Coloured glass lamps, sculptural acoustic lights, smart lighting that adapts to people’s lives: Light + Building 2026 in Frankfurt, Germany shows just how diverse and visionary the world of lighting has become. We have summarised the most important trends from the world’s leading trade fair, and the highlights Gira has revealed this year.
The world’s leading trade fair for lighting and building technology is back, and it is setting new standards. From 8 to 13 March 2026, Light + Building will transform the Frankfurt exhibition grounds in Germany into the international centre of the lighting and design industry. Following this year’s theme “Be Electrified – Electrifying Places. Illuminating Spaces.”, around 2,000 exhibitors demonstrate how technology and design merge to shape the spaces of tomorrow. Of course we were on site aswell – and here are what we consider this year’s most exciting trends.
Interior lighting: colour, form and character
No more uniform white lighting. Coloured LEDs and expressive glass lamps dominate interior collections at L+B 2026. Deep amber, glowing emerald green, delicate pink: luminaires are becoming deliberate colour accents and bold design statements.
Glass lamps in particular are experiencing a renaissance: handcrafted, tinted shades and mouth-blown forms combine craftsmanship with emotion, bathing every room in warm light full of character.
One of the most striking designs of the season is the round, spherical bubble luminaire. Whether as a single floating orb or in playful cluster arrangements, the circular form stands for lightness and joie de vivre.
Botanically and maritime-inspired lamps with exceptionally delicate designs are among the most beautiful discoveries at the trade fair: thin metal branches stretching into the room like twigs, delicate blossom shapes made of porcelain or transparent plastic, leaf-like or shell-shaped shades.
What is classic is being reimagined. A striking number of designers this year are drawing on the archive treasures of lighting history and bringing them back to life with contemporary materials and modern LED technology.
Art Deco in particular is making a strong comeback with its clear geometric lines, symmetrical patterns and the shine of brass and gold. The result: luminaires that combine classic elegance with modern precision. Timeless without appearing old-fashioned.
Natural materials: calm, harmony and sustainability
Sustainable lighting design is no longer a niche topic, it is the standard of tomorrow. Wood, linen, cotton, rattan, ceramic and stone are everywhere at L+B 2026. They bring warmth, texture and a sense of earthiness to lamps and therefore into the room itself.
This design principle goes far beyond aesthetics. Luminaires made from renewable or recycled materials stand for durability, repairability and a conscious approach to resources.
The design language remains deliberately understated: soft lines, matte surfaces, no ostentation. These lamps radiate calm and harmony and provide the perfect counterbalance to the digital overstimulation of everyday life.
Functional lighting: light that does more
One of the most innovative trends at this year’s trade fair combines two seemingly very different sensory experiences: light and acoustics. More and more manufacturers are presenting luminaires that also function as acoustic dampening elements.
Sculpturally shaped lamps with slats or panels made from sound-absorbing material swallow disturbing noise while looking stylish.
These hybrid solutions are particularly interesting for open-plan living spaces, workplaces and hospitality settings. A single installation provides pleasant illumination and noticeably improved room acoustics. Form follows multi-function.
Outdoor lighting: elegance under open skies
Outdoor areas are no longer neglected in lighting design. At Light + Building 2026, garden lighting and urban outdoor lighting have grown up.
Elegant light rods made from slim, weather-resistant materials create subtle yet striking accents in gardens, on terraces or within urban landscapes. Their secret lies in indirect light.
Instead of direct illumination, they create a soft lighting effect that uses walls, floors and planting as a stage. Coloured walls as a stage for light: this idea runs through many outdoor concepts at this year’s trade fair.
Lighting design: the right light at the right time
Perhaps the most important paradigm shift at L+B 2026 is not a design trend but a shift in thinking: lighting becomes situational. It is no longer about illuminating a room as brightly as possible. It is about creating the right lighting state for the right moment.
Smart control systems make it possible to store individual lighting scenes for every type of room use: bright, cool light for focused work in the morning, warm white dimmed light for a relaxed dinner in the evening, deep atmospheric night lighting to unwind.
It is not the furniture, not the floor, but the light that redefines the character of a space at every moment.
The theme of wellbeing through light is more present at this year’s trade fair than ever before.
