At the core of LES, a lens-based luminaire, lies a bold design ethos: nothing to hide. Conceived as the centerpiece of a modular indoor lighting system, LES reveals what is usually concealed – a lighting object reduced to its purest technical essence.
Rather than relying on decorative enclosures, the luminaire’s architecture embraces the beauty of functionality. Precision-milled from a single cylindrical metal part, the housing doubles as a passive cooling body, enabling efficient thermal management of the COB-LED through natural convection. Every component is mechanically joined – no glue, no compromise – allowing for effortless repair, replacement, and reuse.
LES celebrates longevity not just through craftsmanship, but through material honesty. A frameless glass lens, inspired by the elegant restraint of picture holders, ensures both high-performance glare control and a timeless visual expression. The result is a luminaire that is both raw and refined, functional and poetic.
With its compact geometry and 52° beam angle, the pendant version is ideal for focused illumination over tables or for spatial and object-based accent lighting. The LED offers flicker-free dimming and a dim-to-warm light curve that shifts color temperature from 2,700K down to 1,800K – echoing the familiar warmth of an incandescent bulb, but with the precision of modern optics.
BIG SEE Talks with Matthias Hempt
Q: You work closely with people from art, architecture, and lighting design. How do these collaborations influence the final product?
A: Very much so. I originally trained as an electrical installation technician, and after quite a few twists and turns, I ended up studying design in Salzburg and fine art at the Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf. That journey shapes how I work to this day – it gives me a natural affinity for people from different fields and a deep appreciation for their perspectives. With HELLER & DIMMER, I finally found a way to bring all my interests together – and to collaborate with people whose skills and ideas truly inspire me. Without the input of Elisabeth Bauer, Andreas Schütz, Michael Tschager, Matthias Borowski – and many others I can’t all name here – the quality and depth of the work would simply not be the same.
“With HELLER & DIMMER, I finally found a way to bring all my interests together – and to collaborate with people whose skills and ideas truly inspire me.”
Q: You create lighting in small series and individual editions. How does this scale affect the way you think about light and objects?
A: After finishing my art studies, I spent three years working in the studio of Brigitte Kowanz in Vienna, where I was part of a small team responsible for producing her highly limited light-based artworks. That experience had a deep impact on me – it really laid the foundation for what later became HELLER & DIMMER. I’ve always been fascinated by the aura of small series. They often carry a kind of signature – a soul, almost. And they offer a level of freedom and flexibility that simply isn’t possible in mass production. I have a strong obsession with details and materials, and I want to pursue that without compromise. Working in small editions is the only way to stay true to that vision.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the aura of small series. They often carry a kind of signature – a soul, almost.”
Q: What part of LES do most people overlook – but you see as essential?
A: Many people don’t realize that LES is part of a larger optical system – that it can be connected modularly and scaled to accommodate different LED performance classes. We’re truly excited about what lies ahead. And there’s every reason to be curious.
LES is a beginning.
LES is a modular foundation, made to scale.
LES is more.
HELLER & DIMMER
Founded by Matthias Hempt, HELLER & DIMMER operates at the intersection of lighting design, engineering, and small-batch production. Based just outside Vienna, the studio specializes in limited editions and custom lighting concepts that merge high-quality components with a system-based design approach. By integrating light source and luminaire into a single entity, HELLER & DIMMER redefines lighting as a medium – where the quality of light is not an afterthought, but the starting point.
Project
LES
Year of Completion:
2024
Location:
Austria
Contacts
Instagram:
@hellerunddimmer
Linkedin:
Matthias Hemp
Wepage:
hellerdimmer.at (coming soon)
E-mail:
kontakt@hellerdimmer.at
Photography:
HELLER & DIMMER
Portrait photo:
Elisabeth Bauer
Edited by:
Blažka Drnovšek
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At the core of LES, a lens-based luminaire, lies a bold design ethos: nothing to hide. Conceived as the centerpiece of a modular indoor lighting system, LES reveals what is usually concealed – a lighting object reduced to its purest technical essence.
Rather than relying on decorative enclosures, the luminaire’s architecture embraces the beauty of functionality. Precision-milled from a single cylindrical metal part, the housing doubles as a passive cooling body, enabling efficient thermal management of the COB-LED through natural convection. Every component is mechanically joined – no glue, no compromise – allowing for effortless repair, replacement, and reuse.
LES celebrates longevity not just through craftsmanship, but through material honesty. A frameless glass lens, inspired by the elegant restraint of picture holders, ensures both high-performance glare control and a timeless visual expression. The result is a luminaire that is both raw and refined, functional and poetic.
With its compact geometry and 52° beam angle, the pendant version is ideal for focused illumination over tables or for spatial and object-based accent lighting. The LED offers flicker-free dimming and a dim-to-warm light curve that shifts color temperature from 2,700K down to 1,800K – echoing the familiar warmth of an incandescent bulb, but with the precision of modern optics.
BIG SEE Talks with Matthias Hempt
Q: You work closely with people from art, architecture, and lighting design. How do these collaborations influence the final product?
A: Very much so. I originally trained as an electrical installation technician, and after quite a few twists and turns, I ended up studying design in Salzburg and fine art at the Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf. That journey shapes how I work to this day – it gives me a natural affinity for people from different fields and a deep appreciation for their perspectives. With HELLER & DIMMER, I finally found a way to bring all my interests together – and to collaborate with people whose skills and ideas truly inspire me. Without the input of Elisabeth Bauer, Andreas Schütz, Michael Tschager, Matthias Borowski – and many others I can’t all name here – the quality and depth of the work would simply not be the same.
“With HELLER & DIMMER, I finally found a way to bring all my interests together – and to collaborate with people whose skills and ideas truly inspire me.”
Q: You create lighting in small series and individual editions. How does this scale affect the way you think about light and objects?
A: After finishing my art studies, I spent three years working in the studio of Brigitte Kowanz in Vienna, where I was part of a small team responsible for producing her highly limited light-based artworks. That experience had a deep impact on me – it really laid the foundation for what later became HELLER & DIMMER. I’ve always been fascinated by the aura of small series. They often carry a kind of signature – a soul, almost. And they offer a level of freedom and flexibility that simply isn’t possible in mass production. I have a strong obsession with details and materials, and I want to pursue that without compromise. Working in small editions is the only way to stay true to that vision.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the aura of small series. They often carry a kind of signature – a soul, almost.”
Q: What part of LES do most people overlook – but you see as essential?
A: Many people don’t realize that LES is part of a larger optical system – that it can be connected modularly and scaled to accommodate different LED performance classes. We’re truly excited about what lies ahead. And there’s every reason to be curious.
LES is a beginning.
LES is a modular foundation, made to scale.
LES is more.
HELLER & DIMMER
Founded by Matthias Hempt, HELLER & DIMMER operates at the intersection of lighting design, engineering, and small-batch production. Based just outside Vienna, the studio specializes in limited editions and custom lighting concepts that merge high-quality components with a system-based design approach. By integrating light source and luminaire into a single entity, HELLER & DIMMER redefines lighting as a medium – where the quality of light is not an afterthought, but the starting point.
Project
LES
Year of Completion:
2024
Location:
Austria
Contacts
Instagram:
@hellerunddimmer
Linkedin:
Matthias Hemp
Wepage:
hellerdimmer.at (coming soon)
E-mail:
kontakt@hellerdimmer.at
Photography:
HELLER & DIMMER
Portrait photo:
Elisabeth Bauer
Edited by:
Blažka Drnovšek
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