician of Neurosurgery at USB

The main campus of the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area is home to numerous innovative companies in the biotech and healthtech sectors. The University Hospital Basel also maintains a branch here, offering a forward-looking learning environment through the Skills Lab Simulation Centre. We reached out to Prof. Raphael Guzman, Head of Clinic and Chief Physician of Neurosurgery at the University Hospital Basel, to learn more about the benefits of the new Skills Lab.

Christian W. Blaser
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27. April 2026

«TeckNow»: Furniture, art & design in the former watch factory of Basis Watch in Tecknau – an overview of our partners.

Under the title “TeckNow”, the former watch factory of Basis Watch M. Thommen AG will open its doors from 7 to 10 May 2026 and become a stage for design, art and music. At the centre of the exhibition is the furniture design of Werner Blaser (1924–2019). Selected pieces from the collections of Daniel Salzberg and Christian W. Blaser will be presented alongside models by contemporary manufacturers Spectrum Design, Molteni&C and Löffler ERGO. We are pleased to introduce our partners in more detail below.

Anna Stärk
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22. May 2024

What actually is... amock-up?

What actually is... amock-up?Sketches, drawings,floor plans, 3D models - the language used by architectural designers tocommunicate visually is not always easy to understand right away in reality -after all, visualizations often only offer a perspective view and plans, gridsand the like must also be able to be read. And even if digitalization has longsince found its way into the field of construction (planning) and architecture,the implementation of a project and the end result is still a highly analoguematter that involves sensory perception. So what helps to illustrate ideas andpossible projects in the best possible way and to give clients, but also thecontractors, tradespeople and suppliers involved, a comprehensive picture ofwhat the future could look like? Exactly, a mock-up, i.e. a modelrepresentation on a scale of 1:1. The term mock-up has its origins in French(maquette) and means something like preliminary model, sketch or draft.

Anna Stärk
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04. November 2024

Workplace Creation at Primeo AG

Workplace Creation at Primeo AG through pioneering building technology with antique building material... Founded over 125 years ago, the Primeo Energie cooperative is headquartered in Münchenstein and reliably supplies over 180,000 households in Switzerland and France with energy. Under the motto ‘We bundle energy’, the infrastructure company focuses on the decarbonisation of the energy supply and offers intelligent, unique solutions in the areas of smart homes, sustainable mobility and energy efficiency. These are aimed at private and business customers as well as energy supply companies, cities and municipalities.

Credit David Walter
Anna Stärk
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21. January 2025

NEW PROJECT BRIEFLY INTRODUCED: HORTUS, House of Research, Technology, Utopia, and Sustainability, Opening in June 2025

Architecture and science – two fields that go hand in hand in the Basel region. These aspects are skillfully intertwined on the MAIN CAMPUS of the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area in Allschwil. This life sciences and innovation ecosystem, developed over the past few years near the French border on behalf of Senn Resources AG, offers an attractive and highly interconnected home for companies and institutions ranging from startups to multinational corporations...

What’s a Rich Text element?

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Static and dynamic content editing

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

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How to customize formatting for each rich text

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

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Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

What’s a Rich Text element?

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What’s a Rich Text element?

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What’s a Rich Text element?

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