darc 37

Decorative Lighting in Architecture #37 Sep / Oct 2020

Red Herring | MD Apartment | Thurgauer Kantonalbank Chelsom LED Eye | Spanish Design Report | The Future of Design | Workspace Lighting | Tekna Product Focus

Featured lights: io Pendant 1000, io 265 + io 420

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Sarah Cullen • Acting Editor Welcome to the Sep/Oct issue, my first, running solo without the watchful eye of Helen Ankers.

For those of you who don’t know me as the Assistant Editor of arc magazine, let me introduce myself briefly. My name is Sarah and I am lucky enough to be keeping the darc boots warm while Managing Editor Helen Ankers is on a well-deserved break looking after her newborn – welcome to the world and [d]arc media team little Ezra Ankers! I’m sure I speak on behalf of everyone in our lighting community in wishing Helen and her husband Sam a massive congratulations for creating such a cute little lad!

Now back to business… With the summer coming to an end and the day’s getting shorter here in the UK, our Autumn issue’s front cover is adorned with warm wood and brass tones from the stunning private residence by architect Malay Doshi in India. The brief for this minimalist residential project was simple - strip the former two-bedroom apartment into an open-plan studio; the envy of many designer. To catch the full design process for this renovation, turn to page 16.

As the world begins to emerge from the other side of the dark cloud that has been Covid-19, restrictions are still in place, but some form of normality is resurfacing. With this in mind, I sat down with a group of designers to find out more about their experiences of moving in and out of lockdown, both on a personal and professional level. It’s an insightful read I hope you will enjoy and find something relatable, comforting and inspiring in their words on page 32.

Adapting to the new working conditions comes part and parcel with these changes we are having to make in our new world. As such, we take a look at some of the latest workspace projects and the decorative lighting solutions that have been used in these design schemes.

Turn to page 44 to read more.

Holding onto the warm sunshine for that little bit longer before the colder months take hold, we bring you our Spanish design report. Earlier in the year, we collaborated with ICEX and Interiors from Spain to bring you some of our favourite decorative lighting products to come out of the region through a dedicated email. Now we bring you these on paper as well as some bright editorial pieces that look at interior design trends in the country and a profile on product design studio, Yonoh. You can read all of this starting on page 54.

Now, I will leave you to it… please be kind - this is my first time putting a magazine together and Helen’s shoes are very big to fill! But most of all, enjoy!

Cover: MD Apartment, India

Image : The Fishy Project

Welcome

NEW COLLECTION LED EYE EDITION 27 A V A I L A B L E 3 0 TH S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 0

44825 Chelsom LED EYE_DPS DARC_472x333_AW.indd 1

Registered European Community Design 007575014-0001/0002/0003/0004/0005 US Design Patent Application US29/729,141

chelsom.co.uk

01/09/2020 10:18

Contents Regulars The Magazine

008 Focal Point | Porsche Showroom | Shangahi

Managing Editor | Helen Ankers

026 Materials Focus | Chelsom | LED Eye

h.ankers@mondiale.co.uk +44 161 476 8372

072 Calendarc | International Design Events for 2020

Acting Editor | Sarah Cullen

074 In Focus | Kreon | Oran

s.cullen@mondiale.co.uk +44 161 476 9401 Media Sales Manager | Stephen Quiligotti s.quiligotti@mondiale.co.uk

Projects

+44 7742 019213

010 Red Herring Restaurant Designer Marissa Zajack transforms this downtown LA restaurant into a vibrant flora and fauna paradise with soft furnishings and decorative lighting from Light Cookie, Adir Yakobi and France and Son.

Media Sales Executive | Adam Syme a.syme@mondiale.co.uk +44 161 476 9118

006 | INSIDE ISSUE 37

Contributing Editor 016 MD Apartment Private Residence Architect Malay Doshi renovates his own private living space into a wood-haven studio with decorative lighting features from Flos and Crystal Palace.

Matt Waring

Design 020 Thurgauer Kantonalbank The Romanshorn bank branch has undergone a redesign, with lighting design by Suzanne Fritz Architekten providing a high-class, yet homely, finish.