Inspired by the circadian rhythm of the human body, many exhibitors are presenting solutions that automatically adjust colour temperature and intensity throughout the day. Light that wakes you in the morning, sharpens focus at midday and invites calm and cosiness in the evening. Not a luxury, but thoughtfully designed living.
Gira at Light + Building 2026: when progress takes shape
“Experience Gira in a new way”: Gira shows how forward-looking solutions are setting new standards for intelligent living with well-designed systems, clear design and innovative technologies that offer greater comfort, greater flexibility and more possibilities.
Intelligent lighting control: the right atmosphere at the touch of a button
What the trade fair trends call for, Gira delivers in practice. With the new pushbutton sensors and the Gira KNX system, individual lighting scenes can be stored for every moment and every room: dimmed, warm light for a relaxed evening, bright functional light for focused work. At the touch of a button, via app or automatically controlled, the atmosphere in the room changes.
Light that adapts to people’s lives, not the other way around. That is what intelligent lighting control is all about today. And Gira provides the foundation for it: reliable, intuitive and seamlessly integrated into a consistent design concept.
Gira System 70: minimal in design, maximum in possibilities
The most significant innovation is the Gira System 70, the new surface switch platform in a 70 × 70 mm format. Building on the Gira surface switch introduced in 1966 – a defining product innovation in the world of switches – System 70 evolves into a significantly expanded platform with a clear system logic. Four switch ranges are available:
Gira F100 – proven design with a soft contour
Gira F200 – distinctive character with clear lines
Gira F200 flat – strong form with minimal height
Gira F300 – minimal frame, maximum impact
All ranges are available in five colours, enabling a consistent design throughout the entire living space. More than 200 functions cover classic applications such as light switches and sockets, as well as dimmers, blind controls and Smart Home solutions.
Multiple frames are designed without visible centre bars, creating a calm, surface-oriented appearance with clean lines. The nes system is suitable for both new builds and modernisation projects. (Available from 09/2026)
New Gira pushbutton sensors for greater living comfort
Gira is presenting an entire family of new pushbutton sensors – each one adding its own distinctive touch.
The Gira pushbutton sensor 4.55 Plus for KNX is a compact control unit for Smart Homes with an integrated display for the direct visualisation of functions, status and scenes. Up to eight programmable buttons, individually customisable displays and sensors for temperature and humidity make it a flexible control centre for lighting, blinds, temperature and scenes. (Available from 04/2026)
The Gira pushbutton sensor 4.55 Detect combines control functions with integrated, invisible motion detection. A high-frequency motion sensor beneath the cover as well as a contactless proximity sensor enable precise motion and presence detection. It is complemented by sensors for temperature, humidity and air quality. (Available from 11/2026)
The Gira pushbutton sensor 4.70 combines the classic functions of the pushbutton sensor 4 with the large operating surface of the new Gira System 70. It is available as a Standard or Komfort variant – also as a 4-gang pushbutton sensor for particularly extensive functions. (Available from 05/2026)
In addition, Gira presents the pushbutton sensor 4.55 and 4.95 Komfort variants with an air quality sensor. An invisibly integrated VOC air quality sensor continuously monitors indoor air, determines the eCO₂ value as an indicator and can directly trigger automations such as ventilation or window opening. (Available from 11/2026)
Gira IP door communication – flexible and modular
Also new: Gira IP door communication. It turns your entrance area into an intelligently connected part of the home. See and speak to visitors, open the door – either indoors via the indoor station or remotely via smartphone. The system connects the outdoor station and indoor controls via modern network technology, ensuring clear image and audio quality.
Flexibly expandable and suitable for a wide range of living situations, from single-family homes to multi-residential buildings. At its core is the Gira System 106 IP: a modular IP-based door communication system that combines high-quality materials with modern network technology. The result: brilliant HD video images and crystal-clear speech quality with a wide camera viewing angle.
Light as quality of life
Light + Building 2026 makes one thing unmistakably clear: light is far more than illumination. It is material, atmosphere, acoustics, nature and technology all at once. This year’s trends span a fascinating spectrum – from playful coloured glass luminaires and sustainable natural materials to intelligent lighting scenarios that adapt to people’s lives.
Gira also demonstrates how thoughtful systems and design go hand in hand – creating living spaces that work beautifully today and continue to inspire tomorrow.
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