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LAMBERT & FILS LE BURGER RESTAURANT ITALY DESIGN REPORT HILTON IMPERIAL • SHABABEEK • BESPOKE LIGHTING • TIMOTHY OULTON • HOTEL NORGE • HOTEL LIGHTING • ANNABEL'S

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Like the subatomic particle it was named for, Electron is an elegant and modern light fixture radiating attractive energy into its environment.

Demonstrating resourceful engineering without compromising beauty or functionality, the double-sided lighting maximizes illumination while the LED technology maximizes energy efficiency.

VI EW THE ENTI RE ELECT RON LINE & MODERN LIGH T ING COLLECT ION AT K ARICE.CO M

DARC PROUDLY SUPPORTS 'WOMEN IN LIGHTING' - AN INSPIRATIONAL PLATFORM PROMOTING WOMEN WORKING WITH LIGHT

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HELEN ANKERS • EDITOR

#iamawomanoflight

The theme for this year's International Women's Day campaign is #BalanceforBetter - encouraging us to build a genderbalanced world. As per the campaign's mission statement - everyone has a part to play - all the time, everywhere and we are now entering an exciting period of history (herstory) where the world expects balance. We notice its absence and celebrate its presence. Balance drives a better working world and is not a women's issue, but a business issue. The race is on for the gender-balanced boardroom, a gender-balanced government, gender-balanced media coverage, a gender-balance of employees, gender-balance in wealth, gender-balanced sports coverage and more... Gender balance is essential for economies and communities to thrive.

The design industry also has its part to play in #BalanceforBetter - at present the lighting design industry is roughly a 50/50 split between women and men, yet in terms of events, conferences, panels and media coverage this isn't the case female designers involved in light are massively under represented and it is time for that to change.

With that in mind, darc is excited and proud to be supporting Women in Lighting - a new digital platform set up by Light Collective to highlight the work and achievements of female designers working with light. Officially launched on March 8 to tie in with International Women's Day, the website (www.womeninlighting.com) is supported by individual female designers in over 50 countries; these ‘ambassadors’ are a point of contact in each location for anyone seeking to find out more about the project. As well as this, darc will dedicate a regular editorial spot for Women in Lighting in every issue moving forward, ranging from projects to product launches and interviews. If you are interested in getting involved, or would like to have your work featured, please feel free to contact me directly. To read more about the project, turn to page 70.

Our other focus for the Mar/Apr issue, is Milan Design Week and the return of Euroluce! We are really excited to see all the new lighting launches heading to Milan in April and if you've got an event, press conference or party, make sure we are in the know - we will be all over social media that week, documenting our every move! With the design world's attention firmly focused on Italy for the next couple of months, we also bring you our second Design Report.

Introduced by product designer Luca Nichetto, who speaks candidly about trends in contemporary lighting, we also profile a number of well-known Italian lighting brands. Learn more about their latest product launches from page 125 onwards.

#readinginthedarc

Covers: Vong Kitchen & Le Burger, USA Image: Ed Reeve |

Celebrating International Women's Day - Women in Lighting

Welcome

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DETAILS

Contents

014 Hotel Imperial

Goddard Littlefair brings an air of grandeur to the Croatian hotel.

022 Annabel's

The private member's club gets a revamp thanks to MBDS.

REGULARS

074 Lambert & Fils

darc speaks with the design studio's founder Samuel Lambert.

125 Italy Design Report

We bring you a selection of the best Italy has to offer.

PROJECTS

FEATURES

010 FOCAL POINT UNION STATION FOOD HALL

014 HOTEL IMPERIAL Goddard Littlefair

012 FOCAL POINT VIVI RESTAURANT

022 ANNABEL'S Martin Brudnizki Design Studio

074 INTERVIEW | LAMBERT & FILS One of Canada's most energised hubs for collaborative design, Lambert & Fils' founder, Samuel Lambert sat down with Helen Ankers ahead of this year's Euroluce to discuss his ongoing passion for materials, form and function.

070 DESIGN NEWS | WOMEN IN LIGHTING The latest venture from Light Collective that aims to highlight the work of female designers within light.

031 HOTEL NORGE Concrete

072 DESIGN NEWS | DITCHING PLASTIC New Zealand-based product designer David Trubridge looks to eco-friendly alternatives.

148 ON SHOW Ahead of this year's biggest design show, we bring you a selection of lighting launches expected at Euroluce 2019.

160 ON SHOW Discover where the key lighting events are taking place around the city of Milan this year.

040 OPA RESTAURANT Craft & Bloom / Vered Kadouri 044 HOXTON HOTELS Ennismore 050 WOLFORD STORE Studio Modjifsky 054 SHABABEEK RESTAURANT Roar Design 059 VONG KITCHEN / LE BURGER Rockwell Design

081 COMMENT | JO LITTLEFAIR Interior designer Jo Littlefair explores the use of light within interiors and how decorative lighting is adopting a more organic aesthetic through sculptural pieces.

104 INTERVIEW | TIMOTHY OULTON The British designer has a passionate quest to create extraordinary spaces. Francesca Barnes delves deeper into what inspires him and what it takes to create something truly unique.

110 COMMENT | TZETZY NAYDENOVA VISO’s managing founder introduces this issue's bespoke lighting feature and outlines why, it’s not always as expensive as you might think.

162 CALENDARC THE MUST-ATTEND INTERNATIONAL DESIGN SHOWS FOR 2019

064 FELIX WARLEY DesignLSM / Into Lighting

125 DESIGN REPORT | ITALY Murano’s Luca Nichetto speaks candidly with Maria Elena Oberti about trends in contemporary lighting and why he thinks his native Italy is still the best place on earth to practice design.

THE MAGAZINE

DESIGN

CORPORATE

Editor | Helen Ankers h.ankers@mondiale.co.uk +44 161 476 8372

Artwork | Chris Farrington c.farrington@mondiale.co.uk

Chairman | Damian Walsh

International Advertising | Stephen Quiligotti s.quiligotti@mondiale.co.uk +44 7742 019213

Editorial | Mel Capper m.capper@mondiale.co.uk

Editorial Team Sarah Cullen Matt Waring Maria Oberti

FINANCE

Editorial Interns Oliver Leigh Francesca Barnes

Credit Control | Lynette Levi l.levi@mondiale.co.uk

Publishing Editor | Paul James p.james@mondiale.co.uk Marketing & Events | Moses Naeem m.naeem@mondiale.co.uk

Finance Director | Amanda Giles a.giles@mondiale.co.uk [d]arc media ltd | Strawberry Studios, Watson Square, Stockport SK1 3AZ, UK | Printed by Buxton Press, Palace Road, Buxton, UK | ISSN 2052-9406

Proudly Supporting

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Design to Shape Light

• Size: Ø200, Ø300, Ø400 • Colours: Alu grey, white, corten • System power: 10 W, 22W, 25W • Colour temp. 2700K and 3000K • Lumen output: 400, 750, 1000 • Lm/W: 40 • CRI: >90

Flindt Wall Design by Christian Flindt louispoulsen.com

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focal point UNION STATION FOOD HALL TORONTO, CANADA Lightemotion has reinvented the lighting at Toronto’s rail transit hub - Union Station using indirect, adjustable mood lighting. In collaboration with Dialog Design, Partisans and GH+A Design, four years of research and hard work has resulted in an atmosphere that promotes wellbeing and relaxation.

Although it is an underground space, you quickly forget the hustle and bustle of a busy transit hub where every minute counts, and commuters are in a rush to do everything, except take a break.

Adorned with warm, energising, clean light in the mornings when the first commuters arrive, come the evening Lightemotion’s concept transforms the space into an inviting haven to all users and commuters. With this clever, multiatmosphere system, Lightemotion ensured that the lighting could be adjusted according to the moment and the time of day. For Osmington, tenant and operator of the new space, the creative team conceived a lighting design that is a brilliant reflection of an ambitious mandate - to make the food court a place to be, where everyone will feel good.

The light sources are embedded in soothing, white PODS (pressurised ocular diffuser system) made from glass fibre reinforced gypsum, inside each of which, just like an oyster’s pearl, is a lamp that provides indirect, warm, adjustable light that changes tone according to the time of day and can be adapted based on events taking place.

“We are very proud to have created an atmosphere that so effectively fosters wellbeing,” said Lightemotion’s President, François Roupinian. “Our approach makes light the focal point, subtly punctuating the space and thereby avoiding the uniform, uninspiring effect that is so often apparent in traditional food halls.”

The Union Station Food Hall opened on November 26, 2018. The next phase of the project, in which Lightemotion is also involved, is the Fresh Market and the common areas, which are scheduled to open soon. lightemotion.ca Images: Philip Castleton

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focal point VIVI RESTAURANT CENTRE POINT, LONDON, UK The over-arching vision for this project – overseen

by Gordon Young of Gordon Young Architects – was to ensure that the building’s 1960s heritage was captured in the interiors. It was crucial that the essence of that iconic decade would run through everything, while also creating a modern, bright and atmospheric space that would work as an all-day destination. It was clear from the early stages of planning that lighting would play a crucial part in achieving this balance.

The focal point in the main restaurant is, undoubtedly, the statement chandelier. Designed and handmade by Vibeke Fonnesberg Schmidt specifically for the space, the chandelier mimics the popular 1960’s children’s construction toy, ‘PlayPlax’. Made of layers of custom coloured plexiglass with brass fittings, the chandelier’s colour palette includes pale pink and teal blue, two of the key accent colourways of the space as a whole, which brings an element of playful quirkiness and nostalgia to the classic and elegant interiors.

A number of integrated joinery and architectural lighting elements were also coordinated between Nulty and Gordon Young Architects to breathe life into the striking materials and varied textures used throughout the restaurant. These create many layers of light, which together with Vibeke’s chandelier work to inform the overall ambience of the restaurant, helping it to transition from light and airy during the day to intimate and sophisticated for evening service. www.gordonyoungarchitects.com vibekefonnesbergschmidt.dk www.nultylighting.co.uk Image: Chris Orange

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Golden Age Glamour Goddard Littlefair completes restoration of Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik, re-injecting life and soul into one of Europe’s most beautiful hotels to appeal to today’s cosmopolitan, sophisticated traveller.

Images: Gareth Gardner

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London-based interior design studio Goddard Littlefair recently restored the Hilton Imperial hotel in Dubrovnik, injecting golden-age glamour into one of Europe’s most beautiful and historic venues.

Originally built in 1890, the hotel sits just above Dubrovnik’s old town and hosted a wealth of success in the early 20th century, serving the great Mediterranean cruise liners docking in the city. Then called The Grand Hotel Imperial, it had a French Riviera feel and the glamorous cachet of an international clientele. The hotel was a roaring success for many decades before it was shelled during the Yugoslav war and then used to house refugees. It was brought back to life in 2005, however costly building works meant that the interior wasn’t the main priority at the time.

Goddard Littlefair pitched and won the commission to restore the hotel towards the end of 2016 for a phased set of redesign works. The completed areas include the reception and lobby, lobby lounge, Imperial Bar, Executive Lounge, all connecting and

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guest-room corridors and all of the hotel’s 149 standard and executive rooms and nine suites. A refurbishment of the hotel’s existing restaurant Porat on the lower ground floor will follow in the next few years.

Goddard Littlefair interior designer Jana Novakovic, tells darc: “Our initial brief was to unlock the true potential of the four-storey hotel’s spectacular location, architecture, reputation and history. Two phases were completed over the course of eighteen months with a third phase including the restaurant on the lower ground floor set to complete in 2020.

“We were very fortunate on this project that the client’s aspirations and ours were in sync from the outset. The brief and concept stayed true and pure throughout. The building and location have a very strong preexisting character and our aspirations were to reference this throughout the entirety of the project.”

Novakovic continues: “The main challenge was how to respect the hotel’s incredible

history, both alluding to and recreating its glamorous heritage whilst ensuring it had a thoroughly contemporary sophistication.”

The team’s inspiration lay in bringing back the romance of the hotel’s former glories and layering glamour into each individual space by means of a Riviera palette, soft detailing, a 1920s yachting influence and subtle evocation of the hotel’s original elegance, all balanced with clean and contemporary lines.

“Our concept referenced the glamour of the 1950s and 60s travel lifestyle,” says Novakovic. “Mediterranean cruises and tours; the grand hotels and iconic summer scenes of convertible cars, sunglasses and flowing dresses.”

Goddard Littlefair worked with dpa lighting consultants to oversee the scheme as he felt that lighting was a crucial way to bring their vision for the hotel to life.

Novakovic tells darc: “Glass is always a major element in our lighting designs because of the extra magic it can bring, whether that’s natural light shining through

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it in the day time, creating a sense of grandeur or arrival in key spaces or dimming the lights to suit the mood for cocktails at night.”

The team channelled the architectural elements of the building to inspire the lighting designs and ensure they were always in keeping with the overall 1950s glamour sensibility.

Guests enter into the double height reception to find a series of eleven bespoke lanterns hung amidst tall arched windows and cool ceramic flooring. Designed by Goddard Littlefair and produced by Croatian lighting company Dekor, these chandeliers are repeated down the corridor, linking the spaces back to the reception. All of these details give the grand entrance a medieval feeling that is very appropriate to Dubrovnik’s history.

“The lanterns make up a spectacular eleven-part central chandelier made up of sculptural globe-shaped and antiqued brass

pendant lights, hanging from chains in rows of three on antiqued brass rods,” continues Novakovic. “Each individual pendant light within the chandelier houses seven ribbed glass tubes concealing light sources. The ribbed glass matches seven bespoke vertical wall lights in the reception’s waiting area.”

The medieval history inspired the team to continue those chandeliers down through the corridor that leads from the reception to the lounge and bar areas. They hung a further seven sculptural and antiqued brass lights identical to the ones used in the reception’s lighting feature.

Moving through to the lobby lounge, Imagin produced the area’s bespoke chandelier, which was inspired by 1950s flowering swimming caps. It features cascading opaque glass petal shapes set on a brass framework and some are even detailed with a gold perimeter. Wall lights in the space are identical to those in the reception waiting area, featuring ribbed, cylindrical glass

surrounds.

Meanwhile, the Imperial Bar is scattered with decorative lighting details that capture its pronounced Deco feel, inspired by the arched windows and hotel surroundings.

Firstly, the room features a bespoke, sixarmed chandelier in brass with spherical opal glass shades designed by Goddard Littlefair and manufactured by Dekor as well.

“Here the lighting was pared back in order to bring attention to the bar, which really comes to life through back-lit ribbed panels on the back bar and a soft spotlight on the bespoke mosaic bar front,” continues Novakovic.

Elsewhere in the Imperial Bar, there’s an illuminated surround screen featuring brass shelving and fretwork panels set within its side arches and across its top section, where LED lights are also concealed. There’s a glass lightbox along the rear bar wall as well, featuring backlit ribbed glass, set within a brass framework that brings a decorative

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background illumination to the space.

Beyond the Imperial Bar is the Executive Lounge, a quiet breakaway zone for the hotel’s executive guests with a more spare and contemporary feel. The major lighting feature of this space is a bespoke fourpart brass ring chandelier with crystal elements and inset LED lights, also designed

by Goddard Littlefair and made by British manufacturer Northern Lights. The LED strip emphasises the many small crystal elements circling each ring.

The linking corridors between the various suites, executive and standard rooms also feature bespoke wall lights, again designed

by Goddard Littlefair and produced by Dekor.

They feature a brass finish with layered bronze plates to announce each room via a cut out number in the front plate.

The look and feel of each guest room is light and fresh with bedside lights fixed to panels featuring a geometric leaf print on linen with antique brass, also made by

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Dekor. The bespoke floor lights have metal bases finished in bronze with softly-curved geometric shades in ivory linen. Some rooms also feature a fully metal, slightly shorter floor light with a hemispherical rounded head and the hotel bathrooms feature bespoke wall lights as well.

Taking a closer look at the suite guest rooms, they feature bespoke four-armed chandeliers suspended on a chain with a linen shade. They also have table lamps with faux-leather wrapped brown bases, linen shades and a contrast trim along the bottom in dark brown.

Despite the complexity of the various decorative lighting elements, the hotel’s structure worked in Goddard Littlefair’s favour, helping the team to achieve the decorative lighting scheme they wanted.

Novakovic continues: “We were lucky to have the ceiling reinforced with a strong pattress, which was capable of holding the full weight of the lobby lounge chandelier.

Opening spread The lobby seating area features bespoke lanterns designed by Goddard Littlefair and fabricated by Dekor - these are hung amidst tall arched windows and cool ceramic flooring.

Previous page 1. Open arches lead from the lobby to the Imperial Bar and Lounge. 2. Bespoke vertical wall lights on the timber walls were designed by Goddard Littlefair. 3. Inset brass light on communal table.

4. Armchairs with a dark timber frame and caramel leather upholstery are complemented with bespoke wall and table lights.

This page 1. The Executive Lounge is a quiet breakaway zone featuring a bespoke four-part brass ring chandelier with crystal elements and inset LED lights, designed by Goddard Littlefair and manufactured by Northern Lights. 2. A dark-painted ceiling and bespoke, six-armed chandelier in brass with spherical opal glass shades add drama to the Imperial Bar. 3. A bespoke chandelier inspired by 1950s flowering swimming caps hangs in the lobby lounge. Featuring cascading opaque glass petal shapes set on a brass framework, with some even detailed with a gold perimeter.

Last page 1. The design of all rooms and suites is light and fresh, with clean lines and a refined and elegant silver-blue palette. 2. Room numbers are announced via bespoke lights and layered bronze plates. 3. New features include wall lights, mirrored panels and decorative mirrors with brass frames and leather-hooked top detail. 4. Artist Branka Ridicki's hang squarely above the bed, evoking townscapes in an abstract composition.

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In terms of the LED drivers, we integrated these into the light fittings as much as possible.”

The hotel also has an abundance of natural light flooding in through the large windows, which rendered it a bright and airy space from the outset.

“This was especially important in this design because of the proximity to the sea and the need for a relaxed, refreshing summer atmosphere,” says Novakovic. “The lighting scheme was designed to complement and enhance this, but also to create the right evening atmosphere in each space.”

The final result evoking the long hot summer of twentieth century Croatia is as true to the original scheme as the Goddard Littlefair team could have hoped for.

Novakovic tells darc: “We are very happy to say that the feedback on this project has been overwhelmingly positive, which is how we felt as a team as soon as we saw the space coming together. It’s very gratifying to see the original intent come to life quite so perfectly!”

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This project was particularly special for Novakovic, as she continues: “I have family from Croatia and speak the language. I was able to communicate with the local team in Croatian, using technical vocabulary related to design, which was a first for me! The team on this project was great. Everyone’s effort was noticeable from the beginning and clearly paid off.”

The Grand Hotel Imperial was Dubrovnik’s first modern hotel and the first to have electric lighting. Now with its restored interior and fresh lighting scheme, made possible thanks to a fruitful collaboration between Goddard Littlefair and dpa lighting consultants, its history has been restored in all its glory. From antique chandeliers to 1950s swimming cap references, the hotel’s story is now embedded in its design for all future visitors to get a golden-age taste of one of Europe’s most historic hotels. www.goddardlittlefair.com www.dpalighting.com

design details HILTON IMPERIAL DUBROVNIK, CROATIA CLIENT: HILTON GROUP INTERIOR DESIGN: GODDARD LITTLEFAIR LIGHTING CONSULTANTS: DPA LIGHTING CONSULTANTS

lighting specified NORTHERN LIGHTS - BESPOKE LIGHTING IN EXECUTIVE LOUNGE IMAGIN - BESPOKE LIGHTING IN LOBBY LOUNGE DEKOR - ALL OTHER BESPOKE LIGHTING CHARLES EDWARDS - CLAW TABLE LIGHTS COLLIER WEBB - CEP TABLE LIGHTS

Custom Production

DEKOR LIGHTING FACTORY K.Å . Gjalskog 27/1 49210 ZABOK - CROATIA T +385 49 587 700 E info@dekor.hr www.dekor.hr

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Decadent Paradise Martin Brudnizki Design Studio looks to a flora and fauna narrative for the revamped private members' club Annabel's, making use of bespoke lighting pieces throughout.

Images: James McDonald

This year, iconic members’ club Annabel’s opened the doors to its much anticipated new home – a Grade I listed Georgian mansion house at 46 Berkeley Square in London. With this move came a complete overhaul of the interiors and Annabel’s brand. Now covering four floors and 26,000sqft, Annabel’s offers an all-day and all-night experience and includes an outdoor terrace, nightclub, four restaurants, six bars and two private dining rooms.

Martin Brudnizki Design Studio (MBDS) was tasked with creating a club that would take members from breakfast through to the early hours, all while providing a place to work, dine, imbibe and relax. Having already worked with Annabel’s for a number of years, the interior design team fully understood what they wanted to create with the new space and how it would in turn benefit the business.

Annabel’s has a world famous reputation; opened in 1963 the original space was designed by Nina Campbell. Its interiors became a fundamental aspect of the club, which was loved by all. When MBDS took on the project, the team was highly conscious of this and initially created a basement nightclub floor with interiors inspired by

Campbell’s work. However, over time, while they designed the concept for the other floors, it soon became apparent that their narrative of flora and fauna had a stronger effect than what had initially been created in the basement. With guidance from the client, the team went back to the basement plans and redesigned the entire space so that it would communicate flawlessly with the rest of the club.

In terms of the lighting, for MBDS it always plays a pivotal role in any of its projects, but especially at Annabel’s. The majority of lighting was bespoke made – designed by And Objects and MBDS; with each floor having a different use, it was paramount that the interior design team created an appropriate atmosphere. As such, down in the basement where there is the nightclub and bar, they wanted to create soft, seductive ambience that would enhance the convivial mood.

The nightclub and adjoining Jungle Bar pay homage to the exotic. Wall coverings, fabrics and furnishings feature animal prints, vast jungle foliage, colourful rare birds and iridescent lizards that come to life within hand-painted mirrored glass walls. In terms of lighting, bespoke foliage lighting from Art et Floritude is used alongside Villaverde

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wall lights. Glass and brass sprung palm trees vibrate to the music and cluster around a hydraulic dance floor that can sink to a lower level or be raised to a stage for intimate performances. Everything comes together to create a decadent paradise in which to entertain and be entertained inside the club.

The Rose Room on the ground floor is the ultimate space in which to drink and dine, surrounded by hand-painted gold and silver leaf trompe l’oeil, bespoke handmade Murano glass tulip and iris chandeliers and a breathtaking pink onyx, backlit bar. Perfectly enhancing the English garden aesthetic, table lamps are accompanied by floor lamps and wall lights and the overall effect is a place that is perfectly lit, adapting to the mood of the day.

The beating heart of Annabel's is a stunning, spectacular, secluded garden, covered by a masterpiece in engineering, a one-of-a-kind

retractable glass roof by steel architects, Waagner Biro. Members can dine out under the sun and stars all year round, seven days a week, for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night drinks. For the garden terrace lighting, the Needles wall lights by And Objects for Urban Electric was used. Moving up the staircase, there are Durley wall lights by And Objects.

With a bar menu of Asian-inspired small plates and an Eastern-inspired drinks list, The Elephant Room is the ideal setting in which to while away the hours until the early morning. Whether it be mid-morning, early afternoon or late-night, Members and their guests can relax, surrounded by exotic fabrics, soft furnishings and hand-painted wall coverings featuring imagined classical landscapes, striking architecture, far-away forests, horsemen and of course, elephants.