Artwork | Dan Seaton d.seaton@mondiale.co.uk Editorial | Mel Capper m.capper@mondiale.co.uk

Features

Finance

032 Interview | The Future of Design Acting Editor, Sarah Cullen, sits down with a group of design industry leaders to discuss the community's reaction to the new world we find ourselves in and the adjustments they have

Finance Director | Amanda Giles

had to make.

Credit Control | Lynette Levi

a.giles@mondiale.co.uk

l.levi@mondiale.co.uk 044 Workplace Lighting Focus darc covers a selection of intelligent and beautiful lighting approaches that complement new working spaces and environments.

052 Product Focus | Tekna | Astone Tekna's latest collection, Astone, features marble for the first time in the studio's catalogue.

Corporate Chairman Mondiale Publishing | Damian Walsh Managing Director [d]arc media | Paul James

054 Design Report | Spain Pablo Conde Diez del Corral, Director of Fashion, Habitat and Cultural Industries at ICEX and of Interiors from Spain catches up with Acting Editor Sarah Cullen to discuss the world of interior design in Spain and future trends emerging in the country.

p.james@mondiale.co.uk Marketing & Events | Moses Naeem m.naeem@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

#readinginthedarc

008 | FOCAL POINT

Focal Point Porsche Headquarters Shanghai, China Located in Lu Jia Zui Financial Plaza, Porsche worked with anySCALE interior design studio to create a highly collaborative space, while Tokio furniture and lighting worked on the lighting design. Incorporated in the design is the theme of speed and passion, which embraces the heritage of Porsche as a company.

The project was envisioned as a modern open plan office with a minimum number of private offices. In the main corporate conference room, the suspended lighting fixture was envisioned by designers as a feature item defining the space. This modular system has been entrusted to Tokio and its flagship lighting product Carbon Light. It can be executed in multiple configurations, which are allowing unique creations of any size. The lighting fixture is made entirely out of carbon fiber, one of the strongest and most lightweight materials on the market and widely used in production of sports cars.

Porsche's brand new office in Shanghai is their first property worldwide to achieve the WELL Building Standard gold certification standard. www.tokiotokio.com

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010 | PROJECT | RED HERRING

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Chic Dining Located on the ground floor of the 8th & Grand luxury apartment complex in downtown Los Angeles is the Red Herring restaurant designed by Marissa Zajack, and featuring decorative lighting from Light Cookie, Adir Yakobi and France and Son. Images: Courtesy of Jennifer Chong and Lu Tapp

012 | PROJECT | RED HERRING

Situated in a new mixed-use development on a bustling street in Downtown Los Angeles, Red Herring restaurant and bar is timeless, energised, and bathed in a California attitude. Downtown Los Angeles is rich with history, which heavily inspired the new scheme for Red Herring; using a splendor of colour, Art Deco geometry, soft curves, and splashes of flora and fauna whimsy along with a custom focal point mural by Mike Willcox, this space has quickly become a design destination.

Building on an already well established working relationship, designer Marissa Zajack was brought on board the project by restaurant owners David Woodall and Alexis Martin-Woodall. David is a prominent chef in LA and Alexis is the President of Ryan Murphy Television, and both have admired the design style of Zajack and worked with her in the past on branding projects.

“The design project was a complete build-out and took a full year,” explains Zajack. “I wanted the restaurant to feel as though it was grounded in the environment around us. Downtown LA is filled with historical buildings that came to life in the early 1900s; Red Herring is Art Deco meets California cool. There are many textures and geometry mixed with a large fauna and flora mural, and soft curves and arches.

There is also custom lighting throughout that plays off the architecture and design elements.”

Working on a restricted budget, Zajack explains that the main challenge of this particular design was making the most of the money she had to work with. “It made me think more inventively and look to sources and artists that were lesser known to achieve an individual and bold statement,” she says. “I really loved the idea of using up-andcoming innovative artists. For the most part, it all worked out, but of course there were challenges and headaches.”

For example: “The three globe pendants in the dining room, although lovely, were a bit of an undertaking when it came to getting light sources in and out. If I had to do it again, I probably would have gone with a more experienced designer. This is where working with emerging designers can sometimes get tricky. I spent many hours getting these ready for service,” says Zajack.

