Volker von Kardorff

Volker von Kardorff serves as Honorary Professor for Lighting Design within the Design Department at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, bringing decades of industry expertise to academic instruction. His practice spans landmark international projects including the U.A.E Pavilion at EXPO 2020 Dubai, Berlin's Neues Museum and Brandenburg Gate, Düsseldorf's GAP 15 high-rise, and current Urban Street Beautification initiatives in Doha, Qatar.

His educational foundation includes:

• Architecture studies at TU Braunschweig and University of Stuttgart (completed 1994)
• MSc Light and Lighting Course at The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London (1992/93)
• Professional training at Bartenbach LightLab, Innsbruck (1994)
• Office management at Bartenbach LichtLabor, Berlin (1995)

Von Kardorff's work integrates cutting-edge LED technology with sustainable design principles across architectural and urban contexts. His research emphasizes light as a transformative element in public spaces, demonstrated through projects like Berlin's Unter den Linden master plan and Neubrandenburg Marketplace. He pioneers approaches where illumination serves both functional and artistic purposes, particularly in museum environments and street lighting systems that enhance urban identity.

His accolades feature multiple Lighting Designer of the Year honors (2013, 2020, 2023) and significant German Lighting Design Awards:

• Public Areas/Street Lighting winner (2011) for Marketplace Neubrandenburg
• Museum Category finalist (2011) for Neues Museum Berlin
• International Project finalist (2011) for Neues Museum Berlin
• State Building Award Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (2010)

As founder of Kardorff Engineers Lighting Design (1997), he maintains active industry engagement while contributing academic leadership. His recent lectures address 'Light in the city' (2024 Berlin) and 'Light is design x technology' (2025 LICHT conference), reflecting ongoing innovation in the field.