The Mexican, situated on the club’s second floor, has been designed to give members an

Opening spread The Elephant Room - the ideal setting from morning until night. Members can relax, surrounded by exotic fabircs, soft furnishings and hand-painted wall coverings.

Second page and this page The Nightclub & Jungle Bar features bespoke decorative lighting elements from Art et Floritude and And Objects. Down in the basement where there is the nightclub and bar, they wanted to create soft, seductive ambience that would enhance the convivial mood. The nightclub and adjoining Jungle Bar pay homage to the exotic. Wall coverings, fabrics and furnishings feature animal prints, vast jungle foliage, colourful rare birds and iridescent lizards that come to life within handpainted mirrored glass walls.

Previous spread Bespoke lighting features throughout the various spaces of Annabel's. For MBDS it always plays a pivotal role in any of its projects, but especially here. The majority of lighting was designed by And Objects and MBDS; with each floor having a different use, it was paramount the interior design team created an appropriate atmosphere.

1&2. The Garden Terrace. 3&4. The Silver private dining room. 5. Ladies nightclub WC. 6. The Rose Room. 7. The Flower private dining room. 8. The Ladies nightclub WC. 9. The Nightclub & Jungle Bar.

Featured lights: Telegraph Floor + Telegraph Table

– 9-14 April 2019 Hall 13 Stand G22/26 Milan Fairgrounds Rho, Milan

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informal and relaxed environment in which to meet and work from during the day. In the evening, the room comes alive, the lights are dimmed, the music is turned up, the DJ arrives and the party starts.

Overall, Annabel’s is a wholly unique project and the MBDS team describe it as a “wonderful project to work on, having learnt a lot along the way.” While the design differs from what they originally had in mind, looking back they tell darc they could never have predicted it would turn out the way it has – a feast for the eyes!

The light perfectly sets the mood of each space within Annabel’s. From morning to night, the lighting levels can be adjusted from one central control board according to the time of day. Bright, natural light is utilised in the morning but come nightfall, a darker, more seductive and moody light is used.

“Annabel’s has been a once in a lifetime project,” the MBDS design team said. “It’s been incredibly complex, with thousands

of materials and finishes used, hundreds of drawings and the introduction of world class artwork.

“The time frame of just eighteen months also made this a particularly demanding project; the amount of work completed in such a short time frame is a real achievement. There are so many stand out features it’s very hard to single any one out… However, the different crafts that have been implemented at Annabel’s is particularly interesting. From hand painted eglomise detailing and the restoration of various listed architectural elements, to the creation of a life-size Pegasus that is suspended from the ceiling of the stairwell and the exquisite hand-painted mural, which spans the entire length of the Rose Room.

“We wouldn’t change a thing about this project – if anything, we might have gone a bit bolder if we could do it all again!” mbds.com

design details ANNABEL'S CLUB, LONDON, UK CLIENT: THE BIRLEY CLUBS INTERIOR DESIGN: MARTIN BRUDNIZKI DESIGN STUDIO LIGHTING CONSULTANTS: ISOMETRIC

lighting specified ALL BESPOKE PIECES BY AND OBJECTS / ART ET FLORITUDE

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Eternal Sunshine Hotel Norge embraces Bergen's history and combines it with an international contemporary lifestyle. Concrete's interior design is highlighted by a giant sun installation hidden in the heart of the building.

Images: Wouter van der Sar

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Hotel Norge in Bergen, Norway, is a new home for travellers with a curious mind.

Embracing Bergen’s history and combining it with an international and contemporary lifestyle, its design is highlighted by the eternal sunshine of the giant sun in the lobby – a surprising feature hidden in the heart of the building.

Designed by Netherlands-based design studio Concrete, the hotel is a destination in itself, offering an escape from the daily grind for business and leisure travellers alike. It is a collection of unique curated spaces, with a different array of ambiences that capture the city of Bergen.

Concrete was asked by hotel operator and client Scandic to create a ‘signature’ hotel – a design driven, lifestyle hotel for the young of heart traveller. Given almost complete freedom when designing the hotel, the team proposed to completely reorganise the public spaces – introducing escalators and putting the lobby on the second floor in the former ballroom.

When entering the building under the double height canopy, guests find themselves in an open and vibrant café. The former lobby of Hotel Norge has been given back to the people of Bergen, completely transformed as Café Norge, which is accessible to hotel guests and locals alike. The large tiled bar with brass details and the iconic wooden staircase form the centrepieces of the café, while the floor – with its light grey-tone terrazzo - and the double height columns clad in different shades of white handmade tiles with black skirting, create a brasserielike ambience.

The back wall opposite the entrance, covering both floors of the café, is a large backlit glass façade, with black steel profiles and double doors. On the first floor the glass wall separates three meeting studios from the café – when not in use, the large open doors connect them to the café, inviting guests and locals to work and meet likeminded people. The double height columns feature brass wall lamps that can be found

Previous page Concrete was inspired by the exceptional lighting conditions in the Nordics. As such, they created a giant bespoke sun in the lobby.

Fabricated by Bright Norway, the sun gradually changes colour over time creating different moods in the lobby. The surrounding decorative lighting in the lobby has been kept very moody.

This page The North pendant from e15 is used in the breakout meeting spaces and open kitchen. The circular shape of the light is used to refer back to the sun.

Next page An iconic light feature in the café is the Arrangements installation from Flos - designed by Michael Anastassiades. They are more graphical and playful - forming a nice contrast with the soft hues used in the café interior.

Pavilion 11 - Stand E29

estiluz@estiluz.com

www.estiluz.com

St Joan de les Abadesses, (Girona) Spain

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throughout the café and meeting studios.

Decorative lighting played a big role in this project, with different types of fixtures chosen to emphasise the different identities in the public spaces.

“We were very inspired by the exceptional lighting conditions in the Nordics,” Concrete’s design team tells darc. “The fact that sometimes the sun doesn’t rise or set at all was one reason for us to create a giant bespoke sun in the lobby – so that the sun always shines at Hotel Norge.

“The other decorative lighting in the lobby has been kept very moody, where as the restaurant has been designed brighter. Here, the disc-sphere from Areti is an important design feature. Its brass disc relates to the other brass details used throughout the interior design. It is used in the café as a wall light and in the restaurant as a pendant light.

“Another iconic light feature in the café is the Arrangements installation from Flos – designed by Michael Anastassiades. They are more graphical and playful and form a nice

contrast with the soft hues used in the café interior. In the breakout meeting spaces and the open kitchen we have used the North pendant from e15. The circular shape of this light is used to refer back to the sun.”

The double-height ceiling of the ballroom is covered in brass panels with a perforation reminiscent of the canopy of trees. The playful and irregular pattern is backlit to create a nice play of light and shadow, while the mirrors on the sidewalls enhance this effect and create an illusion of an infinite ceiling.

“We wanted to create the feeling of being in a forest,” says Concrete. “As well as the pattern of the leaves in the ceiling, we chose the Perch light from Moooi. Alongside this, the String Lights from Flos are used to write the word ‘Escape’ on the wall, which was an important theme for the hotel.”

Moving up to Restaurant Nova on the second floor, guests are given a perfect view over the main square of Bergen and the Lille Lungegardsvannet lake. The restaurant can be closed off into individual rooms by

This page The restaurant and café are bright and light. The disc-sphere light from Areti is an important design feature. Its brass disc relates to the other brass details used throughout the interior design.

It is used in the café as a wall light and in the restaurant as a pendant light.

Next page In the guest rooms String Lights from Flos are one of the main design elements. They have been used to write the word 'Escape' on the wall.

Decorative lighting played an integral role in the interior design of the hotel.

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hidden wooden sliding doors. In the evening, the lights are dimmed and the entire atmosphere transforms from breakfast restaurant to exclusive fine dining. Each dining room has its own identity and colour scheme, with walls covered in bespoke padded panels and an exclusive textured canvas showing abstract landscapes from all over the world.

For the guests’ bedrooms, the entrance vestibule is called the ‘mudroom’. Here, guests are invited to take off their shoes and unpack their luggage. The materials used in the rooms are honest and natural; oak combined with a black natural stone top and brass details.

A double door separates the bedroom from the mudroom and creates the ultimate switch-off and escape from the world outside. Because of the open layout and efficient use of the space, the zone between the bed and sofa functions as a

living room. The circular table together with the comfortable chair, can be used as a desk or dining table for two. Two hanging lamps, developed in cooperation with Flos, comprise a very special lighting feature in the rooms. The two suspended lamps have visible cords that make a playful and visual connection by writing the message ‘Escape’ on the wooden wall.

“In all of our projects the initial light concept is an integral and important part of our design process. We believe that lighting has a crucial impact on the ambience of the spaces we design. In most of our projects we work together with a lighting designer to help us accomplish our vision. We are very happy with the final impression of the design at Hotel Norge – we used the decorative lighting elements to emphasise certain areas and complement the architectural features.” concreteamsterdam.nl

design details HOTEL NORGE, BERGEN, NORWAY CLIENT: SCANDIC INTERIOR DESIGN: CONCRETE SUN INSTALLATION: BRIGHT NORWAY

lighting specified ARETI - DISC AND SPHERE WALL LIGHTS / PENDANTS CUSTOM-MADE GLOBE LIGHTS DOUGLAS & BEC - LINE FLOOR LAMPS E15 - NORTH PENDANTS FERM LIVING - COLLECT LIGHTING FLOS - ARRANGEMENTS BY MICHAEL ANASTASSIADES FLOS STRING LIGHTS HANDVARK - STUDIO FLOOR LAMPS LEE BROOM - FULCRUM PENDANTS LIGNE ROSET - CINÉTIQUE FLOOR LIGHTS LIGNE ROSET - DIMENSIONS FLOOR LIGHTS LIGNE ROSET - SPILLA FLOOR LIGHTS MOOOI - PERCH WALL LIGHTS PARACHILNA - ABALIS T VIBIA - LA PALMA WASTBERG - W132 NENDO FLOOR LIGHTS WEVER & DUCRÉ - WIRO DIAMOND 3.0

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22/02/2019 16:33:01

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Mediterranean Minimalism Opa, a Tel Aviv restaurant designed by Craft & Bloom and Vered Kadouri, introduces the unique art of cooking vegetables to the bustling, yet ramshackled, Levinsky Market.

Images: Yoav Gurin

On a notoriously run down and shuttered block in Tel Aviv's Levinsky Market, a clinically white façade marks the entrance to Opa, a brand new, 35-seat restaurant brought to life by local design studio Craft & Bloom and interior designer Vered Kadouri.

As beautiful as the façade is, the food stands out even more. Opa offers a tightly edited menu of five to seven plant-based dishes, each presented like its own art project on locally-made ceramics. Guests can also choose from fifteen organic and biodynamic wines on Opa's equally curated wine list.

Opa’s chef, Shirel Berger, left one of Tel

Aviv’s first vegan establishments in the tourist-driven Sarona Market to start her own restaurant. Berger, an advocate for using local ingredients, sources her produce from a single, family-run farm 40 minutes north of Tel Aviv.

Emma Shahar, Creative Director of Craft & Bloom, explains how she first met Berger: “A couple of years ago Ofer, my partner in life and business, invited Shirel over to our house to cook a vegan feast for my birthday.

Shirel fell in love with our home, primarily its understated elegance and attention to detail, and told herself that when she opened a restaurant, she wanted us to

design it. Fast-forward eighteen months and that is exactly what happened. We have to commend her on taking the leap with us.

“We roped Vered Kadouri in at the start of the project as this was our first restaurant job and it required a gut renovation. We knew that with her deep knowledge and experience working in the restaurant world, we would be a powerful team.”

Next came the brief, which called for a completely new dining experience found nowhere else in Israel.

“The client wanted an all-encompassing fine dining experience that would appeal to a younger audience,” Shahar tells darc.

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“Chef Berger was keen to make Opa a place where food is consumed as much with the eyes as the stomach and quality ingredients are prepared with respect, care and transparency. To make this work, Berger needed a space in her kitchen where she could focus on her dishes without interruptions from guests.”

To bring these design ideas to life, Craft & Bloom had to overcome some major challenges, including the restaurant’s difficult location.

“The 35-seat restaurant is located in Tel Aviv’s bustling, but decidedly ramshackle, Levinsky Market,” says Shahar. “This setting, while charming in its authenticity, posed an immediate and obvious design challenge: how does one create a refined dining experience on a derelict street that is otherwise marked by wholesale storefronts and bodega-style corner stores?

“In order to create the desired look, we closed off the entire street-facing façade by removing all the existing metal grates

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and transparent windows and installed a combination of glass and drywall, painted in a natural finish.

“The outcome was an entrance resembling that of an art gallery rather than a restaurant. This decision provided an intimate, womb-like effect that drowned out street noise and separated guests from the unruly outside world. Opa became a peaceful cocoon amidst the chaos. We illuminated the façade with hidden LED lights to achieve the desired effect.

“Another challenge was to create a fine dining experience for a younger audience also on a tight budget. Our ideological use of local materials helped us keep within budget, as did some clever design tricks.

“One example of this is the ceiling. We wanted to create an all-encompassing fine dining experience from the acoustics to the bathroom details. The ceiling in the main seating area is made of acoustic panels that we scored in a pattern to resemble a wooden planked ceiling. This was a clever

design trick used to mask the feel of an acoustic ceiling and provide a calming effect.”

The interior design of Opa not only appeals to young Israelis, it also goes hand in hand with Shirel's menu; minimal, clean and locally sourced. An air of understated elegance runs through the eatery, which features an inner patio made from hevron stone cut just outside the city, and an ornamental olive tree, embodying the Mediterranean menu.

The main focal point, however, is the aquarium style, open kitchen where diners can enjoy watching Shirel in action.

The lighting, made from powder coated white brass, and designed by a local Jaffa craftsman had to be carefully considered, ensuring bright enough working light within the kitchen yet maintaining a soft and intimate atmosphere throughout the restaurant.

“As we wanted a space that was clean and minimal, we knew the lighting would

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be one of our main design elements. We also took into consideration Chef Berger’s stunning and Instragrammable plating. It was important for us to create soft lighting for an intimate dinner service while allowing spotlights to hit the plates just right for the perfect Instagram picture.

“One of the main design elements was the exposed kitchen, so we had to create two lighting scenarios for prep and service.

We chose to go with the reputable lighting design company Dori Kimhi for their vast knowledge and superior product.

“For the statement lighting over each table, these were custom designed and manufactured by a local craftsmen in Jaffa.

To discern the inner patio from the rest of the space we custom made string lights to achieve the desired look we were aiming for.

“As the lighting was an integral part of the ambience we also enlisted the help of a lighting consultant, RTLD lighting design, to

help us with the technical side.”

The finished restaurant is a minimalist space where every lighting element has been custom-engineered to highlight the the wondrous beauty of Chef Berger’s vegan dishes.

“We are very happy with the final results.

Admittedly, we were faced with serious budgetary constraints that led to many challenges and at the time felt like we had to hold back. But, ultimately, we feel proud to have created a space that hit the brief and challenged us to find creative solutions while not compromising quality.

“This was the first project where Vered Kadouri and Craft & Bloom partnered together. The success was due to two studios working together to create the best team for our clients. As two small design houses, we appreciated the new banter and dynamics that came with an enlarged team.” www.craftandbloom.com

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design details OPA, TEL AVIV, ISRAEL CLIENT: SHIREL BERGER INTERIOR DESIGN: CRAFT & BLOOM, VERED KADOURI LIGHTING SPECIFIED: STRING LIGHTS MADE FOR THIS PROJECT BY CRAFT & BLOOM, ALL OTHER LIGHTS LOCALLY MADE BESPOKE PIECES.

Opening page 1. Suspension lights manufactured by a local Jaffa craftsman illuminate the tables of the main dining area. 2. A cosy dining nook illuminated by a glass roof and string lights created

by Craft & Bloom. 3. Close up of the Craft & Bloom string lights. This page 1. Closer look at the locally sourced ceiling fixtures. 2. The pristinely white front façade illuminated by architectural strip lighting 3.

Minimalist, locally sourced, tube light suspended over the bathroom sink.

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The Hoxton Affect The Ennismore in-house design team behind The Hoxton hotels aim to bring a welcoming and relaxed vibe to each space, all while reflecting the surrounding neighbourhoods they reside in something that carries through to its latest ventures in Williamsburg and Portland.

Images: Courtesy of Ennismore

The Hoxton is a series of open-house hotels inspired by the diversity and originality of the streets and scenes that surround us. Turning empty car parks into hotels, reimagining old buildings that have interesting stories, and breathing fresh life into new ones, each Hoxton hotel is an authentic reflection of its neighbourhood and with that in mind, features local artwork, locally designed wallpaper,

furnishings and so on.

Owned and operated by Ennismore, it all started with The Hoxton Shoreditch back in 2006, Holborn was next in 2014, followed by Amsterdam in 2015, Paris in 2017 and then most recently Williamsburg and Portland in 2018. With the aim of providing a place where guests can hangout alongside the locals and submerse themselves in the neighbourhood, the public spaces are vibrant

and welcoming. There is an open-door lobby culture and lively restaurants and bars offering all day, every day dining.

At the Willamsburg site, the building sits on what was once home to the Rosenwach water tank factory, which supplied New York with the iconic timber towers you see frequently along the skyline. The carriage house design featured in the hotel building was inspired by the brick structure that

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remained on site when acquired and ironically, new Rosenwach timber clad tanks have been installed in the hotel. The external cladding of the building is brick to reflect the Williamsburg building typology and corrugated stainless steel, inspired by the New York subway trains.

The initial direction for the interiors was ‘New York loft’, so white walls, exposed beams, big windows, and minimal, clean architectural details were the starting points… As the project progressed and the neighbourhood began to change, with several more hotel developments on Wythe popping up, Ennismore decided a more specific narrative was required as the street would feel completely different by the time the hotel opened.

With so many hotels in such a concentrated area the design team joked that the vibe

of Wythe Avenue would become a kind of ‘Hipster Disneyland’ and so, the layering of the interiors became a loveable riff of this very idea. They wanted to keep it light, playful, soft and welcoming and so a palette of dusty coloured pastels were used along with vintage furniture and quirky vintage accessories from the 60s, 70s and 80s.

The lobby at the Willamsburg hotel sees wide entrance stairs lead down into a basement level lobby. High-level windows in the high ceilings allow natural light to spill through into the space, as does a glazed wall that can be fully opened between the courtyard and bar areas.

Moving through to the bedroom design concept, diagonally laid plank flooring, exotic wood finishes and wainscot paint lines are intended to be reminiscent of the Brooklyn brownstone, Williamsburg’s

architectural vernacular. Rough sawn timber and concrete finishes link the bedrooms to the area’s industrial past and features such as the bathroom doors and directional signage are a nod to the site’s history. The range of colours chosen for the headboards and rugs were chosen to reflect the vibrancy of the Williamsburg art scene.

Emma Montier of Ennismore Design Studio was the lead designer on the project and explained the process of the Williamsburg site to darc: “When I received the brief in 2014, in short, they wanted me to bring The Hoxton to the US with a design that was befitting of Williamsburg. When you work on a project from start to finish, it is a challenge to keep the design fresh and current over such a long construction period… We made small tweaks along the way, but generally we tried to keep our

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aesthetic classic and authentic so it stands the test of time.”

As part of that, decorative lighting was used to bring a truly residential feel to the space. “We worked with Bold as a lighting consultant to ensure sufficient light levels in all spaces and we scene set according to time of day, to ensure the atmosphere is spot on,” continues Montier.

In terms of lighting brands worked with on this project, in the public areas the following can be found: CRW, Triple Seven Home, Circa, Ladies & Gentlemen Studio, Allied Maker, Atelier Areti, Cedar & Moss, Y Lighting, Horne, Bambeco and Rich Brilliant Willing, while in the bedrooms, HB architectural lighting is used.

“The Hoxton Williamsburg was our first new build property and it came with lots of challenging architectural features such as the folding glazed wall, super high ceilings in the lobby and also our first rooftop,” says Montier. “Looking back, we would have liked to have aligned the interiors with the restaurant concepts, possibly designing

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the spaces later in the process to facilitate this, but we’re extremely happy with how the design turned out in the end. It’s a very comfortable and inspiring place, which can be enjoyed by locals and guests. We’re always scrutinising our own projects and constantly looking at ways we can continue to enhance and improve the hotel.”

The Hoxton Portland site is situated in a neighbourhood between downtown, south of Burnside, and the Pearl District – occupying the block immediately west of downtown’s iconic Chinatown gateway. The former owners of the building – the Naito family – are credited for helping to reverse the decline of the area in the 1970s through acquiring and renovating derelict or ageing buildings and encouraging others to invest in downtown.

Prior to World War II, the area that is today called Chinatown was Portland’s Japantown.

Beginning in the 1890s, many Japanese immigrants were processed through Portland, creating a demand for hotels, bathhouses and other services; businesses

that formed in the area thrived.

The Hoxton Portland building is made up of an original stucco-walled property and an additional new nine-storey tower. The original building was constructed in 1907 and opened as the Hotel Philip, a low-income residential hotel. The name was later changed to the Grove Hotel in 1946, before becoming The Hoxton in 2018.

Work to the exterior of the existing building has included repainting the stucco and replacing the windows, as well as reconstructing the storefront, which is modelled on the original wood frontage, some of which still remained when construction began. The new tower is clad in dark coloured brick and stucco, highlighted by metal panelling around the windows and the ninth floor.

Internally, the designers aimed to retain as much of the original building as possible, including the exposed structural timber columns and also some of the later concrete columns and layers of paint that speak of the building’s past. In contrast to the

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original concrete columns, the design team has also left the new constructon concrete exposed to juxtapose the new and old of the building.

The original textures and layers give a fascinating glimpse of the building’s past as you can seem them peeling away from the bones of the space. The architects explained to Ennismore the rich history of the spaces, and in particular their time as a theatre at the beginning of the 20th century.

“The Hoxton Portland was a very fast turnaround for us as a design team,” lead designer Chris Stringfellow tells darc. “We opened just one year after we visited the hotel for the first time. The lobby is open, comfortable and inclusive – the space includes an expansive brick wall featuring an integrated central fireplace that acts as a focal point for the room and around which the mid-century inspired furniture, upholstered in colourful and comfortable fabrics, is orientated.

“The plush mohair and leather upholstery of the furniture alongside brass detailing of

the feature lighting, sits in contrast to the exposed concrete finishes of the existing building and simple cement board wall cladding. The bar and restaurant spaces sit to the front of the building and are surrounded on two sides by the full height glazing of the existing façade. A large timber bar with colourful teal undercounter, stands prominently on one side of the space.

Recalimed timber flooring, sourced locally from Pioneer Millworks, run through from the lobby.

“The decorative lighting used throughout plays a massive role in the success of our hotels, both in the bedrooms and the public spaces,” continues Stringfellow. “We pay huge attention to the mix of light fixtures: diffused lighting is essential over the mirror in the bathrooms, opal glass gives a soft glow in the bedrooms and in the public spaces brass feature lighting sits alongside table and floor lamps with fabric shades, adding a residential touch. In our moody basement bar the light is very dim and we sourced super warm lamps to give a feeling

Opening spread 1. The lobby at Hoxton Williamsburg was kept light, playful, soft and welcoming, with a palette of dusty coloured pastels, vintage furniture and quirky vintage accessories from the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. 2. The lobby at Hoxton Portland is open, comfortable and inclusive. The space includes an expansive brick wall featuring an integrated central fireplace that acts as a focal point for the room around which the mid-century inspired furniture, upholstered in colourful and comfortable fabrics, is orientated.