Describing the lighting working as another “detail and sculptural element within the space,” Zajack wanted to incorporate custom lighting aspects into the scheme, for example the lighting sculpture hung above the bar. “I’m a fan of Light Cookie’s Dora Koukidou and had an idea for a light sculpture. I thought she would be the perfect

014 | PROJECT | RED HERRING

designer to bring the idea to life; she did and more. It is a mixed metal sculpture with illuminated globes – it’s simply stunning and works so well within the aesthetic,” explains Zajack.

Using decorative lighting as an “extension of the story” Zajack used multiple decorative brands to complete her look for the restaurant including three globe pendants by Adir Yakobi and Mid-Century multilight chandeliers by France and Son in the dining room; pendants from CB2 and the light sculpture from Light Cookie in the bar; and the I Do sconce by Light Cookie in the restroom. Architectural lighting was used in recessed areas and served a purpose for these spaces that the decorative lighting could not.

Looking back on the Red Herring restaurant, Zajack was very pleased with the impact the decorative lighting had on the space and its use in creating an overall atmosphere.

“The standout feature was how much of a statement the lighting in the space makes,” says Zajack. “Honestly, that’s a lot of what people talk about in terms of design. It’s such a big part of the design story and really brings everything together. It adds shine in all the right places and it’s a detail that brings everything to life and sets the mood.” zajack.com

Design Details Red Herring restaurant, Los Angeles, USA Interior Design: Marissa Zajack Creative Lighting Specified: Adir Yakobi; CB2; France and Son; Light Cookie

Designer Marissa Zajack has transformed the ground floor of a residential block into the stunning Red Herring restaurant that combines bold colours and classic finishes along with a flora and fauna mural. Zajack utilised up and coming artists and designers to complete the overall look of this chic dining experience for residents and visitors to downtown LA.

016 | PROJECT | MD APARTMENT

Studio Sophistication Acting Editor Sarah Cullen sits down with Architect Malay Doshi to discuss the renovation of his own private residence with decorative lighting features from Flos and Crystal Palace.

Images: The Fishy Project

Along with designers Arihant Bajaj and Tejashree Karande, Malay Doshi, partner at Saransh Architects, based in Ahmedabad, India, has transformed his two-bed apartment into a designer’s fantasy studio living space.

Stripping the space back to its bare minimum, including the removal of partition walls, bathroom facilities, the kitchen and flooring, there was a conscious decision of creating a space that was minimal and at the same time tactile. As such, a majority of the materials chosen were done so based on how well they age.

Upon entering the apartment, the floorplan is completely exposed, with the only door closing off the bathroom, which is even styled with fluted glass to allow maximum light flow throughout.

Using colours and textures, the team demarcated the space’s use, using grey tones in the kitchen and toilet and wood tones were used in the den to create a more intimate atmosphere. “The kitchen and the toilet undertake only grey tones, hence creating ‘niche-like’ spaces inside the lighter white and grey general areas. The den is made of wood to give a cosy vibe, and the volume of this space is reduced drastically to give a sense of entering a different realm, which is further exaggerated by the need to climb a couple of steps to enter it,” says Doshi. “Finally, the sleeping area, is made much warmer with beige walls and a more playful floor in tones of blue. This gives it a very different aesthetic inside the house, giving it a personal touch.”

When considering the lighting for the apartment, Doshi worked

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with architect Mansi Mistry to obtain her expertise on customised prototypes, product selection and placement. He also took this renovation as an opportunity to play with various customisations of decorative lighting.

“Considering the tones and use of the space, the light was designed accordingly,” he explains. “For example, the two brass lights in the wooden backdrop were kept at two heights with one almost at floor level, to address the floor seating on one side of them. The frosted glass globes were chosen to create an ambient glow in the space.

Similarly for the bedroom, the two spheres: one stone and one light on the yellow lime backdrop were chosen for a similar ambient glow.

Whereas the extra recessed kitchen counter lights inside the metal

cylinders, were done so consciously to create three separate spots of light on the wooden plank.”