This page 1. The Apartment at Williamsburg is made up of five rooms, big and small, to suit various external event and meeting needs. Pictured is The Library which is a smaller space for up to twelve people. 2. Summerly at Williamsburg is the hotel's panoramic rooftop terrace. 3&4. More views of the private meeting and event rooms where The Pantry kitchen is available for guests to use. The lighting featured in the public spaces includes fixtures from: CRW, Triple Seven Home, Circa, Ladies & Gentlemen, Allied Maker, Atelier Areti, Cedar and Moss, Y Lighting, Horne, Bambeco and Rich Brilliant Willing.

Next page 1. The bedrooms at Hoxton Portland feature lighting from Lucid and Gubi. 2. The discreet basement bar at Hoxton Portland serves inventive cocktails along with seasonal American-Chinese food that makes the most of local produce. 3. The bedrooms at Hoxton Williamsburg feature lighting supplied by HB Architectural Lighting. 4. An outdoor view of the Summerly rooftop bar at Hoxton Williamsburg.

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of intimacy. Tiny shaded table lamps sit on each of the tables, which sets the mood for a cocktail or two.”

The guest room design was strongly influenced by the beaux arts architecture of the building and the Latino urbanism movement of downtown LA. French principles can be found in the wall panelling, chevron flooring and burl timber, and a nod to Mexico can be found in the rug pattern, handmade bathroom tiles and decorative accessories.

“We chose to keep the background colour palette light and fresh so it could be punctuated by some of the bolder patterns and colours of the furniture and accessories such as the House of Hackney print throw pillows and pink marble tables,” says Stringfellow. “We used the Gubi Semi

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pendant lamp in some of the bedrooms; the Roger and Chris Librarian table lamp in the lobby and the majority of other fittings were bespoke made by Lusive Decorative Lighting or they were vintage fittings.

“All of the wall and floor finishes were already installed in the bedrooms when we acquired the property, so it was really a case of specifying furniture and lighting that worked alongside these, while being able to stamp it with that Hoxton touch.”

For Springfellow, overall, lighting is key to the design of any Hoxton hotel, crucial in setting the mood of the space and creating that warm and welcoming atmosphere and making spaces that people want to hangout in - something that has easily been achieved at both Williamsburg and Portland. ennismore.com

design details THE HOXTON HOTEL, WILLIAMSBURG & PORTLAND INTERIOR DESIGN: ENNISMORE

lighting specified - THE HOXTON WILLIAMSBURG ALLIED MAKER ATELIER ARETI CEDAR & MOSS CIRCA CRW LADIES & GENTLEMEN STUDIO RICH BRILLIANT WILLING TRIPLE SEVEN HOME Y LIGHTING; HORNE BAMBECO HB ARCHITECTURAL LIGHTING - THE HOXTON PORTLAND CIRCA GUBI LUCID LUSIVE DECORATIVE LIGHTING VINTAGE PIECES

mobi collection design by glenn marys

tossB lighting | Karveelstraat 2, 8380 Zeebrugge, Belgium | info@tossb.com | www.tossb.com | t. +32 50 54 35 49

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Industrial Elegance Studio Modijefsky produces a new luxurious retail concept for hosiery brand Wolford.

Images: Maarten Willemstein

Legendary hosiery brand Wolford was always going to be one step ahead when it came to reinventing its store identity. This luxury bodywear company, specialising in tights, bodysuits and underwear, recently approached Studio Modijefsky to produce a brand-new luxurious retail concept for its shops worldwide. Wolford’s latest flagship store, located on P.C. Hooftstraat in Amsterdam, Netherlands, brings together

its exquisite craftsmanship and outstanding attention to body and skin to produce a unique and luxurious interior design experience.

As you approach the P.C. Hooftstraat store from street level, a sleek wall of legs immediately draws you inside. This floor-toceiling feature is more of an art installation than a typical product display, proudly showcasing Wolford’s world-famous hosiery.

Inside the store, the hardness of powder coated fixtures is complemented by the rich, tactile layering of natural stone, sheer fabric and subdued lighting of handblown glass. A subtle palette of muted white hues graduates from pure white metal, through creamy travertine and ribbed leather to fleshy, more feminine shades of purple and orange.

Inspired by the brand’s industrial heritage

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and craftsmanship, the interior is elegant and rough at the same time. Colour and material palettes replicate the dreamy feel of Wolford’s Austrian factory, where heavy machinery is always covered with soft fine netting to prevent the snagging of tights. Rails and spool-like light fixtures bear a strong resemblance to the knitting machines, with ubiquitous powder coated steel finishes taken straight from the factory floor. The walls are raw or covered with unexpected building materials, such as acoustic wool or combed plaster with linear texture, which contrasts sharply with the refined and delicate garments on display.

Perhaps the most recognisable elements of the interior are the bespoke lights.

Created in collaboration with Fiction

Factory, continuous LED lines with L-shaped metal covers drop down into low arches, their curves softening the otherwise industrial interior. Handmade blown glass spools replicate the design and shape of the original factory thread spools and act as a reference to the skill, innovation and craft that is all part of Wolford’s heritage. The lights attach to vertical and horizontal rails, emitting a warm inviting glow that draws the visitor to explore further.

Throughout the open-plan interior there is a constant tension between the feeling of being backstage, and the glamorous feeling of being in the limelight. The spatial concept of the store was influenced by Wolford’s most natural habitat: stage, where its products are worn by celebrities

and performers worldwide. Bulky and rough display elements balance out the glossy, chic entrance filled with metal and glass. Fitting rooms are placed on an elevated stage at the back of the store – a tall metal structure surrounding each cabin is interlaced with soft contemporary fabric, once again combining industrial edge with tactility.

Integrated vertical lights create a luxurious atmosphere designed to celebrate and empower customers.

In order to display a wide range of ongoing legwear types, Studio Modijefsky designed handmade cabinets with integrated drawers to showcase the newly designed product boxes. Different depths of the boxes form sculptural pieces of furniture throughout the interior of the store. Samples of fabric,

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typically hidden and only presented to clients on request, are this time proudly displayed in a central totemic structure.

Customers are encouraged to find their own shade of nude, experiment and feel the fabric against their skin. The shape of the fixture is then repeated in the design of the cash desk. This minimal, high-end travertine element has a special inlay for wrapping paper, turning the transactional moment of payment into a special ritual connecting customers with the brand.

Since both tights and lingerie are closest to one’s skin, a deeper layer of ‘human touch’ was added to the design. The window display ‘blushes’, subtly changing colour, just like human skin. Traditional presentation of legs has been replaced by lightboxes, screens and editorial pictures, presenting a multitude of products on real models, rather

than artificial skin shades and textures. A messy hand-drawn illustration of a woman’s body by Amsterdam-based Emmy-Koos Meijer is embroidered on a sheer curtain at the back of the store. Poufs resembling cropped feminine thighs hide in fitting rooms. The store is full of playful references to the human interaction, surprising customers and allowing them to experience the brand on many levels.

In the lavish surroundings of Amsterdam’s P.C. Hooftstraat, Studio Modijefsky has created a soothing, monochromatic interior, allowing Wolford’s outstanding products to take centre stage. The modern, distinct concept will be instantly recognisable in many stores to come, from Paris to Los Angeles. www.studiomodijefsky.nl

design details WOLFORD, AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS INTERIOR DESIGN: STUDIO MODIJEFSKY BESPOKE LIGHTING: STUDIO MODIJEFSKY & FICTION FACTORY

Perhaps the most recognisable elements of Wolford's interior are the bespoke lights. Created in collaboration with Fiction Factory, continuous LED lines with L-shaped metal covers drop down into low arches, their curves softening the otherwise industrial interior. Handmade blown glass spools replicate the design and shape of the original factory thread spools and act as a reference to the skill, innovation and craft that is all part of Wolford’s heritage. The lights attach to vertical and horizontal rails, emitting a warm inviting glow that draws the visitor to explore further.

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A Brighter Future Sharjah's Shababeek restaurant has been refurbished by design studio Roar. The previously dark and moody interior has found new life in bright colours and the talent of local artists and carpenters.

Images: PVA Photography

Working in close collaboration with celebrity Lebanese chef Maroun Chedid, Shababeek, the first restaurant project for interior design firm Roar (formerly Pallavi Dean), has opened in Sharjah, UAE. Drawing heavily upon local talent, Roar took a meticulous approach to research for this project.

The exceptional detail poured into the design narrative is combined with a vibrant colour palette of rich greens, brushed brass and neutral tones. The result is a restaurant with an elegant, sophisticated and, above all, contemporary design language.

The client, a senior member of Sharjah’s ruling family, approached Roar with an

incredible brief: to create a destination for the Northern Emirate that would raise the bar for the restaurant scene across the entire area.

“This was a really personal project for me as I grew up in Sharjah and used to go to this restaurant as a teenager,” says Pallavi Dean, Founder and Design Director of Roar. “When I was approached by the client to redesign the restaurant I remembered how many happy memories I had there and I knew I had to do the best job I could because I loved the food and wanted to make it even better.”

Because Shababeek is a refurbishment of an established Lebanese restaurant, the space

needed a complete overhaul to separate it from its previously dated menu and design.

“People already knew the restaurant so we had to make it much better than it was before. It was previously brown with dark tones and dark colours so we went for something very brash, very green, and very white. We even blasted the façade.

“All the other restaurants in the area had the exact same façade so we had to convince the client to let us change it. Once we got the go-ahead, we installed new slimline windows that flooded the entire space with light and the client was so happy with the result.”

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The design team at Roar decided from the very beginning that they wanted the food and interior design to blend seamlessly. They worked closely with Chef Maroun to create an identity that integrated the physical design with the menus, uniforms, tableware, and branding.

“With this particular restaurant I wanted to use food as the inspiration,” says Dean.

“Lebanese cuisine is all about olive oil, so we decided to put a huge olive tree near the entrance so when people walk in they know instantly what the restaurant is all about.

“We also introduced local features including hand-illustrated wallpaper above the olive tree that looks like birds flocking towards it. We also had flora and fauna that you can only find in this region and in Lebanon.

“Chef Maroun uses authentic ingredients and has an artisanal cooking style. We wanted a little bit of that to come through with the design so all the booths, credenzas and point-of-sale stations are custom-designed and fabricated in Sharjah. We wanted to

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give back to the local community as social sustainability is very important to us.”

The locally sourced design elements include the custom-designed wallpaper of birds, plants and trees by Dubai-based art collective The Attic, and a street-vending trolley inspired by the traditional Beirut traders who sell freshly baked Kaa’k (ringshaped Arabic bread) handmade in Sharjah.

Custom benches and tables were also made by local carpenters and upholsters in a Sharjah workshop. These pieces were interspersed with high-end designer furniture by Vitra and Thonet to bring the two worlds together, an approach taken with many of Roar’s other projects.

In order to see the detail put into the interior design, Roar had to light the space effectively. The lighting was a huge part of the client’s brief with the aim of brightening up the space’s traditionally dark and dated interior. Natural lighting played a key role in this design pursuit.

“For the client the most important element

of the design was how dark the restaurant previously felt,” Dean tells darc. “When you think about light, everyone thinks about artificial light, but that simple move of blasting the façade and installing slimline windows, was the most useful change we made.

“Right next to the external façade there is a bevelled, mirrored wall that bounces the natural light throughout the space, and on the floor we had white and green terrazzo to give the space a fresh feel. All the ceiling details, made of moulded plaster, have a Parisian and French touch like the traditional restaurants of Lebanon. However, instead of using French designs, we added a traditional Islamic pattern with the same plastering as you would have in France. That again was all white, allowing the light to bounce off it.”

While the natural lighting was a big player in brightening up the restaurant, the interior design needed some decorative lighting to pull the whole space together.

“With the decorative lighting, we wanted to

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build on the idea of flora and fauna so we used Moooi bird lights to give the restaurant an organic ambience. We have two different light levels and depending on when you visit it feels really warm and cosy.

“We also used Vibia Flamingo suspension lights, which are very abstract. While flamingos don’t migrate to this part of the world, the lamp fit the theme so we knew it was the perfect fixture. All the other lights are LED architectural fixtures that are hidden in the joinery.”

The Flamingo lights allude to abstracted forms of birds in flight, while the perch floor lights, by Moooi, flank the booths and further emphasise the aviary theme.

With the restaurant up and running, Dean shares her thoughts on the finished project: “The testament is always when the client walks into the space for the first time. Our

client saw the restaurant right at the start when it was a building site, then didn’t see it until three months later when it was all done and she was blown away. To have that impact was amazing and everyone who’s been to the restaurant since has commented on how the space feels really fresh and light, which was our design brief. Afterwards, we picked up the CID Middle-East Best Restaurant Design of the Year award, this was the cherry on the cake.”

Roar has made a name for itself as one of the top interior design studios in Dubai due to its ever-expanding repertoire of successful builds. This project is no exception, having turned a dark and dated space into a fresh, modern restaurant, Roar has given Shababeek new life for years to come. designbyroar.com

design details SHABABEEK, SHARJAH, UAE CLIENT: HH SHEIKHA BODOUR BINT SULTAN AL QASIMI INTERIOR DESIGN: ROAR LIGHTING SPECIFIED: VIBIA FLAMINGO PENDANTS & MOOOI PERCH FLOOR LIGHTS

Opening page 1. Vibia Flamingo lights are suspended over the fresh green and white dining area, a bevelled mirror wall reflects natural light entering through the windowed façade. 2. An olive tree and street-vending trolley mark the entrance of the restaurant. 3.The bright and airy tones of the interior transcend to the outdoor dining space.

This page The dining space illuminated by Moooi perch lamps, Vibia Flamingo pendants, and light passing through the façade windows.

Atto 5000 pendant

Feeling the light The Secto Design lighting collection is designed by the award-winning architect Seppo Koho. The diligent handwork is carried out by highly talented craftsmen in Finland from top-quality local birch wood.

www.sectodesign.fi

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Unified by Detail In the heart of Jakarta's business district lies Vong Kitchen & Le Burger. The two restaurants sit side-by-side and are unified by the details, materials and attention to light brought to the space by Rockwell Group.

Images: Ed Reeve

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Curated by celebrated chefs Jean-Georges & Cédric Vongerichten, Vong Kitchen and Le Burger bring two new dining experiences to Jakarta's Alila SCBD hotel.

Having worked with the restaurant’s owner Buva Group on several previous projects, including the Omnia Bali, Rockwell Group was the obvious choice for this new venture. The interior design firm also has a longstanding relationship with the chefs Jean-Georges Vongerichten and his son Cedric. A three-year long project, Buva

Group wanted to bring new American-style dining experiences, both casual and refined, to Jakarta.

Vong Kitchen complements the Vongerichtens’ theatrical and colourful food with a sophisticated reinterpretation of New York grill-style dining. Three distinct spaces - a bright solarium and bar, the main dining room, and a terrace - are unified by rich, warm materials and contrasting, colourful details. Next door, Le Burger evokes the feeling of a casual neighbourhood

restaurant. Driven by a balance of playful and serious, the industrial setting is accented with bright copper and unexpected fabrics.

The main dining areas of Vong Kitchen and Le Burger are each located in doubleheight rooms. Rockwell Group used this as an opportunity to experiment with ways to reduce the overall scale of each restaurant.

In terms of lighting, custom pendants in varying shapes and sizes create a sense of intimacy in both spaces.

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“Vong Kitchen is a sophisticated reinterpretation of a New York grill-style dining room,” says Shawn Sullivan, Partner and Studio Leader at Rockwell Group. “As such, we designed custom light fixtures that are unified by rich, warm materials.

Next door, Le Burger is driven by a balance of playful and serious and so, industrialinspired pendants and sconces feature materials including polished copper and blackened steel. As in any project, lighting shapes the environment and it has dramatic impact on the mood and particular feeling of a space.

All of the custom designed light fixtures were designed by Rockwell Group and

manufactured by Mastro Lamp.

At the bar in Vong Kitchen, custom sconces with a blackened metal base and clear acrylic rods attached by leather straps are featured; while in the main dining room custom cantilever floor lamps with brown leather shades and blackened steel feature alongside over-scale custom drum pendants with beige linen shades and blackened steel.

On the tables, custom table lamps with perforated matte black metal shades are placed to aid diners, while on the terrace, custom outdoor drum pendants with a darkened bronze perforated shade and rivet detail complement the open, airy feel.

“In Vong Kitchen, one key consideration

was the space’s symmetry. The dining room is long and narrow. We staggered a line of over-scale pendants in various sizes down the main space to reduce the scale and create a sense of intimacy,” says Sullivan.

“We also anchored the perimeter with round booths and floor lamps that ensure the seated guests are encircled with a warm glow. The balance adds a sense of harmony and warmth.

“Made of neutral materials – including beige linen and brown leather – the decorative lighting contrasts the restaurant’s blue hued furnishings and finishes.”

Next door, at Le Burger, there is a custom blackened steel pipe chandelier above the

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main dining area, which works to create a sense of theatricality; while custom polished caged bronze light pendants at the bar add an industrial aesthetic and complement the custom octagon-shaped wall sconces with copper bases and custom metal table lamps that connect to piping on the booths.

A canopy of light is created throughout the entire restaurant, and in the beer garden string outdoor lights and blackened steel lanterns illuminate the space.

“Most of the lighting in both spaces is decorative with discreet layers of architectural lighting,” continues Sullivan.

“Carefully considered architectural elements illuminate tables and corridors –

for example, we installed pinhole recessed ceiling lights above the dining tables, where light from the decorative fixtures can’t reach.”

Reflecting on the project, Sullivan tells darc: “Vong Kitchen and Le Burger sit on the ground floor of Alila Hotel SCBD, which is located in Jakarta’s business district.

The designs accentuate connections to the Vongerichtens’ exquisite cuisine and philosophy, in ways that we feel bring a oneof-a-kind dining experience to the area. We really wanted to create a new destination for both hotel guests and the thousands of passers-by outside.” www.rockwellgroup.com

design details VONG KITCHEN & LE BURGER, JAKARTA, INDONESIA CLIENT: BUVA GROUP INTERIOR DESIGN: ROCKWELL GROUP ARCHITECTURAL LIGHTING CONSULTANTS: L'OBSERVATOIRE INTERNATIONAL

lighting specified ALL BESPOKE FIXTURES DESIGNED BY ROCKWELL GROUP / MANUFACTURED BY MASTRO LAMP

Lighting shapes the environment and mood of the space at Vong Kitchen & Le Burger. Vong is a sophisticated reinterpretation of a New York grillstyle dining room, while Le Burger evokes the feeling of a casual neighbourhood restaurant.

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In To The Blue...

DesignLSM and Into Lighting turn a previously disjointed, uninspired building into a subaquatic styled intimate dining space.

Images: Courtesy of DesignLSM

Felix Warley in Brentwood, Essex, is the latest seafood grill restaurant from chef Stephen Li. Having worked with the DesignLSM team on the first Felix location in Billericay, Essex, in 2015, Li was keen to work with the design studio once more for this next venture. With an ambition to be the best in Essex, the client put his complete trust in them.

The site, formerly known as ‘Headley Spice’, was a tired, disjointed, uninspired building full of frustrating quirks and inadequate services. The brief given to the Design LSM team was to turn this ‘sows ear’ into the proverbial illusive silk purse! Sally Williams, DesignLSM’s Associate Director and Lead Designer on Felix Warley, talks darc through the lighting scheme employed at the

project: “Decorative lighting always brings life to any project. We worked closely with Into Lighting to find a family of fittings for each of the three main areas, which includes the entrance atrium, the ground floor restaurant and the first floor lounge. Each area needed its own identity but to flow seamlessly into the next.”

The entrance to the restaurant has been relocated into a new, double height, glazed atrium and the building’s exterior has been enveloped in traditional black shiplap cladding.

Dining is experienced on the ground floor amongst a gentle palette of marine green, blues and stunning textures, the dark ceiling is clad with playful waved fins that alter the customers’ perception as their journey

unfolds. Brass nets drop through the waves to enclose three round booth seats.

A sculptural helical staircase crowned with a beautiful chandelier, takes the customer to the first floor where breakfast and brunch is served in the daytime. Light from the windows floods through, illuminating the enormous copper clad oval bar and gantry.

In the evening this space is transformed with moody lighting into a sumptuous relaxed bar offering speciality spirits, Sake and cocktails; these coupled with the ‘dusk sky’ ceiling, rich materials and beautiful art installations make for an intoxicating experience.

The biggest challenge of the project was the site itself, as Williams explains: “As the layers of the building peeled back, more and

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more structural works were required and for a long time it was difficult to see the new form of the building. Most of the build time was allocated to structural works ripping the guts of the building out, which required a huge amount of propping. Until the props came down it was difficult to know if the design would work as we hoped.

“On the first floor the main ceiling came down, creating a huge vaulted space with steel bisecting the void. It wasn’t really possible to design this space until it was uncovered and as such, detailing was ongoing throughout the latter stages of the project.

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“One of the dominant design interventions was to create a subaquatic feel to the ground floor and atrium. The two styles of glass pendants above the booth seating have bioluminescent jelly qualities, while the spikey walnut pendants in the brass fishnet booths are more akin to urchins. In the atrium there is a sculptural installation reminiscent of a jellyfish fluther, the forms are knitted from Zinc wire, which bounces the light out giving them an ethereal luminescence. These were a bespoke commission by Brighton-based artists Steven and Amanda Follen.

“We have been so pleased with the outcome

Opening page Small Iris pendants from MacMaster Design intended to represent something akin to sea urchins, feature in the booth seating area.

This page 1. A surface mounted feature pendant from Chantelle Lighting sits neatly above the booth dining space. 2. The banquette seating feature Joseph table lights come from EOQ. 3. Another surface mounted Chantelle Lighting feature is accompanied by PDR feature rod wall illumination using Enigma LED lamps.

4. Architectural lighting brings a warm tone to the WC mirrors.

Next page 1&2. In the atrium there is a striking sculptural installation, reminiscent of a jellyfish fluther.

It is knitted from zinc wire, which bounces the light out giving them an ethereal luminescence. 3. The Holloways of Ludlow Limoges pendant adds a striking feature above the dining tables. 4. The Innermost Core pendants sit opposite the Limoges, again highlighting the dining tables.

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of Felix Warley. Both design and execution were of the highest standard. The team were all so excited about this project and there was a huge sense of pride at handover.

“The stand out feature for me was the relationship between the client and design team. Having worked with Stephen previously, we knew he would ultimately be supportive of our design proposals – but the trust and partnership we enjoyed was so important. It took a huge leap of faith to sign up to our vision and our intentions were never questioned. I have so many ‘favourites’ at Felix, but for me, the zinc wire chandelier is really a stand out piece and beautiful.”

Darren Orrow of Into Lighting adds: “With Felix being a large restaurant and bar

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venue spread across two floors, the client and DesignLSM understood the need to integrate and layer the architectural lighting throughout the interior scheme to help create theatre and intimacy. The focus was to ensure the spaces were well lit for daytime dining and had a magical moody ambience post dusk. The architectural lighting complements and acts as a back drop to the decorative lighting selection, highlighting the beautiful finishes and textures DesignLSM has specified throughout the venue.” www.designlsm.com www.into.co.uk

design details FELIX WARLEY, ESSEX, UK CLIENT: STEPHEN LI INTERIOR DESIGN: DESIGNLSM LIGHTING CONSULTANTS: INTO LIGHTING

lighting specified ASTRO CREMONA WALNUT WALL LIGHTS CHANTELLE LIGHTING - GLASS DOMED TABLE LAMPS CHANTELLE LIGHTING - BESPOKE FEATURE PENDANTS EOQ JOSEPH TABLE LAMPS ENIGMA LIGHTING LED FILAMENT LAMPS HOLLOWAYS OF LUDLOW LIMOGES PENDANTS HOLLOWAYS OF LUDLOW BOWL TABLE LAMPS INNERMOST CORE PENDANTS MACMASTER DESIGN IRIS PENDANTS MULLAN LIGHTING EXTERIOR FIXTURES

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DESIGN NEWS

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“When we talk about women in design, we should not turn it into a minority issue. We need to honour our heroines because unless they are visible, we will not encourage the next generation of female designers.”

- Ilse Crawford

Join the Movement...

International light activists and lighting designers, Light Collective are pleased to announce a new project - Women in Lighting. A celebratory project set out to create an inspirational platform for women working in the lighting industry.

Launched on International Women’s Day, March 8, 2019, Women in Lighting is a celebratory project that sets out to create an inspirational digital platform for women working in the lighting industry to promote their passion and achievements, narrate their career path and goals, celebrate their work and elevate their profile in the lighting community.

The quote above by Interior Designer, Ilse Crawford has shaped the project but specifically for the lighting profession - it will look to gather statistics and create a call to action to make some changes. How can we increase the profile of successful women working in lighting to help encourage the next generation? How can those who are established best support them?

Women in Lighting will have a specific website - www.womeninlighting.com - with a database of interviews with women from around the world. Starting with lighting designers, the scope will expand to include women in all aspects of lighting - education, journalism, manufacturing, art and research.

Project co-founder Martin Lupton explains why Light Collective started the project: “We started this project following on from a mistake we made during another project; The Perfect Light. We interviewed four women and nineteen men for the film. This isn't representative of the industry and we should have exercised balance. When we started to look at other events, conferences,

juries, panels etc, we realised that this is a common occurrence for the gender balance to be skewed in this way. Despite their being approximately 50% of female designers, they are under represented.”

The theme for this years International Women's Day 2019 was Balance for Better, to drive gender balance across the world.

This is completely in line with one of the outcomes of Women In Lighting. Its aim is that with 50% of female lighting designers, they get 50% visibility.

The project launch is being supported by formalighting, a family-owned lighting manufacturer with over 50 years and two generations dedicated to lighting. Light Collective approached formalighting with this project as it is a company with a strong inspirational woman in a lead role - Sharon Maghnagi.

Maghnagi is personally involved in the project, invested in the outcome and she comments: “We were touched and delighted to be offered this opportunity by Light Collective to support an initiative that could inspire or welcome a new generation into lighting. Ultimately, it always comes down to the work – promoting the work. That’s what we find truly inspiring and I think any woman or man in the lighting community would appreciate a new professional network that welcomes a global exchange of passion and creativity.”

The project has already gathered support

from individual female designers in over 50 different countries. These ‘ambassadors’ are a point of contact in each location for anyone seeking to find out more about the project. The site launched with a selection of interviews recorded by Light Collective and will then open for other women to upload their own interviews. Light Collective are also being actively supported by social media guru and upcoming lighting designer, Katia Kolovea of Archifos.

Project co-founder, Sharon Stammers from Light Collective says: “Having been involved in lighting design from the very beginning, women have had a greater role in shaping the lighting design profession than in architecture and engineering. The lighting design profession is a supportive industry for women and the many routes into the profession offer opportunities from a diverse set of backgrounds. It is an industry that is good at sharing information among its community and can therefore offer support to other women who may need it. We want to create role models, encourage women to choose to work in lighting or other related jobs and above all redress the balance.”

Women in Lighting is not about gender inequality but about inclusivity and how this is beneficial to the profession as a whole. If you want to get involved please contact the team at hello@womeninlighting.com

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DESIGN NEWS

Plastic-Free Production Known for its sustainable approach to design, David Trubridge Design Studio has removed multiple product lines containing plastic.

Six of David Trubridge's thirteen remaining products with a high plastic content will be pulled from its portfolio with immediate effect. The remaining designs will also be phased out during 2019 and early 2020 as the last orders for the items are processed.

The company is known worldwide as a leader in sustainable design practices, with the bulk of its luminaires being made from sustainably managed bamboo plywood. “The items being discontinued are close to my heart,” says David Trubridge, Director of the company. “I designed them as storytelling prototypes for exhibitions in Milan. With that exposure, the designs were specified into projects globally and even collected by the Pompidou Centre in Paris.

“At the time we chose the Polycarbonate plastic due to its strength and the way it can diffuse light like rice paper. The designs had a lightness and ethereal nature, which I still

adore. Despite this, we can’t go on selling them and still claim we are doing all we can as a company to reduce our environmental footprint. The time has come when we know we won’t find a more eco-alternative to this plastic.”

Rather than completely abandoning the designs, Trubridge set his studio with the task of designing new plywood pieces that take inspiration from these. The results of this challenge have led the company to find new ways of using plywood. Following on from the recently released Navicula, two brand new designs – ‘Maru’ and a set of three ‘Ketes’ – are being launched in April at Euroluce during Milan Design Week.

“I have joy in seeing the new designs come off my CNC machine, knowing the wooden off-cuts can easily be dealt with. We had to stockpile all our plastic waste and truck it to a recycling depot. Now our wood waste

goes to a local timber mill for efficient incineration to generate electricity in its steam power turbines,” continues the designer. “The company has other smaller uses of plastic like fasteners, bubble wrap and tapes. So far we’ve converted to paper tape and found compostable zip bags where possible for the essential packaging of the nylon clips in the kit sets. We are also putting some pressure on suppliers of items like this to develop alternatives.

“I’m hoping I can bring light to the use of plastic in industrial design. Designers must think about materiality and life-span. What are you designing? How long will be it be relevant? What will happen to it when it’s discarded? Can you redesign the system rather than the object? I think this is such an exciting time to be a designer. We are all responsible for the future.” www.davidtrubridge.com

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INTERVIEW

Creating Dimension and Texture One of Canada's most energised hubs for collaborative design, Lambert & Fils' founder, Samuel Lambert sat down with Editor, Helen Ankers, ahead of this year's Euroluce to discuss his ongoing passion for materials, form and function.

The studio may be based in North America, but Lambert & Fils has created installations around the world - taking over displays at the Conran Shop during Paris Design Week, collaborating on Hermès holiday windows in Switzerland, and devising a grand floral installation with HAHA Studio during Stockholm Design Week. It has also designed lighting for the likes of Hôtel Bachaumont in Paris, Paramount House in Sydney and the Kinfolk gallery in Copenhagen, among many others.

Preserving the bond between design and making, all lighting is conceived, designed and hand-assembled in the Lambert & Fils atelier in downtown Montreal. Ahead of the studio’s latest product launches set for Milan Design Week - founder Samuel Lambert sat down with darc to discuss the shapes of life and unlocking hidden magic in a room.

Having grown up in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada, where his mother was a painter and father a ceramic artist, Lambert recalls how he was often left to his own devices… how there was always a lot of “stuff” around the house and in his parents’ studios - he soon became fascinated with the way things worked, how they were designed and was, according to his mother, re-

assembling bicycle parts and toasters before he could read. “As a teenager I started working with my father’s kiln,” he says. “So that pulse of ideas, creating and making is a big part of who I am – it’s been with me for a long time.”

While the studio is now well established within the design industry, lighting isn’t an area that has always played a part in Lambert’s career, “for more than 20 years I worked in film and contemporary art,” he says. “Then, when I was almost 40 and my wife and I were expecting our first child together, there was a shift. I felt an urge to return to the basics, create something that I could dedicate myself to – I had this recurring feeling of wanting to make my son proud.

“It was a turning point for me. I’d always dreamed of having my own design studio, where I could conceptualise and create pieces; set down roots in a creative community like my father had done in the 70s. I quit my job and opened up shop in a small storefront on Beaubien St in Montreal.

It was a full-circle moment for me… amidst all these reflections on legacy I named the shop Lambert & Fils (Lambert & Sons).”

Form is a huge component of Lambert &

Fils’ work, particularly as the team begins to debut more contemporary lighting collections in more contemporary materials.

The studio looks for ways to breathe new life into classic, archetypal shapes – creating dialogues between opposing materials, playing with scale and dimension.

“Materials have always been an anchor of my creative process,” continues Lambert.

“In the original Beaubien location I split the shop into two sections – mid-century modern furnishings and in-house lighting that I started designing as I came across beautiful vintage materials such as coloured glass, milk glass and polished brass. I did a lot of custom work but it started to feel too complicated and I wanted to streamline the ideas into cohesive collections.”

This is where the Lambert & Fils Waldorf Collection was born. Combining an open hemispherical shade with a cylindrical socket cover, this composite shade is deployed in suspension and wall-mounted configurations with natural brass and powder-coated rods.

As time has gone on the studio’s focus has shifted solely to lighting and many of its collections since have featured that nod to the past, invoking a vintage, romantic feeling into contemporary designs.

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“We are inspired by the collective memory of the past and the future possibilities of lighting design,” says Lambert. “Through installations and exhibitions, we explore where our artistic and design practices can meet.

“Lambert & Fils is not about spectacle or fireworks. Our designs are composed of simple, honest gestures that feel meaningful and timeless to us. Behind all our own work is a reflection on form and materials; aesthetically, that shines through the design itself. I think our lighting makes you think about the many shapes of life – it aims to tap into a collective memory of architectures and objects.

“Even though we design our own collections, we also define ourselves as a collaborative lighting studio. We work with designers

internationally to transform ideas and prototypes into collections. We challenge where art and design intersect through provocative lighting installations and exhibitions. On our own team, a design blossoms over time between different designers and editors. The creative visions are collective and constantly under investigation.”

One of Lambert & Fils' latest collections, heading to Milan Design Week this year, is a wonderfully playful collection - Hutchison is a study of soft curves and hard lines, presenting a rivalry of vertical and horizontal forces, a play of scale and repetition.

“We summoned the archetypal shapes of Middle Eastern archways and Roman terracotta roofs,” explains Lambert.

“Experimenting with how we could breathe

these iconic forms into a contemporary pendant light.

“Alongside our new Sainte collection, Hutchison also continues our ongoing conversation with modular lighting. Alone, it self-defines as a very frank and decorative lamp, but in multiples, it invokes those classic architectures of columns, arches and pillars. This is what I mean when I say that as a studio, we’re interested in stirring a collective memory of shapes and forms.

“The Hutchison collection is a result of simple and honest gestures – it’s a piece that – at least for me – resonates in the mind long after leaving it.”

Each Hutchison pendant is composed of an aluminium base with a matte, textured finish that pivots attention to its contours and lines. Visually prominent suspension

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wires made from waxed cotton contrast the dense horizontal base – an interplay of mass and lightness.

“Aluminum was chosen for its flexibility, which was necessary to create the curves in the base,” says Lambert. “Initially, we looked into molding the forms and even considered concrete, but we found it was tricky to get the exact curves we were envisioning. Achieving the right angle was so critical and aluminium gave us the freedom to perfect the shape. For this fixture, we used our custom LED board that we designed in-house. We wanted the light to have multiple moods – being able to go from dim to warm and supply various forms of ambient light.

“We chose the matte textured paint on the aluminium because the curves can be

highly reflective and transform the object under different shadows of light. We wanted to limit this and turn the focus to the form itself and the matte finish helped us achieve this effect.”

Lambert’s fascination with the iconic shapes explored in Hutchison came from an “overdose of seeing the archway shape being exploited in so many interior scenographies.” While it is a timeless form, he tells darc how he felt many iterations of it were being used superficially, “as sort of a trend component, not engaging with the history and collective memory of the shape itself,” he says. “That is what sparked Hutchison. I wanted to find something new in this form – a style exercise in how to aply the architecture of an archway into a lamp.”

For Lambert, most types of design involve

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the interaction of function and form and it couldn’t be more true for lighting design, which has so many considerations beyond the way it actually looks.

“There are so many components to take into account when creating fixtures – light quality and control, installation and wiring, the interaction of different materials and their light source,” he says. “The benefit of producing our designs in-house is being able to keep an eye on these considerations. We think about the people who will interact with the light over time and also the many types of spaces.

“Technology is also a big component of lighting design, something that always keeps designers on their toes. For instance, in the beginning, lighting design was appealing to me because it was easy to create

spectacular effects with incandescents.

When LED technolocy came around, it became more complex, but also more exciting – we now build our own custom LED boards to bolster the functionality of our designs.

“Ultimately, lighting should impose a scaling factor and function for all kinds of spaces, creating dimension and texture with any kind of ceiling height,” Lambert concludes.

“Lighting should be dynamic and create a different ambience depending on the time of day. Lighting is a room’s link with intimacy, warmth, glow… it defines a space in how it creates forms through shadows and shine – it is the design component that can unlock the magic hidden within a room.” lambertetfils.com

Opening spread The Hutchison collection, launching at Euroluce 2019, is the result of simple and honest gestures: the repetition of familiar curves paired with dramatic, juxtaposing lines. It's a piece that resonates in the mind long after leaving it.

Previous page Design at Lambert & Fils blossoms over time between different designers and editors.

The creative visions are collective and constantly under investigation. At the same time, the studio is a collaborative one and Samuel Lambert (pictured bottom centre and right) works with designers internationally to transform ideas and prototypes into collections.

This page Samuel's idea for Hutchison was sparked by various trips to design shows. He was feeling an overdose of the archway shape being exploited in so many interior scenographies. Of course while a timeless form, he felt many iterations of it were used superficially as sort of a trend component, not engaging with the history and collective memory of the shape itself. Samuel wanted to find something new in this form - a style exercise in how to apply the architecture of an archway into a lamp.

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I C F F. C O M

COMMENT

The Emotional Power of Light Interior designer Jo Littlefair explores the use of light within interiors and how decorative lighting is adopting a more organic aesthetic through sculptural pieces.

Images: Courtesy of Goddard Littlefair

Growing up on a farm in the north-east of England makes the long, dark nights and mornings of the early part of the year feel very familiar. The sense of something cold and mysterious enveloping you can be overwhelming, particularly once the bright lights of Christmas have been packed away, making any glimpses of watery-bright sunshine in the winter sky very welcome.

Fire, and the heat and light it gives off, also has a subliminal effect on us all. I believe there is an age-old connection between our emotional state and the presence of a flickering candle to soothe our souls. Like many people, I love the ebb and flow of a fire and the warm light it casts.

My own path into interior design came about by studying textile design as a degree, followed by a long spell of travelling, which concluded with working on a highly-designed ‘super yacht’. This was the first time I’d really seen anything quite so opulent and, whilst it might not have been to my personal taste, it inspired me to pursue a career that allowed me to curate interiors. Three-dimensional structures have always fascinated me too, as well as anything that involved constructing things out of fabrics and threads, paper and metal. If I could bend, burn or sew it, I was hooked!

When it came to designing full interior schemes, I immediately recognised the power of light as an essential layer for creating a successful space – adding an accent, highlight or stroke of iridescence that are little short of gifts for an interior designer. Light allows us to make certain elements prominent and knock some things back. It can be functional, but also purely decorative. It is always one of the key things our clients are concerned about ‘but what about the lighting? - they will ask, which shows how important getting the right light has become and how aware we all are now of its creative, mood-enhancing

abilities.

It’s an important and never-ending lesson for designers to discern what makes certain spaces feel welcoming, inspiring or surprising and others cold, hostile and deflating, so that we can design according to how we want people to feel in a space.

The trend for lighting the bottom of kitchen islands, so that they look like rockets about to take off baffles me, for example.

Blue light is as cold as it gets and so dated already.

People also dislike feeling exposed by light, thanks to glaring lamps and strip lights set within low ceilings. The ability to dim lights and set moods through programmed settings has been of considerable help in our hotel and restaurant work. Programming timers throughout the day to help lighting shift from morning to midday to evening, ideally tailoring the settings for summer and winter too, so that guests don’t feel overwhelmed by harsh lighting in early hours of the morning yet have enough light to navigate

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the breakfast bar, is a delicately-balanced but powerful creative asset.

Wellness is such a key topic for developers across both the residential and hotel worlds right now, at a time when market places are crowded with brand names and Instagram accounts clamouring for attention. I believe it’s the environment that is relevant and on point, but which ultimately sets you at ease and where your needs are met, that will capitalise on this feeling. Clients are increasingly aware of their own – and their guests’ - dependency on personal technology and there has been much discussion on recent projects about permitting people to disconnect from devices and plug back into the human race. Mental health is thankfully being increasingly recognised as a critical health issue and, as designers, we need to be fully aware of the emotional impact of the spaces we create. Setting out their proposed range of functions and then lighting accordingly plays a crucial part in that.

Technological advances, including intelligent

and interactive lighting, as well as the increasing focus on sustainability within the discipline, have also changed our palette of possibility in an entirely positive way, from the ever-diminishing sizes of available fittings to advances in LEDs, although human intelligence still very much needs to be added to the mix, so that they are all handled in a way that doesn’t then create other problems.

Bowing before new advances simply for the sake of newness is a mistake so often made. For example, we saw the rise in downlights resulting in the overuse of these conveniently-sized fittings. Not only did ceilings look cluttered, but the universal wash of light resulted in interiors without highlights or depth. Spaces often lacked a sense of pace and were simply bland. The effect on the subconscious of overhead lighting is also negative. This type of light is one of the most unflattering and ageing to be seen in, making people feel instantly self-conscious, whilst casting shadows over their faces.

1. integrated lighting in a shelving unit allows for light play at the Cluster apartment at One Park Drive. 2. Layered lighting via lit panels overlaid with mesh is combined with hidden track lighting in the bar front that enhance the richness of the brass. 3.

A decorative, three-dimensional sculpture at South Bank Tower is lit from above and refracts the warm hues of the living room as it catches the sun’s light.

The approach to the lighting of ceilings has to be much more refined – even artistic concealing fittings where possible so that they wash surfaces and create layering and contrast. If the constraints of a building mean there isn’t adequate height to conceal the fittings, then we make sure instead to create an architectural and bold statement.

Sometimes this helps create such a pleasing statement that we do this regardless of the site constraints, such as in the Cluster and Bay show apartments that we designed recently for One Park Drive on Canary Wharf, which won the ‘Residential GOLD Award’ at the 2017 London Design Awards.

We created definite slots in the ceiling, which we painted out black, mounting contemporary directional light fittings in them that pick out accents on the walls to wash with light. Highly-textured timber panels on the scheme also conceal builtin storage, designed to echo the exterior façade of the Herzog de Meuron building and the play of this light, and the highlights and shadows it creates, brings out the natural

Artistry from Nature Maru light

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depth of the rich timber, giving the interior the warmth and tactility we sought.

Rafts, hung over a ceiling coffer, are another good way to light ceilings and represent a more contemporary approach to lighting the perimeter of the room. This technique involves dropping a lower section to the centre of the space and adding concealed lighting to the recessed edges of the raft so that it glows, reflects and then washes down the walls. It’s also particularly effective in the corridors of hotels and in entrance halls.

Lighting from the side creates a much more even effect and creates ambience, which can make spaces feel more welcoming and hospitable. Using table and floor lamps to highlight areas of rooms and create light and shade is an incredibly useful tool.

The scale and placement of these items is incredibly important. Sometimes, the subtlety of a beautifully-crafted reading lamp that is functional as well as beautiful can add real magic. Or we might create

drama and add colour and texture by including a large-scale side lamp. We would always recommend drawing a rough-scale plan and elevation of a table and lamp combination in order to really consider the proportions of pieces. There are general rules when specifying loose lamps, for example, such as matching square lamp bases to square tables and being mindful not to over-scale lampshades so they hang over the edges of tables. There are also times, however when rules are there to be broken, which is why we consider each element in the scheme so carefully!

Recently, we have seen an increase in natural materials trending in decorative lighting. The industrial look, which has been dominant for so long has definitely been superseded by a finer and more elegant approach. Bright, brushed brass juxtaposed against opal glass with marble and timber components often creates an interesting juxtaposition. There is also a more organic aesthetic coming through with

1. Wall lights and floor lamps highlight different areas of the room and work together to create light and shade at the Principal York. 2. Concealed lighting in the ceiling washes the surfaces to create layering and contrast. 3. As seen at Gleneagles, the subtlety of a reading lamp that is functional, yet beautiful adding warmth and magic.

sculptural decorative pieces. I feel this has come about as a reaction against the twodimensional world we swipe and see on our phones day in, day out.

Wherever possible, we try to go back to the theories learnt from those ancient sources of light – candlelight and fires. The presence of nature on my doorstep throughout my childhood was also a huge personal influence and the colours and textures I celebrated with the work I produced in both textile and interior design has always been profoundly important to me. I still hold dear all that nature supplies us with, including the superlative qualities of natural materials such as stone, wood and fibres that have depth, lustre, quality and tactility that seemingly resonate with our very souls – together with lighting that sets them off to perfection. www.goddardlittlefair.com

ANDLIGHT PRESENTS

ORBIT PENDANT LUKAS PEET / 2018

darc room @ London Design Fair

19-22 September 2019 The Old Truman Brewery • Shoreditch • London www.darcroom.com • www.londondesignfair.co.uk

FEATURE | HOTEL DESIGN LIGHTING

Five-Star Lighting Lighting in hotels needs to reflect the various public spaces and their uses, as well as providing just the right light in guest rooms - not too stark but functional. Over the next few pages we bring you a selection of case studies showing the various ways decorative lighting can be used in a hotel environment.

Motel One Hotel Frankfurt, Germany A total of 700 stainless steel rods, 350 handmade porcelain leaves and 70 dimmable LED spots make up Cordula Kafka’s latest installation for the Hotel Motel One Frankfurt, Römer.

Located directly on the Büchergasse (Book Ally) in the Old Town of Frankfurt, the architecture and design of the hotel thematically references the long history of the Frankfurt Book Fair - a theme that is specifically emphasised in the lobby area and breakfast room, which becomes a bar in the evening. Responding to this concept with a massive version of her sensual light object, Leaves, a cluster of porcelain sheets, simulating book pages, frozen and floating in space, establish an ethereal atmosphere around the lobby area.

The installation covers an area of 25sqm in the entrance area of the hotel. Suspended on stainless rods that range from 30 to 160cm in length, the delicate porcelain leaves appear to be moving in a large wave across the room. The overlapping leaves create a fine play of transparency, light and shadow, making apparent the various hues and colours of the porcelain. While the overall installation might resemble a violent storm of leaves, standing underneath it and looking up, brings a feeling of lightness, calm and tranquility.

Designed in collaboration with architect Barbara Wild, the porcelain was produced, over three months in Kafka’s Berlin-based studio. The sheets of Leaves take on the surface of slightly creased paper, which,

due to the fact that they are handmade and unique, a play of lively transparencies arise.

Kafka has for the last fifteen years, created small editions and bespoke pieces for private residences, hotels, restaurants and other installations, for clients in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the UK, Morocco, USA and Hong Kong.

The last few months saw two very exciting expansions of the Leaves concept come to life: This one, for Motel One covering the largest area to date, and, just installed this year, an eight-metre long version, following the entire centre axis of a spiral staircase for the company InTime in Buchholz/ Hamburg. cordulakafka.de

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Oceania - Le Métropole Hotel Montpellier, France After a year of renovation, the Oceania – Le Métropole Hotel in Montpellier opened its doors again, hosting its clients in an Art Deco style mixed with the 19th century spirit of the building.