Referencing these custom designed fixtures by Ahmedabad-based decorative lighting producer Cyrstal Palace, Doshi also featured Flos pendants in the living space. “One [Flos string light] is in the corner, which is a sphere to create an ambient glow and the other, a cone, is above the dining table to give a down light. These were also chosen because they could be customised with their assembly and create this juxtaposition of black lines on a white backdrop of the ceiling,” says Doshi.

Referencing the use of both architectural and decorative lighting in his home, Doshi adds: “Both of them work to create two separate moods

018 | PROJECT | MD APARTMENT

in the space. The decorative lights create an overall ambient lighting across all spaces in the apartment, which are usually the only lights that I turn on everyday. The architectural lights create a brighter lit space, which are used only when there are guests.”

Moving into the bedroom, Doshi explains the difficulties of installing the customised Crystal Palace globe pendants: “There was a stubbornness in picking solid stone globes in the bedroom above ceramic or metal, for the want of a certain texture to their surface. This led to that specific light becoming quite heavy, which then further led to the need of a structural rope wire anchored to the RCC slab to hang it,” he explains.

The importance of juxtaposing textures is a theme that runs throughout the space. As Doshi explains further, the “entire flooring is polished concrete with different inlays, like wood, stone, cement tiles and brass.

The polished concrete is filleted onto the wall up to the sill level, to give a sense of being inside concrete rather than being on it. Different greys explored, to go along with the concrete, include a grey polished marble and three types of grey fabrics used in the soft furnishings.

“The only coloured accents used in the project in shades of indigo and turquoise, are in the ceramics, cushions or shear curtains. All the walls have a pigmented lime plaster finish, which not only keeps the house cool in the hot weather of Ahmedabad, but also gives a timelessness to the space.

“The wood used is reclaimed 60-80 year old Valsad Teak from the ‘Pols’ of Ahmedabad. Not only is it more sustainable, the aged wood has an inherent rich texture.”

He added: “Leading away from the generic chic finished urban homes,

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Design Details a conscious choice was made to keep the ‘end product’ unfinished; to make the house an oasis in the middle of the city, similar to the natural ever-changing sense of space of a vernacular cottage.”

Reflecting on the final outcome of the renovation that took six months to complete, Doshi concluded: “Being a very personal project, the freedom to go into a previously unachieved customisation to achieve the initial idea was a standout feature here. Although the same effect could have been achieved through simpler solutions and minor compromises, the impact left by achieving exactly what was intended left me with a certain level of satisfaction which wasn’t felt before.” studiosaransh.com

Malay Doshi Private Residence, Ahmedabad, India Architect & Interior Design: Studio Saransh Lighting Specified: Flos; Crystal Palace

The decorative lighting was a key player in completing Doshi's overall scheme for his private residence. Using materials and textures juxtaposed throughout the apartment to define space usage was also reflected in the customised lighting pieces from Crystal Palace.

Doshi used this renovation as a time to play with different pendant orientations, from fixing heights and contrasting glass and stone globes, the overall effect is a cohesive blend of organic textures and colours.

020 | PROJECT | THURGAUER KANTON ALBANK

021

Bank Transfer The Romanshorn branch of Thurgauer Kantonalbank has undergone a redesign, with lighting designed by Suzanne Fritz Architekten providing a high-class, yet homely, finish.

022 | PROJECT | THURGAUER KANTON ALBANK

The recently renovated office of Thurgauer Kantonalbank (TKB) Romanshorn is situated in the building complex of a shopping centre in Romanshorn, Switzerland.

Moving away from the traditional banking format, with its bullet-proof glass and strict spatial separation, the newly-designed office space presents itself as more of a customer-oriented environment, designed to offer advice and consultations, rather than a staid, transactional space.

The architectural concept for the bank emphasises this attitude shift by creating a visual openness and a balanced relationship between transparency and discretion. Suzanne Fritz, founder of Suzanne Fritz Architekten, tells darc more about the concept behind the new look bank: “Although the building from the 1970s was converted in 2000, it no longer met the spatial and visual requirements of a modern bank.

After internal bank restructuring, the management decided to launch an architectural competition for a new prototype branch concept, which carries the value of TKB to the outside world through a new type of corporate architecture.”