The Pleasure of Living is the master word of this hotel; composed of 96 rooms and suites, it enjoys a strategic location, in the heart of the Montpellier downtown, two minutes away from the railstation St-Roch and the famous Place de la Comédie.

This 4-stars hotel combines charm with modernity and a touch of exoticism, all in the spirit of the luxury hotels of Belle Epoque.

The hotel was built in 1898 by architect Thomas Piétri on the model of the prestigious palaces on the Cote d'Azur. Some pieces of the era still dress the building such as the elevator, formerly hydraulic, a real work of art that now adorns the lobby and serves as an alcove to the business centre.

From the entrance of the hotel and in

all the rooms, the decoration has been completely revisited to restore all the panache and character of the place. The high ceilings, the frescoes with romantic cherubs and the prestigious parque floors have been totally renovated to give all its prestige to the hotel.

The whole architecture participates in the psychic breath in this hotel. The natural elements meet each other. The light is everywhere, from the large glass roof of the restaurant to the majestic staircase, enhanced by a Chandelier 15 Grand Nuage from Designheure, installed across all five storeys. This lamp, vertiginous by its flight, modern by its millimetric integration with the space, and authentic by its curve guides the visitor from the lobby to the multiple floors of the hotel.

The white exterior of the lampshades allows it to blend in with the space while its golden interior and textile cords give it a touch of preciousness and reminds the gilding of the staircase. This chandelier has been custom-

made, and each lampshade follows a flight of stairs.

The Nuage collection is also an integral part of the hotel's different rooms. Available in several models such as floor lamps or wall lamps, the colours and the presence of these lamps help to stage the various moments of the day in these bedrooms.

Discreet in these proportions, these lamps accompany the atmosphere of each room.

The fusion of modern and authentic architecture with custom-made and contemporary lighting has allowed this hotel to be reborn, to be able to welcome its customers in a warm and contemporary atmosphere where the ages are linked, as much as the decorative pieces. www.designheure.com

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Hotel Kompas Dubrovnik, Croatia Enjoying a sensational seafront setting overlooking Lapad beach and the blue-green Adriatic, the all-new luxury Hotel Kompas Dubrovnik offers great contemporary design, a luxury spa and outstanding dining and conference facilities with exemplary service.

Poised adjacent the beachfront of exquisite Lapad Bay and its famous tree-lined promenade called Uvala, Hotel Kompas Dubrovnik is under 4km from Dubrovnik’s magnificent medieval Old Town city centre.

The most glorious panoramic view of the whole of Lapad Bay, its glistening clear waters and unspoilt beaches, greets you from vast floor-to-ceiling windows in the grand reception and Zenith Bar. As balmy night falls, the seafront Sphere Restaurant & Lounge Bar fills up and becomes gently abuzz with anticipation of Mother Nature’s spectacular sunset show.

Most impressive in the main hall, bar and restaurant are In-es.artdesign’s Luna pendants in different dimensions.

Luna’s design contains varied nuances and sensations. Nebulite (a specially treated fiberglass), is a material that has been developed specifically for In-es. artdesign’s collections, that emphasises the atmospheric and evocative lighting of the lamp. Even the shape evokes the celestial body, reproducing it in any vein. A single light source, which emanates intense and bright rays - Luna is the focal point of In-es. artdesign’s lighting collection. www.in-es.com

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FEATURE | HOTEL DESIGN LIGHTING

Hotel Melia Budva Petrovac Budva Petrova, Montenegro For its first hotel on Montenegro’s Adriatic coast, Melia Hotels has chosen lighting solutions form Linea Light Group that enhance architectural details and offer guests luxury and relaxation all at once.

This carefully planned lighting project involves the entire facility.

The solution chosen for the facades, Loop66, is a dust, rain and water-resistant wall light line that creates fascinating effects, gracing facades and exterior walls with perpendicular beams. The windows and the balconies are fitted with Arcada, a line specially designed for indirect lighting effects characterised by even intensity, no glare or dispersion, and thus extremely suitable for highlighting architectural volumes. Fylo Outdoor was used for the perimeter of the building’s roof, the outdoor pool and for the connecting balconies between the hotel’s towers. Its integrated profile is the perfect solution for strip lighting installation even in the absence of recessed spaces in the architectural design of the building.

Finally, the perimeter porches were fitted

with Portik ceiling lights, while Gardener outdoor spotlights single out the shrubs and palms of the garden.

Particular attention was also paid to the interiors, with lights designed to emphasise the different details of each area.

The Baton_P suspensions give the reception character: simple and refined at the same time, they combine efficient lighting of the worktop with a smart atmosphere. For the lounge area, Loro_RJ has been specially designed for false ceilings with little space, a problem solved with the curved rear heat sink that reduces the flush-mounting depth.

For general lighting in the restaurant, common areas and the corridors, Cell recessed lights disappear in the ceiling leaving only light, while for the meeting rooms, Warp and Rada_R downlights combine efficiency and visual comfort. The buffet area is elegantly illuminated by a combination of Mongolfier suspensions with a black nickel finish: with their sinuous shapes, they give the space a particularly chic look.

Great care was also devoted to the lighting

of the rooms, where relaxation reigns supreme. Quantum_Y downlights were chosen for general lighting, while for indirect lighting strip fixtures were fitted in the corners above the beds. Bart_W wall spotlights with adjustable head are used both as a headboard and as a desk light, with particularly elegant and refined effects.

Finally, for the wellness centre, the heart of the hotel, a mix of decorative and architectural lighting solutions was specially conceived in order to create a magic, luxurious environment. The barber’s and the gym feature Pool_C and Pool_S; 2Nights wall lights are used to illuminate the wall plates in the various rooms; in the corridors, the customized versions of the strips are fitted with amber-coloured lights for charming indirect lighting effects.

The indoor pool is lit with Fylo + in the IP version, in an impressive 80-metre long installation thanks to the integrated profile supplied with the product. www.linealight.com

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FEATURE | HOTEL DESIGN LIGHTING

Hôtel Monville Montreal, Canada A brand new high-rise in downtown Montreal, Hôtel Monville selected Lambert & Fils as part of a group of local design talent to outfit the new space with genuine expressions of Montreal. With minimalist contemporary rooms and sprawling common spaces with multi-storey ceilings, lighting was used to bring a feeling of coziness, community, warmth, and magic to the hotel.

In collaboration with architecture firm ADCF, Lambert & Fils devised a series of lighting elements for Hôtel Monville’s public areas, lobby, hotel rooms, and library, featuring expansive lighting installations as well as more human-scale interventions for private spaces.

Scale was the starting point for the lighting vision - maintaining continuity between the hotel’s grand, lofty spaces and more intimate hotel rooms. In the lobby, Lambert & Fils wanted the lighting to create a strong silhouette that would occupy the triple-height area in a more resonant way, interacting with the monumental concrete columns that define the space.

They turned to their Cliff Collection - using a custom cantilevered Cliff lamp, Lambert & Fils adapted the existing design to suit the substantial scale of the lobby. Each light is two metres long and juts out from a concrete column - a very contemporary take on a low-lit wall sconce you might find in a parlour or lounge. The effect is a psychological ceiling that breaks the verticality of the room and enhances its sense of intimacy. The custom fixtures are designed to be adjustable rather than fixed in place, each light created with the ability to pivot around its concrete column - an inspiring design challenge for the Montreal atelier. The design offers the hotel greater flexibility, creating the possibility of multiple ambiances in one space depending on circumstance, the position of the furniture and the configuration of the lighting.

Custom wall lamps, also adapted from Lambert & Fils’ Cliff Collection, appear in the hotel rooms each bed bookended by sconces built into wood millwork that lends a moody, romantic quality.

In the library, Lambert & Fils wanted to invigorate visitors with fresh sculptural forms.

A custom installation features the hanging pendants of the studio’s Laurent Collection connected by rounded metal panels. The chrome system features blue wires that fuse with the installation’s sweeping lines to create effortless vibrancy. Using striking colours and textured surfaces, the large, singular intervention makes the light a strong focal point, defining the space as a unique location within the hotel.

Lambert & Fils Founder Samuel Lambert says of the projet: “It’s a privilege to design and create in Montreal - to share projects with the people around us, to be more hands on, to leave behind something that represents us in our own city.” lambertetfils.com

Bespoke Sculptural Lighting Handmade In London | Delivering Worldwide camerondesignhouse.com | (+44)207 3727 748 | info@camerondesignhouse.com

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FEATURE | HOTEL DESIGN LIGHTING

Retreat at Blue Lagoon Geopark, Iceland Named one of National Geographic’s 25 Wonders of the World, Iceland’s Blue Lagoon is internationally renowned for its geothermal healing seawater and otherworldly volcanic landscape. Built directly into the 800-year-old lava flow in the UNESCO Global Geopark is the newly opened Retreat at Blue Lagoon, is a 62-suite luxury hotel and spa encircled by the mineral-rich waters.

The retreat blurs the boundaries between nature and the manmade world, with interior walls and rooftops formed of lava and the waters of the Blue Lagoon flowing throughout the complex. Inspired by its stunning setting on an island on the edge of the Arctic Circle, the designers aimed to create a mood of refined luxury that echoes the environment’s tonal colours and simple geography.

The lighting design is understated and minimal so as not to distract from the unique surroundings and Vibia’s fixtures can be found throughout the public spaces.

Jordi Vilardell’s Slim serves as a sleek accent in the open-air lobby, its long, elegant tapers suspended above a jagged rock counter. Its streamlined profile plays counterpoint to the rough-hewn material, while its pressed-glass diffusers bathe the surface in a soft pool of light.

A trio of Slim arrangements also adorns the far side of the lobby, brightening a woodpanelled seating area facing outdoors.

Configured in rings, the fixtures create a canopy of twinkling lights and a cozy nook for taking in the view.

Another seating area in the lobby features the Balance floor lamp. Designed again,

by Vilardell, the drum shade cantilevers out from its column, illuminating the chairs while remaining tucked away from the walkway’s traffic flow. A pull cord on the diffuser activates the fixture’s counterweight system, enabling it to move to the right or left, up or down.

Finally, Vibia’s Mayfair graces the roomy desk in the reception area. Designed by Diego Fortunato, it’s a modern reimagining of the traditional, 18th-century French boulillotte table lamp. Positioned on either side of the desk, Mayfair lends quiet composure to the space, its crisp steel craftsmanship providing a compelling textural contrast with the ribbed concrete walls. www.vibia.com

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FEATURE | HOTEL DESIGN LIGHTING

Royal Lancaster Hotel London, UK Regarded as Hyde Park’s proud mid-century architectural icon with breathtaking views of the famous London skyline, the Royal Lancaster Hotel has recently undergone a complete rebranding and refurbishment, led by interior designers Studio Proof, in order to create a modern luxury hotel and a top destination for visitors to the capital.

The hotel needed to convey a classic and glamorous atmosphere within the public spaces, which comprise of a ground floor double height foyer, reception desk area and F&B lounge, first floor lobby space to the hotels meeting suite, ballroom welcome lobby and basement function room lobby.

“From the outset, the client asked for two things: simple operation and flexibility,” says David Morris, Founder & Creative Director of Studio Proof. “We agreed that dimming would not be an option and that the lighting circuits and lamp outputs would need to be pre-set to attractive and practical levels.”

By careful lighting control, changing from fresh and welcoming in the day and progressing into relaxing and intimate at

night the flexibility of all spaces has been greatly improved.

Lighting designers Into Lighting felt that the choice of light fittings and attention to detail within coffers, niches and shelves needed to enhance a modern mid-century interior and highlight the high level of finishes of marble, brass and timber. Warm white colour temperatures were therefore chosen to bring out these tones and layering of lighting - from high level to domestic feel table and floor lamps - this meant circuits could be independently dimmed to change the emphasis and drama at night.

Feature lighting was a key element and very important to the hotel to create a statement in a very competitive London market. The scale and volume of the spaces, and the limited floor to slab heights of the mid-century building dictated the need for some substantial coffer detail to the ceilings with incumbent halo lighting. However, the size of these covers also required clever pendant lighting.

“We searched endlessly for suitable fittings that would provide visual drama, mid-

century sensibilities, be flat enough to work in the shallow coffers and yet adaptable to build into large pendants in the tripe height space and grand staircase areas,” continues Morris. “We settled on the Crown Plana Linea that allowed us to build a huge plain of flat chandelier lighting across 11m, and the Crown Magnum that provides the large 3D pendants - both from Nemo Lighting.

The satin matte brass finish works perfectly without interior palette and the geometric forms echo the new brand identity we created for the hotel as well as the midcentury architectural form of the building.

A dramatic, sophisticated and layered lighting scheme creates key focal points but also provides subtly integrated details.

The control of the dimming via timed programmed scenes means the hotel is able to use the new spaces more than they previously had by attracting guests to linger in the lounge and bars by providing a comfortable environment throughout the day. www.nemolighting.com

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FEATURE | HOTEL DESIGN LIGHTING

66 St Paul's Valletta, Malta 66 St Paul’s is a cosy family run boutique hotel. The owners Piero and Emma had been dreaming about this enterprise for some time and it all materialised when they came across this abandoned Palazzo in Valletta.

They fell in love with the classical courtyard and uniqueness of the fabric and the light and ambiance of the open areas became the key focus to the project.

Upon entering the palazzo, guests are welcomed at the intimate reception area and are guided into the courtyard. In the courtyard all the main building features have been retained. The stone fountain and original soft stone flooring act as a main focus to the space. The courtyard floor intended as a main lounge and relaxing area is complemented with a bar situated in the shadow of the main stairway, the design of which, follows the main curves of the staircase.

The challenge of the lighting design was to accent the beautiful architectural features of the courtyard, whilst minimising the intervention to allow for reversibility and at the same time ensuring visual comfort for guests. A combination of natural light, up lighting and low-level down lighting was used to achieve this brief. The naturally illuminated courtyard comes to life during the day with the abundant natural light. In the evening the illumination scheme exalts the main features without rendering the space overpowering.

Uplighting was used to create soft, gentle brushstrokes of light to the underside of corbels whilst a warm colour temperature enhance the colour tones of the stone work.

The evening lighting scheme needed to provide sufficient illumination to walkways, whilst allowing guests to look up from the ground floor and be able to appreciate the

commanding ambience of the courtyard.

To ensure visual comfort for guests down lighters were elegantly integrated into the steel handrail design to provide low-level illumination to corridors. A close working relationship with the supplier, Light Design Solutions, enabled DeMicoli & Associates to achieve this, concealing all wiring neatly within the handrail. Two decorative pendent chandeliers were introduced to further emphasis the height of the space. danda.com.mt

Ludlow Chandelier

SCULPTURAL, EDGY DESIGNS WITH AN ORIGINAL POINT OF VIEW Available to the 220-240v market through Elstead Lighting

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FEATURE | HOTEL DESIGN LIGHTING

Majestic Mountain Charme Hotel Madonna di Campiglio, Italy The renowned Italian design studio Caberlon Caroppi, have reinvented two floors of the Majestic Mountain Charme Hotel, located in the popular mountain resort Madonna di Campiglio.

The client requested an optimisation of the space to create the widest possible rooms in a quick and functional way. The goal was to achieve the standard of a 4-star superior, with a luxurious and modern style, while maintaining the charm of the mountains and

the historic image of the hotel.

The team started by creating spacious and functional rooms, providing customers with flexible environments suitable for their every need.

Rooms were fit with well-equipped wardrobes, finely hidden doors, retractable hooks, folding-sliding partitions, and lighting elements to create a layout that unfolds into a wider environment.

Over the side of the beds, large hanging

lamps by MM Lampadari illuminate the black nightstands. The recesses and shelves are underlined by a black metal sheet, which creates a spectacular effect delineated by LEDs. The stone bathrooms are spacious and feature a simple style while the double light mirror brings a modern twist. The iron bear head light fixture was created specifically for this space. www.caberloncaroppi.com

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FEATURE | HOTEL DESIGN LIGHTING

Block Hotel & Living Ingolstadt, Germany The Block Hotel & Living was reopened in 2018 with the aim of being the most popular hotel in Ingolstadt, Germany. A hotel steeping in generations of family history, a complete new build was created, which has not only become a splendind beacon of architecture, but also allows its guests conceptually new experiences.

The lobby at the Block Hotel & Living is more than a meeting place, it is the living room of the hotel's guests. A spacious, light-flooded hotel area, with its various levels, each providing the space experience that its guests are looking for - relaxation time at the free-standing, open fireplace overlooking the gardens, while the bar level is just the place to have a coffee break during the day with a coffee or to end it with a good drink.

In terms of lighting the space, Italian brand Terzani was chosen. In the image you can see Doodle, designed by Simone Micheli and Mizu, Flowing Light designed by Nicolas

Terzani.

In Doodle, product designer Simone Micheli has created a new, contemporary light. Like us, each Doodle is unique, each pendant is handcrafted by artisans to resemble a randomised path. And, to give us control over the journey we want to take, each LED light source can be placed anywhere on the light, not only reflecting the choices we make in life, but giving Doodle a special flexibility.

Also featured in the space is Mizu designed

by Nicolas Terzani. Inspired by the tranquil and mesmerising light refractions created by water, Mizu is a customisable pendant light.

Like water droplets, no two Mizus are alike, each crystal shape is unique and made meticulously by hand. Using only the clearest crystal, Mizu perfectly emulates water’s refraction of light, casting amazing patterns around the room, reminiscent of flowing water. www.terzani.com

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Romancising The Senses British designer Timothy Oulton has a passionate quest to create extraordinary spaces.

Francesca Barnes delves deeper into what inspires him and what it takes to create something truly unique.

Images: Courtesy of Timothy Oulton

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INTERVIEW

A Benedictine school, an Army dad turned antiques dealer, and an obsession with handcraftsmanship and authentic materials.

These are just some of the influences that drive Timothy Oulton in his passionate quest to create extraordinary spaces.

For Oulton, his time as a child spent in a Benedictine monastery in Yorkshire, UK, is where he learnt about community and contributing. “It didn’t matter what you did, as long as you did it to the best of your ability – commit fully to something,” he says.

With no intention of going to university, Oulton’s career began at his father’s antiques shop in Manchester, UK. Having worked there for about three months, the soon-to-be-designer quickly got into the business, amazed at the quality of furniture items that the British made over 300 years even down to the locks and handles - this is where the obsession began.

The transition from antiques restoration to designing came about ten years later. Having learnt about craftsmanship and materials from his father's store, Oulton realised that with antiques, he couldn’t go any further, he couldn’t build the business he wanted or create as he wanted. The antiques business wasn’t scalable and he wouldn’t be able to contribute to other people's lives.

While Oulton's time spent in antiques has been of great influence to many of his projects, as a designer of interiors and products, it all starts with the materials.

“Antiques on their own are boring,” he says. “Even the best ones, because there’s no point of view. That’s what I like about what we do – we will take an antique-style Chesterfield and then put a bloody great acrylic coffee table in front of it, and that makes it relevant and interesting.

“Inspiration can come from anywhere.

As I think Paul Smith says, ‘If you can’t

find inspiration in something, you’re not looking hard enough.’ It can come from a flea market, from a friend’s bag… leather finishes have come from cowboy chaps. I see the creative process as a bit of a quest, a journey. You explore, discover and often end up finding inspiration down pretty unexpected avenues.”

Passionate about using salvaged materials, for Oulton, reclaimed materials have an honesty and a purity. What he likes to call a ‘humble luxury’, where the material is unfinished. “I don’t understand people who get reclaimed wood and then varnish it,” he says. “You should never have started with reclaimed wood in the first place. If you’re going to use reclaimed then show it, don’t lacquer it, don’t wax it. For instance, I love the English Beam console, we don’t plane the beam, we don’t do anything, we just cut massive pleats into it and I think that’s just epic.”

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In terms of Oulton’s lighting range, which has continued to gain some momentum in recent years, all of the pieces borrow ideas from the past but with the Timothy Oulton stamp on them. “We take inspiration from Georgian England to Art Deco to mid-century design – classic, vintage forms, but we reinvent them with a modern viewpoint.”

To fully encapsulate his experiences of antiquity, Oulton uses simple tools and time-honoured techniques; the way it was done traditionally. “I think there was a wisdom in the way things were done many years ago that’s still very relevant today,” he says. “When something has been made by the touch of a craftsman’s hand you get a level of detail and authenticity that you just can’t replicate mechanically. It’s a great feeling to bring that initial concept or inspiration to life, to see it in the flesh.

Stories and history are very important to us, the process of bringing a design into being

has to have some meaning.

“Design isn’t just decoration, it has to be relevant and have meaning,” Oulton continues. “It always comes down to creating a great experience for people – it’s not enough for a design just to look good, it has to make you feel something.

I think some of the best design out there is the simplest – simple shapes but made using incredible materials and meticulous attention to detail. We spend countless hours on our hand-finishing but I always say if something’s easy, I’m not interested in doing it.”

For Oulton, the most rewarding part of working within design is the journey – seeing design as a bit of a quest. “It’s a great feeling to bring that initial concept or inspiration to life, to see it in the flesh.

“There are small frustrations along the way but I try not dwell on these, I’m very much one for dusting myself down and taking

everything as a learning opportunity. I think that’s the only way you grow… We say that if you’re not prepared to swim upstream, while everyone else is going in the other direction, then you won’t find something that no one else has seen.”

Speaking more generally, Oulton observes that people are now gravitating to layered textures over the minimal Scandinavian look, which has been popular for a while now. “I don’t believe in less is more,” he says. “Once you’re free of the constraints of a minimal approach you can be bolder.”

As well as product design, Oulton and his team are becoming increasingly known for their interior design schemes. One of his most notable projects is considered to be the 1880 members’ club in Singapore.

Having designed all 22,000sqft of it, lighting plays a crucial part in the design. Featured in issue 26 of darc, the project brief was to create a space that sparked imaginiation

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INTERVIEW

and encouraged unplanned conversations and collisions.

“We wanted the space to be almost unrecognisable after the transformation and the lighting plays a big part in that,” says Oulton. “It was also very important that the different spaces in the club should all feel connected to one another and we used lighting to achieve this. The private dining room is styled quite differently from The Double café bar, but actually the walls between the two spaces can open up, connecting them for larger events. The feature lighting is the same in both areas, which helps tie them together when the space is opened up.”

While the studio has historically focused on decorative lighting in its collection, Oulton explains that they have had to come to grips with architectural lighting as they’ve moved further into designing projects.

“Both are about creating an experience and both should complement one another.

Sometimes a dramatic light fitting can build out a space, other times there are different forms, spaces and materials that are the star of the show.

“A good example is in the lobby to our showroom. We panelled the walls and ceiling with a collection of 2,000 oak vintage French doors. They were the highlight, and needed some concealed lighting to accentuate their beauty. We always want to create an atmosphere that is comfortable but at the same time makes each individual feel special. It is the details and considered elements of the design that come together to do this and lighting is always an important part of that.”

Impeccably summarising the company’s ethos, Oulton tells darc: “In this virtualised and digitalised world we live in, there is a growing feeling that we really need to reconnect - either with ourselves or with others, and your interior can certainly play a part in this. Whether it’s down time or entertaining, it’s about engaging the senses and feeling alive. That’s an energy that we try to embody in all our products and interiors.” www.timothyoulton.com

Light at Clerkenwell Design Week An immersive showcase of decorative and architectural lighting in fabric nightclub REGISTER FOR FREE clerkenwelldesignweek.com #CDW2019 #CDW10

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The Beauty of Bespoke VISO’s Tzetzy Naydenova explains the benefit of using bespoke lighting in a project and outlines why it’s not always as expensive as you might think.

Images: Courtesy of VISO

‘Bespoke’ has come a long way from its first use as an adjective in reference to tailor-made suits.

In the design and fabrication industry, the contemporary version of the term refers to any specification characteristic of custom lighting fixtures. Whether it refers to customisation as a service in lighting design or in the form of a special request from the client, bespoke has become the go-to term for anything custom.

An increasing need for differentiation and to create something unique influences how we, as service providers and fabricators, package our offering for both products and service solutions, known at VISO as bespoke solutions. Bespoke requests could be a unique element to an off-the-shelf lighting fixture or fully customised light feature.

In the age of the internet and endless stream of digital inspiration, there is pressure to be creative and to design and fabricate unique products and service offerings. In doing so, designers and architects put their creative signature on each and every project. As a result, the industry has grown more and more wary of picking easily accessible lighting fixture solutions, which casts an additional demand on an already challenging and saturated world of lighting. For example, e-commerce has made products easily accessible all over the world and to everyone. With a quick and easy reverse image search, one can find

comparative products for any off-the-shelf offering. The only real solution is to custom create a one-of-a-kind experience to fit the client’s exact needs and wants.

Bespoke The right light fixture must complement the space and never take away from the design of the interior. The option to customise is especially useful for projects in limited spaces. This was the case for Beaumont Kitchen, a restaurant by Oliver & Bonacini Hospitality group. The O&B group partnered with Saks Fifth Avenue to open a fashionable all-day dining lounge for tired shoppers to take a break. The space for the restaurant contained a weight bearing column in the middle of the restaurant. Our team collaborated with the award-winning design studio, Moncur Design Associates, to create a chandelier that would attach directly to the column. This unique, cost-effective solution saved the client time and affected the environment with such high impact, that the once existing plan to remodel the entire space was not important anymore.

The Myths “Bespoke must be sky-high pricing. It’s out of budget!” Anytime a client hears bespoke or custom, they think exclusive with budgetbreaking prices. It is a well-known fact that lighting retains the smallest budget in a project. Hence, we have to innovate in design, engineering and fabrication to find ways in which we can meet the budget and

preserve design intent.

Through design-engineering and vast fabrication capabilities, we optimise the design to fabricate at one-third of the expected or perceived price without compromising design intent. Thus, clients can invest in the visual components of the light fixture that make the most impact. This is an advantage over the status quo and perception that something custom will not meet budget constraints.

Our work with polycarbonate, carbon fibre and special metal resin to achieve challenging specifications has proven to be an innovative and cost-effective way to deliver on projects. Modern technology enables us to metalise a variety of materials to simulate glass or metal. It is a complex process, as was the case in our project with Yabu Pushelberg on the Four Seasons Burj Alshaya, Kuwait. Four acoustical metal domes measuring over 2,000mm in diameter were specified for the hotel’s business lounge. Thus, to create a sound-cancellation effect and be within budget, we design engineered the domes and fabricated them out of carbon fibre, finished with a metallic coat made from a special acoustic resin.

Furthermore, tight and aggressive timelines make bespoke lighting farfetched. We often customise a readily available product to achieve the full project specification. A simple change or upgrade of suspension cables to match clients’ branding or

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colour palettes can change a design to complement the space as they envisioned it. A minimal, off-the-shelf light pendant can be clustered to compose a substantial bespoke light feature at budget friendly pricing. At the Hilton Hotel, Atlanta, we filled the large three-storey atrium space with an arrangement of over 300 Alo light pendants from the VISO Brand Collection.

The result is a custom light feature with an intricate architectural configuration that is visible from each level and from each point of view, thereby making an impact every time guests enter the hotel or exit their rooms.

Despite our efforts to push the boundaries of design-engineering and what is possible to fabricate, the best policy is to inform the client when an element is not possible to fabricate. The right partner is transparent and provides design solutions that fit.

The right partner will source the right materials and provide detailed drawings and engineering solutions for challenging oneof-a-kind fabrications. The right partner will provide a deadline for when approvals are required in order to meet all timelines and budgetary constraints.

Bespoke lighting is a rewarding endeavour because no two light fixtures are the same. We are on a mission to help clients transform environments with unique solutions and create exclusive guest experiences through through lighting designs and fabrication. Bespoke creations give us the opportunity to invent and help bring dreams to reality. This is what inspires our craft every day. visoinc.com

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Opening spread Tzetzy Naydenova, Managing Partner at VISO. This page 1. Beaumont Kitchen at Saks Fifth Avenue.

2. Example of VISO Polycarb. H2O at Audi Germany Head Office. 3. The Four Seasons Kuwait Carbon Fibre Dome.

EUROLUCE Salone del Mobile - Milan Hall 9 Stand E12

www.bertfrank.co.uk info@bertfrank.co.uk +44 207 1646482 @bertfrankltd

FEATURE | BESPOKE LIGHTING

Customised Interior Solutions More and more, architects and interior designers are looking for that stand out feature to make their project unique. Over the next few pages, the following case studies showcase just how bespoke lighting can do just that.

Tommy Hilfiger Amsterdam, Netherlands The brief given to Tommy Hilfiger’s design team was to create a store of the future with digital experiences everywhere. For the lighting they looked to Cameron Design House to create an illuminated piece that supported this innovative concept.

Tommy Hilfiger CEO, Daniel Grieder said: “You can’t just expect shoppers to come into the store when you do nothing, you have to excite them.

It’s important to give customers a reason to visit.”

Working closely with the Tommy Hilfiger team, Cameron Design House decided that their iconic Lohja chandelier would be the perfect piece to complement the space. Cameron Design House worked with the Tommy Hilfiger team closely to configure a Lohja chandelier to support the aesthetic vision and meet the technical demands of this prominent commercial project. The bespoke six-tier piece was manufactured by hand in the Cameron Design House workshop in London. The hand-polished rings were expertly plated with nickel to match the store’s other metallic elements. It was decided early on that the hanging configuration should suspend the rings to reflect and highlight the geometry of the adjacent illuminated wall.

“Our Lohja chandelier is one of our most iconic pieces,” says Ian Cameron, Creative Director of Cameron Design House. “The circular pendant design explores tranquility, space and equilibrium.

It was a privilege to work with a global brand like Tommy Hilfiger. The impressive 300sqm retail space needed a design centrepiece that brought all elements of the space together, and our pendant was the perfect design to do this.”

Having worked on an array of retail and commercial projects around the world, Cameron Design House is known for its problem-solving approach and being responsive to its projects needs. “A detailed approach from start to finish is key to every project regardless of scale,” adds Simeon Chilvers, Managing Director of Cameron Design House. “For us it is important to always consider both the aesthetic and technical challenges together, particularly in a commercial space where there is often much more complexity from structural or hanging limitations, to emergency lighting requirements. All of this needs to be considered to deliver an uncompromised outcome for the client.” www.camerondesignhouse.com

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Image: James French

Image: Fenton Whelan Design

Image: James French

Image: James French

Eaton Place London, UK The Eaton Place residence offers luxury and sophistication; with a fusion of opulent style and functional design, this period property has been re-designed to epitomise luxurious modern living.

Working in close partnership with SBID accredited interior designer, Fenton Whelan Design; SBID accredited partner Nulty Bespoke was commissioned to assist with the completion and installation of several custom-made lighting pieces throughout.

The interior design mixes contemporary finishes with the building’s classical proportions and the sympathetic treatment of the building’s key rooms ensures that the historic grandeur of the property is retained and enhanced.

The light sculpture in the main entertaining space of the apartment, incorporates 22 mouthblown dish-like glass shades. Each is a combination of different hues of purple and white. The sculpture consists of two separate polished champagne-gold-coloured metal frames, which seamlessly blend together as one. The LED source is housed in an oval-shaped detail accommodating the natural, variations of glass thickness. The underside of the glass resembles an oyster shell with a pearl nestled within.

In the games room, three large Art Deco inspired luminaires add a stylish touch to the top floor entertaining space. The light

fittings, each measuring 1.6m x 0.25m have been handcrafted with sandblasted reeded glass and exude a diffused light, and a warm temperature of 2400K. Moving through to the dining room, a statement cluster of nineteen handblown glass shades hang above the dining table, complementing the sense of drama in this opulent space. Dimmable filament lamps, produce a warm colour temperature of 2400K and the shades feature a variety of finishes and colours and can be viewed from the living room through the glass shelving partition. The custom-made gold-coloured ceiling plate slightly protrudes from the ceiling giving the piece a substantial, modern feel. Twisted amber-hued cables are incorporated in the design, reflecting the iridescence of the satin chairs beneath.

The seven-metre stairwell chandelier is suspended from a precision engineered, polished nickel structure positioned directly below the elliptical skylight. The frame is purposely simple to make sure the flow of natural light is not restricted. It comprises over 100 handmade Italian glass twists and 1,500 faceted crystal spheres. The glass twists have a rippled texture, an opaque centre and a pointed tip for added definition, and they complement the crystal droplets beautifully. Cascading through the centre is a spiral of 22 frosted glass lanterns

housing LED lamps, which provide a soft, warm glow of light to the space, while highlighting the sculpture's intricate glass work and sparkling crystals.

A glamorous, and other-worldly piece hangs from the centre of the bedroom ceiling. Two bronze-plated rings form the base of the chandelier. Over 100 triangular Italian glass prisms hang from the rings and refract the LED light within, producing a warm colour temperature of 2200K. Dark brown fabric envelope the cables leading to the bronzeplated ceiling plate. The entire piece has a drop of 400mm from the ceiling.

Céline Gehamy, Product Designer at Nulty Bespoke comments: “We immensely enjoyed working on this project with its high spec and elegant design. From designing a creative, beautiful and practical solution for a chandelier in the stairwell, to overseeing the colour combinations of the glass pendants within the dining room, this was just the kind of project that the Nulty Bespoke team thrives upon. Throughout the design, manufacture and installation every detail was diligently considered – from the positioning of each individual element in the design stage to the threading and fastening of every tiny crystal.” www.fentonwhelan.com www.nultybespoke.co.uk www.sbid.org

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Misi Restaurant New York, USA Misi, a new Italian restaurant, has opened to the continuously blooming Brooklyn scene.

Located across from the Williamsburg Bridge and Domino Park, Misi is in a prime location for fine dining with stunning views. Chef and owner, Missy Robbins, was previously the Executive Chef at Spiaggia in Chicago, A Voce Madison, and A Voce Columbus in New York. After holding two Michelin stars, and being featured in Food and Wine’s Best New Chefs in 2010, Robbins opened her first restaurant in 2016 called Lilia. The spot was quickly praised, earning three stars from the New York Times, and earning the chef an Eater Chef of the Year Award. Robbins was also named Best Chef New York City in 2018 by the James Beard Foundation and quickly expanded her success into Misi, her second restaurant, in September of 2018.

“There’s always pressure, but it’s a different kind of pressure than when I opened Lilia,” she says. “I hadn’t been on the scene for two-and-a-half years and... there was a curiosity. Now I think there’s anticipation. But that anticipation is exciting.”

Focusing on handmade pastas, Misi features a pasta-making room, separated by glass doors, off the main dining room for guests to view during meals. The 4,000sqft restaurant was designed by Asfour Guzy

Architects and offers an open kitchen layout for guests to immerse themselves in the culinary experience, from start to finish.

The restaurant itself features neutral tones of grey, black, and white for a clean and modern aesthetic. These tones are warmed up by light wood tones, off-white tiling behind the main bar, and warm lighting from Juniper and Tala. Simple lines and design elements repeated into clear glassware and white place settings create an open and clutter-free space to keep the ethos of the restaurant food-focused.

Juniper worked closely with Asfour Guzy Architects to create custom sconces for walls throughout the space. A close cousin of the Thin Surface Mount, Juniper’s design team altered its minimal lighting technology to accommodate an even further reduced form. The half-inch solid brass linear sconces mount to walls via a single mounting point and feature a matte Black Oxide brass finish. As warm LED light splashes against the wall, ambient illumination provides an intimate setting for hungry guests. Misi’s values of showcasing handmade quality ingredients in their simplest forms echoes with Juniper in their design and assembly process to create an ideal match.

Adding to this, to echo Misi’s simplicity and refinement, Tala’s incandescent handblown

glass pendants offer a warm glow scattered around the dining room.

With ten varieties of pasta on the menu, each dish at Misi holds its own personality and flavor profile for all palates. Misi continues to succeed in growing awards, new menus, and non-stop praise from celebrities and New York’s community. With all the surrounding success, Misi’s message remains clear- to focus on authentic food and great ingredients, made by hand. www.juniper-design.com

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FEATURE | BESPOKE LIGHTING

Atlas Tower Warsaw, Poland Atlas Tower is an office building offering modern space, tailored to the individual needs of its tenants. Located in the Central Business Area of Warsaw, the building is 116m high and has 31 condignations, as well as a shopping centre offering various services such as: fitness club, dance school, restaurants and cafĂŠs.

In 2018, the owner of one of the most wellknown office buildings in Warsaw, decided it was time for a refurbishment of the interior design, moving towards a more modern and high quality look and giving new life to the building.

The Atlas Tower lobby, which is more than 20m high and located in the central part of the building, surrounded by shops and restaurants, needed an impressive chandelier that could illuminate the huge space. The choice of chandelier was crucial to the project as the renovated building had to stand out against other Warsaw offices, and the new look of the entrance to the

building would obliterate the memory of the building before the modernisation.

In cooperation with Velt, a family-owned company, specialising in handblown glass lamps and chandeliers, a unique light fixture was created. Illuminated icicles made of transparent hand-formed glass (60-100cm long) were hung on thin, almost invisible wires and look impressive when suspended in a group.

The shine of the lamps reflected in glass balustrades intensifies the impression. In the huge chandelier consisting of several smaller lamps you will not find two identical fixtures, just like there are no two identical leaves on a tree.

This spectacular effect is achieved also because Laga lamps uses the principle of optical fiber. Therefore, the light does not dazzle your eyes, but spreads a delicate, luminous glow. Laga, designed by Jeremi Nagrabecki, is a unique product that can be an incredable source of inspiration

for enlightening public spaces, as well as private ones. It looks impressive when hung in a dense group, forming an installation, however it can be used separately - in a line it is ideal over a bar or reception desk, or in a small hallway.

Thanks to craftsmanship and use of traditional techniques the installations are always unique and can be adjusted to each client’s needs. The modern design of the lamps, characterised by simplicity of form and use of LED technologies remains in perfect harmony with traditionally blown glass. As a result Velt lamps are universal and fit both classical and modern interiors. www.velt.pl www.atlasestates.com

Handcrafted in Vienna since 1900 www.woka.com Photo credit: Claude Smekens

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Images: Johan Nelander

Relight Värnamo, Sweden ‘Relight’ is an art installation based on older lamp cups of various kinds.

The rubber factory of Värnamo, Sweden, was once the towns largest employer but had long been forgotten about after it shutdown.

After several years of neglect the building itself had become somewhat of an eyesore to the inhabitants of Värnamo. And so, an idea was born to create a dynamic platform that would offer culture, education and entrepreneurial guidance.

When the decision was made to revitalise the building and create a ‘creative meeting ground regardless of age and background’, artist David Svensson was inspired to find something new in the old completed chapter. The time of the factory was long since over, but would enable new life.

Thus came the idea of ‘Relight’ - an art installation consisting of nearly 250 pieces of old pressed glasses that no one found to be interesting. The idea was instead to revitalise these lamp cups, embedding them with new content and meaning. Together they would no longer be forgotten, but form

a unity and light sculpture in the form of a chandelier in the foyer of Gummifabriken.

The chandelier, made in collaboration with Swedish lighting brand Blond, measures some 225cm and mixes simple, but at the same time refined, glasses, which have been meticulously placed and aligned depending on their different sizes, shapes, patterns and colours.

While the single pressed glasses were found by visiting flea markets and second-hand shops in northern Europe, the artwork was created and assembled in the very same town that the chandelier now hangs. Located in the southern part of Sweden, Värnamo is a town known for its industrial heritage with a rich abundance of manufacturing companies of whom many are heavily export-oriented. www.blond.se www.davidsvensson.net

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FEATURE | BESPOKE LIGHTING

Ocean Prime New York, USA Ocean Prime NY is a modern American restaurant with a surprisingly intimate atmosphere given its double height main dining area and compressed bar. The decorative lighting was key in creating multiple layers of light with sparkle and reflections, which worked to bounce light around from the warm materials inviting diners to sit down and relax.

Lighting design practice LICHT worked together with lighting manufacturer Cerno to develop bespoke lighting features throughout the restaurant. Commenting on the collaboration, Renée Joosten, Director of LICHT tells darc: “Cerno and LICHT share a deep passion and energy for the design process, and we worked closely to make sure that not only the design aesthetics were met, but also, fabrication and cost were considered. The process started from a napkin sketch and through back and forth coordination, developed into detailed submittals and realisation. By leveraging the cross-disciplinary expertise of both teams, we challenged ourselves to execute on the highest level of performance.

“At our first Ocean Prime restaurant in Beverly Hills, the decorative lighting became an integral and key part of the branding. When we designed the new location in New York City, the client specifically directed us not to reinvent the wheel. This allowed us to expand the

custom fixture collection, while staying true to the original design language and brand identity.

“The bar area was challenging to deal with as it had very low ceilings. Instead of eliminating the mezzanine, which would have been quite costly, we decided to accentuate this lower ceiling and make it a design feature. Cast GFRG (glass fiber reinforced gypsum) ceiling panels mimic the look of a stylised concrete waffle slab from which a playful field of carefully coordinated low, oversized pendants make the space cozier; transforming a space that could have felt like a pancake space, into a glowing jewel box of a room.”

In comparison, the dining room featured nearly 20ft heigh ceilings and needed a lower level of decorative lighting to create a more intimate dining experiences at the perimeter banquettes. Joosten explained further: “To achieve this, we modified the pendant into a bracketed sconce that protrudes from the wall highlighting the tables underneath, creating a destination.”

At Ocean Prime NY, LICHT carefully coordinated the architectural lights with the decorative lights to ensure that they both supplement each other. Not only in placement of the lights, but also in regard to light levels, colour temperature, overall quality of light and dimming capability. “When designing a restaurant

like this, the final step is the scene setting which is key to achieve the appropriate ambience throughout the different hours of operation,” continues Joosten. “For Ocean Prime, the custom decorative fixtures truly make the space. Although each decorative fixture is unique and tailored to its distinct area, it created the overarching feel of the restaurant of sparkle, coziness and brand identity.

“At LICHT, the in-house lighting department of ICRAVE, we work hand-in-hand with the interior designers to ensure that the lighting is not only an integral part of the design but also its own voice. It tells the story of the brand and shapes the experience; the moment you walk in the restaurant, the decorative lights catch your eye, and lead you through the space. The combination of light reflected of the brushed brass and walnut wood, and architectural envelope create an inviting, cozy experience, as we set out to do. Following on from this, the collaboration with Cerno was such a great experience that we have since further developed two pendants and brought them to market - the Imber and the Ignis.”

Images: John Muggenborg cernogroup.com www.icrave.com

collection: Puro design: Lucie Koldova photo: Martin Chum info@brokis.cz www.brokis.cz

DANTE MINIMA MORALIA Design by Christophe de la Fontaine

TEXTURAE VAULT Design by Mae Engelgeer

BAXTER COLETTE Design by Roberto Lazzeroni

GERVASONI BRASS 34 Design by Paola Navone

WHERE DESIGN IS READY TO SHOP Archiproducts keeps you updated with all the latest trends and events in the world of architecture and design whilst offering the most immersive online shopping experience available today. With over 200,000 design pieces and 3,500 brands available online, we offer the perfect product for every project, every home, every moment, everywhere.

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Italy Design Report

Introduced by Luca Nichetto

CONTENTS 130

Catellani & Smith

136 Oxen

142 Karman

132

Linea Light

138 Fabbian

144

140

146 Terzani

134 Karboxx

Forma Lighting

Zafferano - AiLati

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ITALY DESIGN REPORT

Made in Italy Murano’s Luca Nichetto speaks candidly with Maria Elena Oberti about trends in contemporary lighting and why he thinks his native Italy is still the best place on earth to practice design.

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A proud Italian, Luca Nichetto isn’t afraid to say it like it is. With offices in Stockholm and Venice and over two decades of experience in the lighting sector under his belt, the industrial designer — who was born and raised in Murano, a tiny island made famous for its elaborate cristallo chandeliers - certainly knows a thing or two about what makes a product sparkle.

Nichetto, in his Stockholm studio the day of our Skype interview, where he is busy putting the finishing touches on new collections to be shown at this year’s Salone del Mobile. Espresso in hand, he reflects on life and industry, both at home and abroad, and what makes Italian design shine brighter than the rest.

“I grew up in Murano, on a small island north of Venice. It was an amazing experience to grow up there, completely surrounded by water. Everyday was a small adventure, something out of a Mark Twain novel. I appreciate my childhood in Murano more and more as I get older. And yet, for or a lot of young people, especially teenagers, the island can feel like a prison.

Many try to escape to nearby Venice, only to find that it isn’t much different. Venice is just a bigger island, one invaded by tourists.

“Everything in Murano is connected to the glass industry. As art students, my friends and I would go knocking on the doors of the different factories and try to sell them our drawings. It became something of a ritual for us. I was very young, maybe 15 or 16 years old at the time. I had no idea what a designer was back then, it wasn’t a profession that I knew existed. All I knew was that I could draw, so I tried to apply this skill for easy money. I didn’t think that it would one day turn into a job.

“I was still a student when I started working with Salviati, the famous Italian glass company. I got the job during one of my rounds of the factories. Simon Moore, the art director at the time, was very generous and bought all my drawings on the spot and eventually offered me a job. I was very lucky to have met Simon, he saw my talent early on and pushed me to become a better designer. That’s also when I realised you don’t need to study design to be a designer. Design is more about mindset than education.

“Growing up in a small place like Murano teaches you about the importance of community. Everyone is working with the same material, and you share the same

needs and frustrations because of that. I understood very early on that in order to make an object you need to collaborate and respect all the people involved in the process. This is especially important when you have people standing in front of a 1,000 degree furnace trying to realise your ideas.

Respect and understanding are essential.

You need to build friendly relationships with your collaborators. This of course applies to all industries, not just glass.

“The transition from glass to lighting was a natural one. It all happened somewhat by accident. I’ve always been very lucky in that way. I joined Foscarini in 1999 as an external RND consultant, and have been working on and off with them ever since.

The company, which was based in Murano at the time, was just starting to experiment with lighting. Designers Carlo Urbinati and Alessandro Vecchiato had recently acquired the company and were leading it in a completely new direction. It was a very exciting time, and definitely the right one for my career.

“The approach to lighting has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. The introduction of the LED caused a huge shift in the lighting industry, it gave us the opportunity to completely rethink the shape of light. There are no restrictions anymore. Before the LED, lighting looked very different. A lamp had to have a strong aesthetic purpose, it had to have a reason to exist. It wasn’t just about creating light, like it is now. Of course light was always a factor, but the product was there to evoke an emotion. Most lighting companies today focus less on the product and more on the light. It’s an approach that I find peculiar.

“What I love most about lighting is the element of surprise. There are two sides to a lamp: on the one hand you have the emotional factor, the feeling or atmosphere you want to create, and on the other you have the practical aspect, which is the light itself. The first time you switch on a lamp is always a surprise. It can be a very emotional experience, the first time you see your ideas come to life with light. This is especially true when you’re playing with new materials.