The aim for the redesign was, according to Fritz, “to give the customer areas and workplaces a high quality of stay, in which the customer

feels welcomed as a guest”.

To achieve this, Fritz sought to develop an architectural language that appealed to a broad target group, while underlining the bank’s new identity and customer proximity, reflecting the change from a “transition bank” to an “advisor bank”. This was complemented by a newly conceived interior design and furnishing concept, that has gone on to become a model for further branches.

Although the bank called for a uniform lighting system, Fritz was able to convince TKB to bring a homely character to the space with the introduction of a number of decorative lighting elements, such as floor lights, light objects, pendants and wall lights, alongside a modern chandelier.

Fritz tells darc more about the lighting concept: “In the main hall, the existing square skylights were enclosed in round domes that distribute daylight around the room like large lampshades,” she says. “Around these domes, we worked with a cascade of Bocci pendant lights, inside of the domes we added LED to enhance daylight on winter days or rainy days.

“Across the entire hall, the architectural light is provided by built in circular ceiling lights by Durlum. In the waiting area, we curated

024 | PROJECT | THURGAUER KANTON ALBANK

different floor lights and light objects to make it look like a cosy hotel lobby, instead of a waiting room. The branch manager’s office is equipped with a chandelier by Isabell Hamm, a designer who works in small editions. The circular brass ceiling lights were customised and are also used in the meeting room with built in downlights.”

Fritz worked alongside Swiss lighting company Lichtsektor on the project, owing to its complex nature “with a lot of electrical installations, IT systems and a KNX system”. “To bring all the components together and to match all the different decorative lights technically with the system, the knowledge and the coordination of the lighting planner with the electrical planner was of very high value,” Fritz says.

Although the usual colour temperature for a space such as this would be 4000K, Fritz and the client agreed on lowering this to 3000K for both the architectural and decorative lighting, helping to effectively curate the warm, welcoming atmosphere that was a key parameter of the redesign.

The end result, which has become a flagship project and a “showcase

for the bank”, merges decorative and architectural elements to create a luxurious feel that epitomises the shifting attitudes towards banking.

Fritz explains how the lighting complements the new approach of the banking industry: “The redesign of the TKB branch in Romanshorn makes the changes in the banking industry clearly visible,” she says.

“The newly designed branch office presents itself as a customeroriented advisor bank. The architectural concept emphasises this with visible openness and a balanced relationship between transparency and discretion. The customer is welcomed personally as a valuable guest by TKB employees. Trust and personal contact are important for a locally based bank. This is supported by the architecture in the client and staff areas.

“The boundaries between the banking and client areas are fluid, and a homely atmosphere creates proximity to the client. A balanced ratio of daylight, architectural and decorative light has a significant influence on the quality of the atmosphere, and thus the wellbeing of employees and clients.” www.suzannefritz.ch

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Innovative Chic

026 | M ATERI ALS | LED EYE

Chelsom gives functional bedside lighting a revamp with its user-friendly swivel-motioned spotlight - LED Eye.

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Specialists in product design for the hospitality market and servicing hotel and cruise ship projects worldwide, the family run business Chelsom began its lighting journey back in 1947 when Reg and Kay Chelsom opened their first small antique lighting shop in Blackpool, UK, under the name The Golden Age. Quickly expanding to three shops, the duo began to manufacture reproduction period lighting, distributed across the UK to retailers and interior designers. Passing on the lighting legacy, their son Robert took over the business in the 1970s, bringing the company to the forefront of hospitality lighting. In succession, his son, Will was next in line to join the family business in 2006, introducing Chelsom products into the marine industry, doubling their clientele.

Father and son Robert and Will now work closely on the design side of the company, creating some of its most respected lighting collections.

Talking with darc, Robert and Will discuss their latest design for Chelsom, LED Eye; the sequel to the globally successful LED Dock.

After creating the iconic bedside reading light, LED Dock, the design intent for LED Eye came from LED Dock’s previous years of experience in successfully lighting hotel guestrooms. Trying to create something inconspicuous and striking at the same time was a big design challenge when creating LED Dock; at the time, the team didn’t know this product would quickly become the most successful seller for enhancing hotel room designs in more than 30 countries worldwide.