“A lamp has two states: light or dark.

I think that is the greatest difference between lighting design and other products.

A chair only has one state, one life. A lamp is a bit like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, it has multiple personalities. It’s an interesting typology that I love to work with. No, I

can’t say I have a favourite lamp, I am proud of all of them.

“A trend I see right now in Italy is that lighting companies are starting to disappear. It’s not a good trend, that’s for sure, but it’s what I see happening.

The difference between the A and B list companies is clearer than ever. The B pool is getting bigger and bigger. That said, I do see some interesting young brands popping up in the Italian lighting industry. They are small but they have potential, they will be the future.

“Another trend I’ve noticed is the revival of the chandelier, or what we in Italian call lampadari. It’s not just trending in Italy, I think it’s a worldwide phenomena. There’s a sort of taste in the air, everyone is doing the same floating sphere with a metal rod in brass. It’s all very Michael Anastassiadesesque. I’d say that is the clearest trend — in terms of taste and materials —that I am seeing right now in lighting.

“I don’t think that an Italian style exists anymore. Technology has made everything universal. I really don’t see the kind of distinctive ‘Italian’ stamp that we had in past. Italy was a leader in lighting industry for many years, with companies such as Artemide, Flos, Foscarini, Luceplan, FontanaArte, and many others. That isn’t necessarily the case now.

“There are companies in the industry that are only surviving because they are producing so many products each year.

If you were to go and see their stands at EuroLuce, you’d be completely lost, you wouldn’t understand what’s going on anymore. Then there are the companies that are producing the same products each year, it’s hard to understand where they want to go.

“And then there is Flos, a company that did everything right. They do an amazing job in my opinion, from design, to distribution, to the variation in their offer. Flos is in a class of its own, it’s like Apple but for the lighting sector. Flos is doing better not just in terms of aesthetics, but because it’s a company that has guts. When executed properly, showing some balls can be extremely profitable.

“I think Italy is a perfect place to be a designer. It’s still where a lot of international designers go to get their training. Jasper Morrison, the Bouroullecs, Konstantin Grcic, they all started their careers here. Italy is like the premier league for design, it’s where all the star

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players want to play. That said, there are also a lot of things that don’t work in Italy. We’re the best when it comes to manufacturing, but that’s about it. Service is a disaster, and don’t get me started on delivery times and payment. Even so, in Italy you can source absolutely anything, in the highest quality, and in just a matter of a few hours. You simply don’t get that anywhere else.

“I opened my second studio in Stockholm for personal reasons, to be with my wife. My work has always been tied to my personal life. Would I have gone abroad otherwise?

Probably not, but you never know these things. What I do know for sure is that I wouldn’t have gone to Milan, it’s not a city that ever interested me.”

“Milan is the centre of Design Week, but it is certainly not the centre of design… although I’m sure there are plenty of Milanesi who would disagree with me on that. I think

Milan had its time back in the 70s and in the beginning of the 80s, but it’s not a hub anymore. I think there are other cities in the world that are more interesting than Milan in terms of design. Milan today is synonymous with Salone del Mobile, that’s about it.”

“There really isn’t another event like Milan Design Week…thankfully. Imagine if we had three Design Weeks of the same scale in a year. We’d all have to go to rehab.

The Salone model has been copied many times over by other international fairs, but without the same level of success. I think that, in the future, fairs will have to focus more on the local markets, and less on the global aspect. Eventually, the big international trade fairs will disappear entirely. Salone isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, though. People save all year just to be there, both to see and be seen.”

“You could say that I have a very Italian way

1. Like a musical score where every note is played in a smooth and connected manner, Legato lighting system represents the stave where notes, in the shape of cones, are organised so to compose different melodies.

Every lamp is anchored on a rigid structure in aluminium made of several tiers, individual modules that allow for different combinations.

The double directionality of the light sources creates a play of reflections and shadows between the cones, emphasising the volumes.

2. Inspired by candlelight, Halo is an oil lamp in handblown Murano glass. Comprising two connecting components, the lamp echoes the form of a wine glass, subtly suggesting the act of drinking. A coloured opaque base sits under a larger transparent top, which is available in several patterns. As well as being ornamental, these patterns transform the nature of the light emitted by the lamp.

3. While its Latin name pays a tribute to the portable lamp during the Roman era, Lucerna is a lantern whose design reverberates with a contemporary flavour in style and finishes of the materials. The structure is composed of a waterproof core containing the technology and an exterior blown glass cover, that diffuses the LED light source and gives volume to the whole. A metal ring at the top serves as a carrying handle and a hook, making Lucerna be both a table and a suspension lamp.

4. Legato’s familiarity in the design and production of glassworks is married with Svenskt Tenn’s influential design history to form the Fusa lamp collection. As a personal interpretation of Josef Frank’s Terrazzo textile print, whose pattern recalls the mosaics in the old Venetian buildings, the collection translates the design from fabrics to lighting.

Handcrafted in Murano, Fusa takes its name from the Italian word for fused, evoking the special technique used to produce the distinct colours and textures of the glass, all enlivened by the internal LED light that generates a play of refractions, opacity and transparencies.

of working, meaning that sometimes you need to get a little angry to make things happen. The Italian approach doesn’t always work with other cultures, though. Some cultures might find it unnecessary or even aggressive. But that’s just me, it’s what I carry with me, it’s in my blood.”

“I think it is important to feel Italian, to remember one’s heritage. What do I aspire to as an Italian designer? I hope to fill people with curiosity, to inspire them to look beyond boundaries. Italian design was very egocentric in the past. Maybe that’s why I don’t like Milan, the design community there still has this mentality.

They think that the world revolves around them; they don’t understand that the world is moving in another direction. I’d love to open people’s eyes, to show the young generation that there is more going on, that there is a whole world to discover.” www.nichettostudio.com

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Enzo Catellani CATELLANI & SMITH

Established in 1989 by Enzo Catellani and Logan Smith, Catellani & Smith’s history is steeped in craftsmanship, which has, over the last 30 years, served to establish the brand as a leading company in the lighting sector. Catellani’s personal creativity is displayed through the brand’s various collections and custom projects - each light produced with special care, marking the uniqueness of a handmade piece.

With three decades in lighting under his belt, Catellani sat down with darc to discuss the recent metamorphosis of the lighting market and his studio’s position within it.

“It started with the arrival of LED,” he says. “The technical update demands significant attention - specifically, its ability to create new approaches through a personal interpretation. When the use of LED was still pioneering and ‘isolated’ to a purely technical field, I’m pretty sure I was among the first to understand its importance and potential applications in the decorative area; a new era for lighting and possibilities for experimentation.

“In my opinion, thanks to LED, the freedom of creative expression has become almost infinite. While in the past we had to consider the volume of the lamp, the lamp holder, and the lamp heat, LED freed us from this obligation.”

While LED is shaping technical trends in lighting, for Catellani, talking more generally, one of the main trends he sees, is a demand for exclusive, high-quality product. “I think that more and more people tend to buy a light fixture with decorative qualities that personalise a modern or classic environment,” he says. “And in terms of Italy specifically, lighting companies and designers have long interpreted a style that still resides today. Just think of Castiglioni, Joe Colombo and others of the historical period from the 1950s and 60s...it is still there today.”

As we move further into 2019, Catellani & Smith will remain faithful to its tried and tested traditional design techniques. With all products designed and made in-house in Italy, most pieces require various stages of craftsmanship. “It is the hand of the craftsman who builds the light fixture - the manual intervention - that creates imperfection to make an object unique,” he says. “I believe this narrative is strong throughout our product line. Often the lights are made ‘tailored’ to the needs of the customer. An important factor in our production is flexibility - this makes it possible to create custom-made fixtures for anything from a small room in a residential project to large-scale hotel lighting design projects.

“Our lights differ because they have a style not influenced by market trends or fashions, but are objects born from telling my idea of light - transforming into objects of living sensations and transporting in essential forms, a concept of natural and emotional light. I like to think that they are objects that have a soul. This is the concept that underlines all of my work.”

Another fundamental factor in Catellani & Smith’s design process is research. Having invested heavily in research and development, both in terms of new products and previous collections, Catellani continues: “Most recently, we have completed technological updates of lights developed in the last couple of decades - all in the name of greater sustainability, and all while maintaing the original design elements that have set us apart from other lighting brands for the past 30 years.

“The new collection, which will be presented at this year’s Euroluce in Milan is based on this creativity and research, all with the aim of getting out of the traditional illuminated object - thus, the deconstruction of the light...” www.catellanismith.com

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Demì LINEA LIGHT GROUP Demì from Linea Light Group is a dome in PMMA that ‘takes shape’ when the lamp is turned on. If the device is off, it seems completely transparent. The source occupies a minimal space as the LED circuit is inside a central painted aluminum ring placed on top of the dome. The emitted beam is deviated from the laser micro-incisions present on the diffuser surface - this allows a diffuse emission to UGR controlled, suitable both for ambient lighting of hospitality areas, and for locations where there is intensive use of smartphones, tablets and monitors, for example creative offices.

Demì is designed by Italian product designer Mirco Crosatto, who lived and stuided in Treviso, obtaining a diploma from the Technical Institute in Treviso.

After gaining his qualifications, in 1997 Crosatto started working with Linea Light Group. Over the years he has developed many successful products,including O-Line, Mr.Magoo, Lama, which was awarded the Red Dot prize, and Diphy, awarded the Honourable Mention at the last ADI Compasso d’Oro. His tireless research always leads him to embark on new paths of experimentation.

Speaking with darc about the new Demi fixture, which will be on

show at this year’s Euroluce, Crosatto said: “The idea was to create a suspension lamp that had a volume and a strong scenic impact.

Starting from the optilight technology already used in the Diphy, we have gone further. I began to think about what could be the form that responded to these characteristics, and took inspiration from one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, the Pantheon in Rome - I came to the conclusion that it was the perfect shape.

The hole that, in the Pantheon, has the function of letting in light, with our lamp has the function of cooling the ring that contains the LED light source. The light is instead emitted from the entire dome, which gives volume by turning on the thousands of ‘points’ (microincisions) on the surface in PMMA. When it is turned off it becomes transparent and therefore integrates perfectly into the surrounding environment.

Unlike the Diphy, which is thermocurved, to realise this shape we created a heat-sealed dome, a process similar to that of a bubble that is formed, and hence the name that best represents it: demìbulle or more simply Demì.” www.linealight.com

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Lightsound designed by Moreno De Giorgio KARBOXX With cutting-edge design, technological evolution and outstanding materials, Karboxx lighting creations stand out for their modern and functional style and are designed to complement everyday surroundings.

The Lightsound system - designed by Moreno De Giorgio - has been created to meet the acoustic and visual comfort needs of the professional world, while creating a wellness space for employees.

Over the years, the fusion between architecture and wellness has had an ever-increasing presence. For this, work environments must be able to transmit professionalism and harmony. The ‘human factor’ and technology are the basic components for creating contemporary workspaces. Office wellness has become one of the most important elements of design, with the world of work now merging with hospitality, perception and comfort.

The office space is fluid and changes depending on those who work in it, yet at the same time it remains a constant – a space where people exchange ideas and dialogues. As such, LightSound from Karboxx intervenes the space, satisfying the need to be seen and heard. It provides two distinct antithetical modules, an LED lamp that gives light and a sound-absorbing panel - the two balanced in energy.

LightSound presents itself in a clear and defined way and is intuitively tied to De Giorgio’s personal characteristics. “I feel much closer to a smart office, to a lighter office,” he says. “An office is a constantly changing landscape where there are hard and tiring days, where many things are happening and there are shared spaces.

We connect, exchange ideas, and we work. The goal is to have a visually and acoustically comfortable space that is also aesthetically

pleasing. An office is a system formed by two modules that create high levels of wellness.

“I was asked for something more organic, more osmotic, in LightSound. It’s not just a lamp, or even an acoustic module - it is an integration of the two. We worked on the acoustic module first – designed with technology that was derived from automobiles to ensure high performance. An equilateral triangle shape has been used as it is the simplest form – it is an agile, flexible, fast, lightweight and self-supporting system.

“My aim with LightSound, was to improve quality of life, to improve the working environment… it makes use of a lot of technology, hidden by a soft shape, voids, colours and fabrics.

LightSound is a cable module, an aluminium extrusion with LEDs. It has dual light functionality and the high efficiency micro-prismatic glass directs the light in a precise and timely manner onto the work surface – eliminating glare and stray light.”

The three LightSound modules, with their self-supporting and simple locking system, allow for infinite combinations and forms.

It is able to intervene in areas with visual-acoustic needs without requiring structural changes. By making use of the same B01 fabric folder as other Quadrifoglio Group products, LightSound allows for a perfect match and integration. The minimal design means the system can be inserted in different spaces – whether, suspended or wall-mounted.

The LightSound system’s characteristics perform optimally both for lighting and acoustics. www.karboxx.com

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Luna

Bolla

Sipario

Strato

Oxen 2019 Collection NEXO LUCE Part of Italian lighting company Nexo Luce, Oxen is a high-end decorative lighting brand that balances contemporary aesthetics and innovative solutions. Inspired by the Bauhaus school of designs, Oxen integrates art and design through the simplicity of lines and shapes, using slender frames with glass and metal combinations.

The 2019 collection that will be officially launched during Salone Del Mobile in Milan this year, draws inspiration from clean geometrical forms and focuses not only on the aesthetics of the products, but also on the artistic lighting effect they produce onto the surrounding surfaces. Colour schemes of copper, satin champagne, polished nickel are nothing new to the brand, however the ambition was to express the colour palette in beautiful textures with a touch of elegance, minimalism and eclecticism - enabling the collection to easily integrate with various hospitality and residential interiors. Oxen’s Centro Stile opted for polished and satin finishes with bicolour combinations such as black/champagne, white/gold, rose/copper and more. The name chosen for each piece is derived from its shape such as Sipario, Ruota, Pergola and so on, expressed in the language where the brand’s headquarter and factory are located - Italy.

The Luna product series has evolved from the idea of perfected simplicity where the light itself is the main focus of attention – as if a flame protected by an elemental glass shelter. Its half-moon inspired shape (hence, the name of the product) is realised through blown transparent glass and steel finish in polished gold. The light source positioned inside the semi-sphere is protected by a frosted glass cylinder to smoothen the lighting effect. This beautiful piece

is available as a pendant light, table and floor lamps.

The Bolla series has been produced as a singular desk light available in various finishes, seamlessly combining the solid tubular body with the transparent glass shade. With its gentle luminosity and directional downlight, Bolla was created to transform the everyday desk lamp into an elegant light that expresses a bold statement by itself in any interior.

Another interesting fixture is the Strato sculptural table lamp that explores the combination of a steel body, perforated metal sheet diffuser and a marble base. The lamp inside emits a soft deflected light through a mesh casing, creating a fancy effect onto the surface. An unexpected use of marble in this almost industrial looking product gives it a distinctive detail.

The Sipario series was created as a table or wall light expressing the geometrical properties of a square shaped crystal glass plate held by a steel base. The light source positioned within the base glows all along the perimeter of this compelling decorative product, while the frame finished in copper or gold brings a distinguishing touch of refinement.

The Oxen range includes various products featuring ceiling, floor, pendant, wall and table lights. Its overall design language feels familiar and comfortable yet distinctive, which suits luxurious lounges, hotels or private residences. The fabrication process is realised by Italian master craftsmen where attention to detail and manual implementation make every single lamp a unique lighting product. www.oxenluce.com

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Nexo Luce | Italy

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Armilla & Olympic designed by Lorenzo Truant FABBIAN Fabbian was established in 1961, manufacturing lighting appliances for residential and commercial purposes. This culture, along with tradition and quality, has always inspired its products, allowing the company to achieve international recognition and stature.

The UK is a market of particular interest to Fabbian, where they regularly work with architects and design studios on projects, most recently Foster + Partners and Marco Piva. In May 2018, Fabbian was acquired by entrepreneur Luca Pellegrino, who brought along a new corporate vision packed full of new projects. Thanks to collaborations with many international designers, the company reinterprets modern design through a number of different styles and cutting-edge production technology. Two of its most recent decorative lighting designs - Armilla and Olympic - come from a collaboration with product designer Lorenzo Truant.

Armilla is inspired by the very first Renaissance depictions of the motions of stars and planets. At that time, it was customary for people to construct marvellous models called armillary spheres comprising a framework of rings. To begin with, they were centred on Earth, but as time went by and the theories of Copernicus entered the picture, it was replaced with the Sun, an infinite source of light and the new centre of the universe. The rings of Armilla recall this custom, supporting the sphere and complementing the abundance of opal glass that diffuses light from the source at the centre of the composition - just like the armillary spheres dreamt up by the Copernican cosmographers, with their heliocentric view of the world.

Olympic is a self-contained light ring with an aerial shape, inspired by the Olympic rings. A single ring can illuminate the environment

by projecting its light as if moved by centrifugal force. When one or more light rings are connected to one another, the luminous sources interconnect creating a hierarchy of lights that clarifies the space.

This light structure comprising circular blocks creates Olympic constructions in large contemporary spaces.

Commenting on the projects, Truant tells darc: “In every concept there should always been an idea that supports it. The more an idea or a reference is recalled coherently in the project, the more it takes on increasing value and remains ingrained in the user’s mind.

The object designed must always perform well for the function for which it was designed, however, the pure functionality is weak if you don’t start the project in an original, fun and exciting way. I feel Fabbian liked this attitude of presenting the projects.

“Olympic took me a lot of time to develop because I had designed a wide range of typologies and had forseen an enchainment system that would make the collection innovative. It was the remarkable possibilities of the collection and the apparent simplicity of Olympic that convinced Fabbian to adopt it.

“As for Armilla, this was developed very quickly. As well as the illustrative drawings, I produced a test sample that demonstrated the feasibility of a new way of blowing the glass with the rings already inside the mould.

“Both Armilla and Olympic are suitable for residential and public spaces... Armilla I feel, also works well in shops, boutiques, bars and restaurants, while Olympic also suites wider open public spaces.” www.fabbian.com

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LineaVolo by Giuseppe Maurizio Scutellà FORMALIGHTING formalighting brings over 50 years and two generations dedicated to the design, manufacture and application of functional, innovative, solution-orientated, high-quality architectural lighting. Through one of its latest products LineaVolo, the brand takes its first steps into the world of decorative lighting, blurring the lines between the two sectors and offering the best of both worlds, in a minimalist and elegant fixture that imprints a very specific and memorable design.

First established in London, UK, in the late 60s and directed by Lorenzo Maghnagi, formalighting’s passion for Italian design and lighting are embedded in its DNA. This Italian family-run business still conveys the importance of integrity, personal service and an inviting business culture - winning formalighting its unique relationship with designers, architects, distributors, project managers and suppliers.

LineaVolo, presented in various versions, from floor to pendant to table lamp and covering all requirements and applications in refined and prestigious environments, is offered in a select series of precious finishes (gold, silver, graphite and white) and stands out from other illuminotecnic design projects.

A two year long project, produced in collaboration with Giuseppe Maurizio Scutellà, the designer explained the inspiration behind the product to darc: “formalighting asked me to develop a line dedicated to the world of jewellery - so a product with technical content but at the same time not just functional. With this in mind I proposed the idea of something precious and glamorous, the body of the lamp shaped like a gold ingot was the natural result. The project turned out to be so versatile and as such we decided to

extend the range, adding precious finishes and materials such as marble for the base.”

Scutellà was born in Alcamo, Sicily and grew up in Lumezzane, an active industrial centre of Lombardia, where he completed his scholastic formation, gratuating as an industrial expert mastering in mechanics and widening his technical knowledge.

His creative way of thinking is as such: “A technological lighting appliance has a soul, suggests a story, is often a poem without written verses, with a syntax of shades and lights. Light is an enrapturing luminous sound, is beautifully alive, dynamic, as well as intimate and gentle; respecting its nature, embracing its language, trying to provide multiple keys for interpretation wherever I can in the projects I address, is my own way to approach its magic nature.”

LineaVolo makes use of extruded and die-cast aluminium, known for its transference of light and heat dissipation properties, alongside an LED lighting strip with dedicated optics and useful features including touch switch and USB charging.

“What makes this product different is that it combines the versatility of a professional, technical product with the elegance and personality of a decorative and non-homologated solution.

A versatile solution for modern lighting requirements. Without rhetoric, I hope to have illustrated the characteristics of this, my first formalighting system!” www.formalighting.com

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Bibendum designed by Paola Navone KARMAN Established in 2005, Karman is a young and innovative lighting brand hailing from the idyllic town of Fossombrone in the heart of Marche region of Italy. Known for its international outlook and desire to experience new, unconventional materials and ideas, Karman introduces the Bibendum pendant fixture - new for this year’s Euroluce.

Italian designer and architect Paola Navone, is the pioneer behind the Bibendum pendant. Graduating in 1973 with a degree in architecture from Turin Politecnico, Navone began her career in design working alongside Allesandro Mendini, Ettore Sottsass Jr and Andrea Branzi, in the progressive Studio Alchimia. Developing a truly orginal aesthetic and approach to design, she was the first recipient of the Osaka International Design Award in 1983 and ever since, her straightforward approach to design and visionary style has continued to impress the industry. Having partnered with numerous furniture design brands during her career, for this latest project with Karman, Navone exaggerates one of the fundamental materials within lighting’s history, glass.

Bibendum is best described as unexpected, delicate and imperfect.

Made in white and transparent glass, its shape is soft and rounded and immediately inspires a feeling of fondness; like a playful cartoon character. Navone describes the pendant as having “a classic soul and a pop spirit.” It is a poetic and humourus object,

suitable for many different spaces. When lit, it appears delicate and shows off the perfectly imperfect varying thickness of the glass.

As one of the materials she most loves to work with, for Navone, the transparency and lightness of glass mixed with the magic of seeing the ‘hands’ of the master glassmaker blowing and shaping a glass object, is fascinating to her.

“We liked the idea of making a contemporary object using a traditional technique,” she tells darc. “A simple yet extraordinary object at the same time, able to make everyday life a little bit special with the imperfect charm of a handmade object.

Having developed the product over a twelve month period, a great amount of time was spent experimenting with the creative potential of the traditional cage glass-blowing methods as Navone explains: “The most difficult yet beautiful part of the process was the shaping of the liquid glass inside the metal cage,” she says. “You never know where the liquid might go as it expands in an irregular way, this is however, what makes each Bibendum unique.

“The magic that happens when a contemporary, unexpected object comes to life thanks to traditional craftsmanship is what makes this product different. This, and the special beauty of imperfection that belongs only to objects that are handmade.” www.karmanitalia.it

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Sister Light ZAFFERANO - AILATI For Federico de Majo, founder of Zafferano, artistic glassmaking and lighting is a family affair. Having first experienced the craft using his father’s glass furnace on the island of Murano, de Majo took on the role of in-house designer at his family’s lighting factory before setting up on his own in the 1980’s under the brand Meltemi.

With a passion for both glass and wine, in 2001 de Majo made the move towards creating a line of wine-tasting glasses, offering his products to high-end restaurants and prestigious hotels through his new brand Zafferano. As the designer’s confidence grew so did his product line – revolutionising traditional tableware designs; this in turn led to Zafferano-Bespoke Glass Lighting and AiLati being established four years later.

Zafferano-Bespoke Glass Lighting focuses on customised glass lighting projects and installations designed to be perfectly included in hotels and large spaces. The brand’s lighting range gives designers the opportunity to create unique interiors that stir emotions with their eye-catching decorative effects of light and colour.

“Light is an essential element of my Venetian origins,” de Majo tells darc. “With its long-standing tradition of glassmaking, the island of Murano is still my benchmark for inspiration, as well as nature. I have always worked within lighting and for me, a successful product includes simplicity and functionality – these elements ensure the long life of a product.”

Launched in time for this year’s Euroluce, Sister Light is de Majo’s most recent portable and rechargeable lamp. Following the great success of AiLati’s Poldina lamp, this latest incarnation takes the

portable lamp one step further.

“The technical features of AiLati’s Sister Light are far superior to other lamps available on the market,” says de Majo. “It has a four-step dimmer to provide the optimum and most appropriate light in a room; a long battery life of 58 hours when adjusted to the low power setting; and the light warmth can be varied as required, ranging from 2700 – 4000K. “We aimed to create a product that stands out from the many solutions currently available on the market,” he says. “We put a lot of research into a product with functional characteristics that are in high demand and particularly ideal for restaurants. As such, the fixture also includes special functions largely designed for restaurants, such as a blue light for calling table service.”

Other technological features include a prismatic diffuser to increase the power of the LEDs and the light itself is made from hot-forged recyclable aluminium for a semi-gloss surface, this is then treated with galvanised coatings rather than paint. As well as this, a magnet has been included, providing the dual function of securing the top part of the lamp to its stem by means of a pin, while creating an ergonomic shape for an easy grip.

“In lighting, we have made the transition from incandescent to fluorescent and then from halogen to LED lighting,” de Majo concludes. “Design is able to extend to areas that would seem impossible previously. The power of LED lighting allows designers to create amazing projects, always. In working with light, we live to be illuminated.” www.ailatilights.it

Sister Light The lamp always by your side

Design Federico de Majo Sister Light is a dimmable and rechargeable table lamp with an IP54 protection rating which makes it suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. A magnetic system secures the top part of the lamp to its stem; when separated it can also become a lamp for emergencies.

4-step dimmer | dynamic white | IP54 | battery life max 58 h

www.zafferanoitalia.com - www.ailatilights.it

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Abacus designed by Draw TERZANI Terzani continues to redefine the way luxury lighting is designed and produced. Through experimentation with new production methods and forward-thinking ideas, it has become known for designs that use sculpture, light, shadow and motion to reshape spaces.

In time for this year’s Milan Design Week, Terzani introduces its new range - Abacus. Designed by Luca Martorano and Mattia Albicini of Draw and inspired by the centuries old tool to teach mathematics, this new flexible collection of modular pendant lamps allows for complex and beautiful configurations.

Each module, or strand, of Abacus contains a custom set of round, handblown opal glass, which emit a soft and uniform light. The concept behind Abacus started in 2016 and it has since been a long three-year process of prototypes and researching light quality, before perfecting the manufacturing process. For Martorano and Albicini, one of the most important goals was to offer a versatile concept. They approached this in two ways, as they explained to darc: “We needed to create a clean and essential form, which works in many different environments, from residential to contract environments such as restaurants, offices and public spaces. As well as this, the architect or client can choose anything from five short pendants to longer pendants in clusters of ten to fifteen spheres.

This project is not a single product, but a system in which the client is actively involved in the creation of the composition and in which, Terzani offers a range of infinite bespoke solutions.”

Explaining the design process, they continued: “It is always surprising how simple results require so much more work. The key words we had in our mind at all times were ‘reduction and balance’. Just the right amount of glass is necessary to make the

spheres resistent and homogenous without increasing the weight and to guarantee a well-diffused and soft light effect from each sphere, we worked on using just the right amount of LED sources, in the right position, with the proper power and temperature resulting in a complete custom-designed LED system.

“We started with a clear concept - a linear sequence of luminous spheres arranged along a vertical axis and sustained by a single, thin suspension cable. First of all, sketches of a single element were prepared and then a rough polystyrene model was created in order to achieve the right proportions before using 3D models to simulate small and large groups of pendants.

“The apparent simplicity of the Abacus actually hides a complex product development that sought productive excellence - the finely worked blown glass, the turned details in natural brass, and a sophisticated system of LED sources developed in order to produce a homogenous and calibrated light diffusion...”

For the design duo, Abacus is best described as ‘iconic’, ‘versatile’ and ‘evokes memories’, telling darc: “The simple and pure form of a row of spheres, placed together along a vertical axis, recalls an intuitive and memorable ‘iconic’ silhouette. The idea of Abacus is to address a wide range of client concepts, meaning it can work in many different environments - consumer market, contract, business and public spaces. As well as this, thanks to its pure geometric forms and the use of warm, traditional materials such as handturned brass and opal glass, a nod to the the 1950s is achieved.” www.terzani.com

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ON SHOW

Euroluce Preview April 9-14, 2019, Milan, Italy Side by Side Astro Lighting Hall 13 | Stand G22/26 A simple yet effective lighting design for bedside illumination, Side by Side offers one product with three uses; the functionality of two individually switched light sources, a shade to create a warming, ambient glow and a Micro LED for a low-glare pinpoint reading light.

Taking a no compromise approach with exceptional attention to detail, Astro invested in die-cast aluminium rather than press steel parts to ensure the crispest of linear edge to marry perfectly with radiused corners.

A single loop in/out push wire terminal block ensures a quick and secure installation, while two size options of the shade with top diffuser achieves perfect visual comfort. www.astrolighting.com

Huilu Blond Hall 13 | Stand F02 In creating layers of light by using reflectors, a glare free light is obtained.

Through Huilu, various materials and combination are possible and a more luxurious version can also be created using materials such as brass, glass and painted reflectors. The standard version is painted in a monotone colour, but of course the possibility of customised colours is also offered.

For the more demanding environment, where every decibel counts, a version with sound absorbing felt reflectors is also offered by Blond.

Huilu is manufactured in two standard lengths, but can be manufactured in customised colours, materials and sizes upon request. www.blond.se

149

56 Petits Bijoux Catellani & Smith Hall 9 | Stand C11-19 56 Petits Bijoux is the representation of ‘static movement’, the effect of an action that seems to imitate the gesture of throwing a stone into a pool of water, creating concentric waves that propagate into space. As part of Catellani & Smith's 30th anniversary celebrations, this new pendant is remarkably simple in its design but extraordinary in its workmanship. Made up of a series of circles, some small, some large, held together by thin cables, which follow each other in succession to create a delicate, almost destructured sphere of 120cm. Loose silicon ‘pochettes’ shield 56 LEDs for a total of 6720lmns, which ensures very high luminous efficacy – flooding the natural brass circles with light, like celestial bodies following their orbit. www.catellanismith.com

Reef Designheure Hall 13 | Stand G12 Marvelled by the diversity of coral reef shapes and the aquatic world, designer Jette Scheib wanted to suggest these half-animal, semiplant forms that intrigue and fascinate divers around the world.

Although alive, these organisms compete with sometimes architectural forms, with a symmetry that only nature can create.

The collection is declined with pendant lamps and chandeliers. www.designheure.com

150

ON SHOW

Propella Duncan Meerding Hall 13 | Stand L04 Designed as a user-friendly flat pack system in order to reduce the cost of shipping and its effect on the environment - meshing organic and industrial shapes, the Propella lights cast dramatic shadows through an eight-bladed form. Each light has been hand crafted through the Duncan Meerding studios in Tasmania, Australia from Tasmanian Eucalyptus, Blackwood and aluminium.

The design studio will be showcasing the open Propeller (diameter 500mm) and Droop Propeller (diameter of 370mm) at this year's Euroluce and will also be launching some new models and finishes of the Propeller pendant lights, including a new model titled Propeller Blossom (approximate 850mm diameter). www.duncanmeerding.com.au

Brisbin Elstead Lighting Hall 11 | Stand H61/M38 Elstead Lighting will introduce a number of new designer collections at Euroluce, including ED Ellen DeGeneres, crafted by Generation Lighting. The products in this collection are influenced by some of TV presenter Ellen's favourite, world-renowned artists and feature signature details inspired by the television presenter's own treasured pieces throughout her homes. The Brisbin pendant shown here is a three-tiered masterpiece inspired by classic mid-century design, featuring the dramatic interplay of layered concentric rounds. Stacked symmetrical shades are painted white on the interior, gently diffusing light as it grazes each layer. www.elsteadlighting.com

151

Asana Estiluz Hall 11 | Stand E29 Asana, inspired by the world of yoga, is a floor lamp for indoor spaces. It is composed of multifunctional arms, from which one can be folded or unfolded compensating and destroying its strengths in order to achieve, in balance, the best position of the light. An extremely versatile lamp designed to be integrated in the atmosphere of lobbies, hotel rooms, restaurants or lounges lighting the room but also serving as a small table or lectern. Designed by OiKo - a studio focused on the experience of the user and on the science of the matter, as well as efficient and competitive solutions that make people happier and that mean a more sustainable option for the planet. www.estiluz.com

Armillla Fabbian Hall 13 | Stand G15 Armilla, designed by Lorenzo Truant, is inspired by the first Renaissance depictions of the motions of stars and planets. At that time, it was customary for people to construct marvellous models called armillary spheres comprising a framework of rings. The rings of Armilla recall this custom, supporting the sphere and complementing the abundance of opal glass that diffuses light from the source at the centre of the composition. Three rings of precious metal are fixed together and contain the diffuser, which is attached to the support cable. Available with a diameter of 36cm, and in the form of pendant and table lamps, the fixture runs on mains power and is suitable for use with LED lamps. www.fabbian.com

152

ON SHOW

Inviting Faro Barcelona Hall 13 | Stand G23 Designed by Bohman and Folenius for Faro Barcelona, Inviting is an individuallycontrolled light that can be used in a professional environment but foremost in a domestic office setting. Different tasks require different kinds of illumination and also require different work zones, whether the kitchen table, sofa or the bed. You shouldn't have to sacrifice light quality.

As such, Faro started looking at how to accommodate different user needs and especially how to get people to actually interact with, and change the light to suit their own needs. The highlight of Inviting is its simple and functional circular knob. It's carefully designed to let you control your lighting in a slightly more playful manner. faro.es

Moto-Flap formalighting Hall 13 | Stand F12 formalighting is proud to present MotoFlap, the first decorative lamp from its award-winning Motolux range. Designed by architect Franco Mirenzi, Moto-Flap illuminates surrounding surfaces and emits a beam of luminous indirect light. Controlled by the formalighting app powered by Casambi, users can remotely open and angle Moto-Flap up to 90ยบ and rotate it 360ยบ. Resembling a pearl oyster shell or clam, Moto-Flap is ideal for hospitality applications, with adaptability to various light scenes in areas such as hotel corridors, guest rooms and foyers. www.formalighting.com

153

Luna Gabriel Scott Hall 13 | Stand F06 At this year's Euroluce Gabriel Scott debuts a new lighting series that takes a nod to Murano’s glass blowing tradition.

The series explores a marriage of two lights: on the one hand, there are the tube pieces on their own, almost emulating commercial tube lighting. On the other hand, there are the blown glass lights, which resemble precious beads, staying true to the jewellery-inspired aesthetic of Gabriel Scott.

The two lights counterbalance each other and push forward a more feminine and softer look, which is a refreshing move forward for the designers. www.gabriel-scott.com

T. Moon In-es.artdesign Hall 13 | Stand L10 In-es.artdesign’s T. Moon indoor table lamp is now available in a cordless LED version, with rechargeable battery and USB charging cable. The lighting is inspired by the moon, reproducing its luminescent and irregular surface in all its shades and texture, through the Nebulite material (mix of resin and fibers). This lamp may be moved around easily from place to place to create the finest ambiances. It is ideal for tables in bars and restaurants and also for a private home, for a romantic evening or to illuminate a night-time party. www.in-es.com

154

ON SHOW

Bud Innermost Hall 11 | Stand D27 Bud is a go-anywhere do-anything LED lamp from Innermost. Whether illuminating a night picnic, a romantic rooftop dinner or an indoor play den, Bud frees you from the constraints of cables, with a three-step dimming function to adjust to any situation.

Imitating nature, the globe lamp is shelled by two petal-like forms, which appear to simultaneously hold and protect the light.

Push down on Bud’s lamp to activate the light and press again to increase the light intensity from 25% to 50% to 100%. Designed

by Melissa Yip, Bud is launching at Euroluce 2019 and is available in six pleasingly solid colours. www.innermost.net

Tube Micro Karboxx Hall 11 | Stand D31 Karboxx's Tube Micro collection is a sophisticated line of suspension lamps that can be used both individually or in a composition of three or five elements with different heights. The aluminum lamp is available in black and rose gold finishes.

The source of light gets straight to the point, highlighting the space in an accurate way. www.karboxx.com

155

Bibendum Karman Hall 13 | Stand F01-03 Designed by Paola Navone, Bibendum looks as though it is made from rubber, but instead, is made using the ancient technique of caged blown glass.

As the blown glass expands it takes on a different shape every time, as such, every lamp is unique, revealing all the thicknesses of the glass.

With a classic soul and a pop, the light fixture reminds you of an imaginary character, but its simplicity makes it a truly contemporary object. Bibendum is a little bit of magic. The magic that happens when an unexpected and funny object comes to life from traditional craftmanship, able to make everyday life a little special. www.karmanitalia.it

Dress Code Linea Light Group Hall 13 | Stand F08/E08 The new table lamp Dress Code from Linea Light Group is composed of interchangeable parts in each component, from the articulated head with LED source to the tapered arm, which can also be articulated, to the solid circular base.

A central aluminum skeleton serves as a base for the 'dress', made up of detachable pieces that can be replaced with other finishes: it is possible to create monochromatic models and renew the image of your Dress Code at will, or create imaginative two-tone finishes. The structure is solid and robust, reliable joints, unmistakably elegant aesthetics. www.linealight.com

156

ON SHOW

Luna Oxen Hall 15 | Stand D35/E40 The Luna pendant by Oxen (a brand of Nexo Luce), is available in suspension, floor and table versions. The series centres on clean geometric forms with balanced visual composition in order to achieve a contemporary elegant look. The design concept behind the product evolved from the idea of perfected simplicity where the light itself is the main focus of attention – as if a flame protected by an elemental glass shield. Its half-moon inspired shape is realised through blown transparent glass and steel finished in polished gold. The light source positioned inside the semi-sphere is sheltered by a frosted glass cylinder to smooth the lighting effect. The Luna series is suitable for both contemporary and eclectic interiors. www.oxenluce.com

Octo Range Secto Design Hall 13 | Stand C16 Secto Design is a Finnish company specialised in design lights, handcrafted from top-quality local PEFC certified birch wood. The demanding work is carried out by highly talented local craftsmen in the town of Heinola, Finland and the entire lighting collection is designed by award-winning Finnish Architect Seppo Koho. Finnish quality and environmental friendliness are among the key values of the company.

The entire range will be on show during this year's Euroluce, including the Octo range pictured here. This grand and airy pendant is a classic. A magnificent suspension that is comfortable also in small spaces due to its lightness. www.sectodesign.fi

INDEX HOME 236x333-PRINT.pdf

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7/3/19

2:05 PM

9 SEPTEMBER 2019 DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE

THE MIDDLE EAST’S ONE-OF-A-KIND, BRAND NEW CONSUMER RETAIL EVENT DEDICATED TO THE HOME

of exclusive new home interiors collections and ranges

An exciting new retail shopping experience in the heart of Dubai

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT

www.indexexhibition.com/index-home

158

FEATURE

Pencil Zafferano - AiLati Hall 9 | Stand F22-24 Pencil is the new, multifunctional, rechargeable floor lamp, with a step dimmer function designed by Federico de Majo. Made of anodized extruded aluminium, die-cast aluminium accessories, a polycarbonate diffuser and a LED light source, colour options include, natural aluminium. With IP54 protection, the on/ off switch, step dimmer function and step dynamic white light function (2700-4000K) are operated by dimmer touch control at the top of the lamp.

With an integrated dual charging system: USB-C and rapid charging system via contact base, the lamp fixture can be easily used with or without the base and can continue to function separately until the accumulated power runs out. www.zafferanoitalia.com/ailatilights

Array ANDlight Hall 15 | Stand C40-42 From bright to dim, the Array series diffuses light as an ambient aura. Technical yet minimal, it curiously shines light upon its circular panels, resulting in a graceful diffusion of texture and subtle gradation of light. The indirect illumination brings attention to the material of the fixture itself, becoming an object of contemplation. Systematically placed in equilibrium along an ovoid extrusion, bespoke LED boards and spun aluminum reflectors come together as one to light up a space. The fixture comes as a single or multiple linear fixture adjusting to its surroundings. Available in multiple finishes, the components interact and behave with expression - while remaining a pure and function focused fixture andlight.ca

160

ON SHOW

Milan Design Week We bring you lighting highlights to look out for during Milan’s week of style and design...

1. Modular Lighting Instruments Via Ferrante Aporti 19 20125

2. Wonderglass Via Vivaio 7 20122

3. Estiluz - Inspired in Barcelona Via Dante 14 20121

Modular Lighting Instruments and Lensvelt merge together in a performance: ALL NEW! In collaboration with the scenography of Janpaul Scholtmeijer (JPS Architects), the rough, industrial space under the arches of Ventura Centrale is being transformed into a brand new athmospheric theatre where the directors Modular and Lensvelt give a spectacular show. www.supermodular.com

For Salone 2019, WonderGlass returns to the Istituto dei Ciechi in the Porta Venezia district to present its latest collaboration with iconic Japanese studio nendo.

Featuring Melt, a collection of gravity formed furniture and table top objects handcrafted in Venice and debuting all new works including a prodigious chandelier, the installation further exemplifies WonderGlass’ expertise and dedication to extraordinary design possibilities within the glass realm. wonderglass.com

Estiluz will take part in the year’s Inspired in Barcelona - Mediterranean Design exhibition. The exhibition, which will be seaparated into two areas, (one designed

by Emiliana Studio and the other designed

by Cluster Habitat) is based on the Mediterranean soul of Barcelona, where its characteristics have become a real incentive to creativity. The values of the city are outlined through natural materials, warm colours, ceramic displays and design products selected from the most popular furniture and lighting companies. www.estiluz.com

161

4. L&L Luce&Light Corso Garibaldi 46 20121

5. Archiproducts Via Tortona 31 20144

6. Lambert & Fils Alcova, Via Popoli 11-13 20125

L&L Luce&Light presents new innovative wall-mounted fixture Intono at Milan Design Week. The new product range will be displayed in a striking setting designed

by Vi+M Studio. Intono will be presented in all its possible sizes and combinations, the walls and lighting fixtures will be featured in the same finish, demonstrating Intono’s ability to tone in. The architect’s envisaged a space that would be fascinating and seductive, thanks to the innovative voiceactivated home-control applications that will place visitors in an immersive scenario full of enchantment. www.lucelight.it

Archiproducts Milan features a brand-new look for 2019, thanks to collaborations with many different designers - all adding their personal touch. Elisa Ossino Studio, Studio Milo, Christophe De La Fontaine and Aylin Langreuter, Veronica Leali and Matt Lorrain have contributed to the space, each focusing on a different area, but all in full synergy with the Art Direction of Archiproducts Milano. Within a unique play of colours, patterns and materials, this Tortona hub will host numerous brands, architects and qualified visitors during design week. milano.archiproducts.com

Lambert & Fils, with DWA Design Studio, presents Caffè Populaire: a six-day concept cafè, held in Milan’s Alcova building, brings people and design into dynamic encounters.

In the evenings they will host a series of private gatherings (Dinner Populaire) from 8pm. Lambert & Fils shows two new lighting collections: Sainte and Hutchison.

Dramatic forms fill the rooms of the factory and create a conversation of opposites-raw and refined, past and present. DWA Design Studio reimagines Alcova as a multisensory space filled with installations from a collective of international talent. www.lambertetfils.com

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CALENDARC

On Show A look ahead to forthcoming design shows with a strong lighting element.

EUROLUCE

• MILAN, ITALY

9-14 April 2019 (www.salonemilano.it)

ARCHIPRODUCTS MILANO

• MILAN, ITALY

9-14 April 2019 (milano.archiproducts.com)

LONDON DESIGN FAIR • RETAIL DESIGN EXPO

• LONDON, UK

LONDON, UK

19-22 September 2019 (www.londondesignfair.co.uk)

1-2 May 2019 (www.retaildesignexpo.com)

DARC ROOM @ LDF • WANTED DESIGN

• NEW YORK, USA

LONDON, UK

19-22 September 2019 (www.darcroom.com)

16-21 May 2019 (www.wanteddesignnyc.com)

DECOREX • ICFF

• NEW YORK, USA

LONDON, UK

6-9 October 2019 (www.decorex.com)

19-22 May 2019 (www.icff.com)

BDNY • CLERKENWELL DESIGN WEEK •

LONDON, UK

NEW YORK, USA

10-11 November 2019 (www.bdny.com)

21-23 May 2019 (www.clerkenwelldesignweek.com)

DOWNTOWN DESIGN • INDEX •

DUBAI, UAE

DUBAI, UAE

12-15 November 2019 (www.downtowndesign.com)

17-19 September 2019 (www.indexexhibition.com)

SLEEP + EAT • 100% DESIGN •

LONDON, UK

LONDON, UK

19-20 November 2019 (www.sleepandeatevent.com)

18-21 September 2019 (www.100percentdesign.co.uk)

AD INDEX [d]arc room......................................................................86

Elstead Lighting.............................................................99

Lightovation................................................................... 103

ALMALIGHT..................................................................... 73

Estiluz................................................................................. 33

Linea Light Group........................................................133

ANDlight............................................................................85

Fabbian Illuminazione.................................................29

Louis Poulsen.....................................................................9

Archilume........................................................................... 61

Fabbian Illuminazione................................................139

Nexo Luce........................................................................137 Retail design Expo....................................................... 101

Archiproducts................................................................124

Faro......................................................................................43

Artemide..........................................................................129

formalighting.................................................................... 17

Saas Instruments............................................................ 91

Astro Lighting................................................................. 25

formalighting...................................................................141

Schwung Home.............................................................. 79

Bert Frank.........................................................................113

Gabriel Scott.................................................................6/7

Secto Design................................................................... 57

BLOND...............................................................................69

Hollands licht...................................................................114

Tangyao Wires...............................................................163

Brokis.................................................................................123

ICFF.....................................................................................80

Terzani...............................................................................147

Cameron Design House.............................................93

Index...................................................................................157

toss B..................................................................................49

Catellani & Smith...........................................................131

In-es.artdesign...............................................................159

Velt....................................................................................... 53 VISO................................................................................ OBC

Cerno group..................................................................4/5

Innermost..........................................................................30

Clerkenwell Design Week........................................ 109

Juniper................................................................................ 37

Wanted Design...............................................................58

CTO Lighting...................................................................121

Karboxx.............................................................................135

WEPLIGHT....................................................................... 67

David Trubridge.............................................................83

Karice............................................................................. IFC 1

Woka Lamps....................................................................119 Zafferano......................................................................... 145

Dekor.................................................................................... 21

Karman............................................................................. 143

designheure.....................................................................39

Lambert & Fils.......................................................... IFC 2

Duncan Meerding Studio........................................... 97

Light Point........................................................................95

HILTON HOTEL ATLANTA

TRANSFORMED THROUGH LIGHT. V I S O I N C . C O M / P R O J E C T S

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