As part of Chelsom’s latest collection, Edition 27 that launches at the end of September this year, Will and Robert wanted to move the aesthetics of the bedside reading lamp onwards with LED Eye, while maintaining all the successful features of function and light output of the LED Dock. The starting point was to create a product that was inconspicuous, nestled successfully into a headboard with minimum projection but still a stylish addition to the bedroom’s scheme.

Further developments led to the concept of ‘the eye’ evolving, with a compact and slim outer vessel of steel and aluminium; a sculptured cast metal piece acting as an eyelid that invites users to open, revealing the eye of the luminaire, illuminating and giving a full range of movement to orientate the perfect light spill. Much time and engineering skill went into the prototype development, ensuring that the cast centrepiece revolves and rotates with the lightest of touches and can be easily opened to operate the microswitch, and closed to extinguish the light.

“Aluminium was used for the sculptured central eye in order for it to be manufactured with die casting,” explains the design duo. “Had it been a flat sheet it would not have had the tactile appeal and we would not have been able to create the sculptured eyelid. Steel has been used for strength and durability, ensuring a long life of contract use. Both materials can be plated to exactly the same finish.

“Detailed engineering technology was used to create the movement

028 | M ATERI ALS | LED EYE

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Will and Robert Chelsom were mindful to pay attention to the details when designing LED Eye, ensuring it was a user-friendly fixture that also enhanced hotel bedroom design schemes. The design process involved numerous sketches and material tests to guarantee they produced the perfect luminaire.

030 | M ATERI ALS | LED EYE

system. The light source swivels 80° left and right and 90° forward.

High quality LED warm white chips were specified to emit light through a high-quality focussing lens,” they continue.

After the initial design concept, the main decision was to make absolutely certain that the movement and rotation function was smooth and easy to use. Significant time and investment went into the internal rotation system to ensure the central part glides into the required position.”

The labour of love for the father and son team saw this design process completed within an 18-month period and believe the design is best suited to the “hotel guestroom and cruise ship cabins for bedside use as headboard located reading lights”. It is also designed with this

audience’s budget in mind, making it an accessible addition to many interior design schemes. They also saw this particular project as one of their most “exciting, challenging, ever-changing and rewarding products to work with”. The highly tactile moulded centrepiece remains extremely slim with a subtle curve at the bottom edge. Once opened, the warm white LED light passes through the focusing lens to create perfect reading light. CE and UL certified, the product comes in six different finishes; matte white, brushed brass, brushed nickel, satin black, and combination options in brushed nickel with satin black and brushed brass with satin black, giving a contrast between the outer vessel and internal moulded eye. www.chelsom.co.uk

S toned abo ut light

ASTONE PRESENTS WALCOTT TABLE

032 | INTERVIEW | THE FUTURE OF DESIGN

“DESIGNERS ARE CREATIVE BEINGS AND WE ARE USED TO WORKING WITHIN CONSTRAINTS TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES AND INSPIRE CHANGE.” jo littlefair, goddard littlefair

T

he world has been turned upside down this year due to the devastating Covid-19 pandemic, which has had global impacts both personally and professionally. with this in mind, darc discusses the impacts on the design industry with leading figures across lighting, interiors and architecture.

033

It has been six months since the UK went into full lockdown due to the Covid-19 global pandemic. Gone are the days when we complained about the over saturation of Brexit news in the British media, to a time when our headlines are solely dominated by the virus and its impact on modern society.

As we all begin to emerge from its shadow and move into what’s commonly referred to as the “new normal”, we wanted to get an insight from the design industry on how it has been responding to these surreal times we find ourselves in.

We sat down with a group of interior designers, lighting designers and architectural branders to see how their worlds were turned upside down and what they are observing in the design community as it begins to pick itself up again.

We spoke with Helen Ewart of M1NT Studio in Manchester, UK. Beginning her career as an interior designer 15 years ago, Ewart has gained experience in architectural practices both in the UK and Spain, refining her specialism in restaurant design, along with office, bank and residential design. At the beginning of the pandemic, Ewart found herself out of a job due to redundancies at her architectural practice along with her interior design colleagues. “The architect’s practice that we all came from felt the need to reduce the interiors team and therefore made redundancies," she tells darc. "We have seen similarities in other architectural practices, which is hard, however, it has pushed some people to form some fantastic companies or find new roles better suited.” Ewart along with four of her colleagues; Louise Grimes, Janet Steer, Ewa Sydor and Stephanie Taylor made the decision to form M1NT Studio a mere three days after their redundancies and mid-national lockdown.

“Call us stupid but when things this big hit, we need to react," continues Ewart. "We need to fully embrace the change. We may have been made redundant, but our service is certainly not. We need to guide, show and embrace this time and design it for the long-term not the temporary. Everyone is working from home, not only is the need for an ‘instagramable’ home office required but the local high street culture is on the up, businesses started from home in the midst of lockdown are growing and suddenly need a permanent location.

Empty retail spaces are being repurposed with work cafés and satellite regional offices, as we can now really work anywhere. The office is far from dead though; it will just be used differently. The need for collaboration still thrives, flexi workspace was already a trend, but it will be less of a ‘nice to have’ and more a necessity. Large offices need to downsize as numbers are halved, and these spaces need clever planning and fresh design solutions.”

Ewart continues, discussing the new working adjustments her and

her team made: “As a team we are used to being out of the office, whether we are on-site, meeting clients, surveying, flying to Ireland, training to London; we are used to being ships passing in the night and have become very good at it. So, the aspect has been manageable, using WhatsApp, Zoom, emails – we can’t escape one another even if we tried. However, there are those crossover days in the office that are greatly missed – the office banter, the brew rounds, the tactile aspects of sitting around a meeting table discussing samples – this is invaluable. Managing your own work/home-life balance has its plus sides, accepting a million parcels a day and keeping on top of the clothes washing between emails is handy, but when and if we can get some normality back, I think the balance of flexi-working will be embraced enough to take the stress out of day-to-day life; a couple of office days a week would still be our preference.”

We also spoke with John Williams, Founder of interior design studio Space Invader, also based in Manchester. Talking of his experience of the immediate impact of Covid-19 and his day-to-day work life, Williams says: “It was very challenging at the start on a personal level - juggling family and work commitments from home while navigating a changing and complex business environment, as well as being mindful of the needs of the whole team from a remote perspective.

The really important thing to recognise was that everyone in the team had a unique situation in terms of where and how they live, their health, attitudes and anxiety levels. We had to be very flexible to accommodate and work with that. "I think our biggest challenge was the lack of real human contact. We’re very collaborative and it’s so important for us to share knowledge and ideas, which is not that easy to do ad-hoc over Microsoft Teams. We’re back in the studio now on a rotating basis, it’s really good to be back in town, seeing everyone face-to-face again.”

Jo Littlefair of interior design studio Goddard Littlefair has also experienced a very similar situation as Williams, having to make a quick transition to working from home. “As we saw the tsunami of the pandemic approaching, we quickly acted to ensure that all of our studio could work safely from home," she says. "Luckily, we didn’t need huge investments in hardware to enable this, the change in methodology and approach to working was, however, significant.

“We are now all familiar with video calls and whilst they are fantastic, we still miss our team meetings and the sense of comraderie and ease of communication that being together in one space can bring. The huge benefit on our international work is that the need for travel for work meetings has been reduced as people realise that much can be achieved remotely.”

Witnessing an overall positive reaction, from the design industry to the world’s events, Littlefair continues: “Designers are creative beings and we are used to working within constraints to overcome obstacles and inspire change. It’s hard-wired into us, we recognise problems and look for solutions – we’re people pleasers at heart and we want to raise smiles, now even more so.”

When speaking with German-based Lighting Design Consultant Nitika

THE FUTURE OF DESIGN 034 | INTERVIEW |

Clockwise from top left: Louise Grimes, Helen Ewart, Janet Steer, Ewa Sydor, Stephanie Taylor

Agrawal, formerly of AECOM, we discovered some of the challenges that came with starting a new business venture during these difficult times: “Before Covid-19 arrived, I had a vision to launch Light Dew and had already started to make fundamental arrangements to support my work remotely. Given the unknown circumstances, I found it challenging to network with people - since all the lighting events were cancelled - or book appointments at my clients’ offices. What I found positive is that I did not have to travel to different countries to attend lighting workshops or conferences, which saved a lot of my time. Due to the internet, the world has become a small place and we can easily connect with each other around the globe and share our knowledge online.”

Elsewhere in the world, we discovered the outcome of the global pandemic to have had similar impacts. Speaking with Italian Architect Sergio Mannino, who is based in New York and specialises in architectural branding in built environments, he comments: “We radically changed the way we worked in a matter of a few weeks, but not everything is remote. We go to the office only when necessary, and

everything else is done online. We had already built a communication system a few years ago when working on a large project in Shenzhen, China, so it wasn’t all entirely new to us. I think we transitioned smoothly, but I still miss the human interaction in the office.”

Speaking of the reaction from the design community in the US, Mannino recognised a rapid adaptation to the new situation and a push for innovative design. “I can say we probably pushed innovation to happen much faster than it would have taken in normal circumstances. The downside is that we probably work much more than we used to. We have fewer mental breaks and that’s not positive.

When you take the train or walk, you are allowing the brain to rest and process the information you acquired during the day. Being in an enclosed space for so long is not healthy for us and we all need to find a balance.”

Williams adds to this, saying: “There’s been an overwhelming amount of commentary on the future of the workplace, which is a real positive because our clients do need our help navigating through tough decisions ahead.

Clockwise from top left: Jo Littlefair, John Williams, Nitika Agrawal, Sergio Mannino

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036 | INTERVIEW | THE FUTURE OF DESIGN

Space Invader's project for Radius Payment Solutions, Crewe.

An internal campus designed to enhance human experience, while attracting, retaining and empowering employees.

“From that perspective it’s a positive, though there’s an inevitable slowing down in the workplace market while businesses wait to see what will happen. The design marketplace is a mixed picture, depending on sector, from major downturns in retail, events and experiences to some potential growth in residential rental and UK hospitality. While decisions may be delayed, I’m pretty optimistic that the property industry will react and adapt as it always has done, given time.”

Ewart is also seeing a knock-on effect of the population's mass migration back to their homes. “The world as we know it has completely changed, the extent and size of the shift makes me believe at least some of it will be here to stay and I for one hope so.

“That comes from someone who went into lockdown on maternity leave, was furloughed and into redundancy with four fellow team

members. If I can celebrate this change then we can all try?

“Seeing the country blossom in colour from the lack of pollution, acts of kindness from neighbours, family time and re-prioritising our lives are all factors that will impact design and I would love to look at the design forecasts currently brewing. It is like the world is teaching us all a valuable lesson,” she says.

Ewart is also taking note of the design shifts that will become priorities for a lot of upcoming projects: “More specifically, hygienic and wipeable textiles will be worth the money and not just for hospitals and care facilities. We can finally push the ergonomic chairs that were out of the price bracket because people now care about welfare. We can help bring the office space up to date for the directors that presumed flexi workspace and lounge style seating reduced productivity. Café culture finds customers getting settled for a few

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038 | INTERVIEW | THE FUTURE OF DESIGN

Furniture and lighting are used in the project to aid in identifying space usage and as a decorative element to enhance Space Invader's overall design.

hours of work and need that socket re-jig and restaurants need to accept that there may not be as many tables but if you are clever with the design you can still attract the masses. We are, in fact, working on a residential job that wants a cinema room; people are re-evaluating what is required in their houses,” she explains.

“More subtly, colours may mirror that of nature and stillness - calm and fresh. Materials could be smooth to appear clean and sterile and biophillia is needed even more as we all embrace that ‘daily exercise.’”

In consideration of future interior design approaches, Littlefair adds: “This will be very interesting to watch. I feel this is an evolution on high-speed. Underlying all of this, I do believe that travel will become highly valued as we’re inexperienced at being so restricted. I feel life experiences and memory making are the new values that people will look for and as such, we need to design to suit those needs.”

Mannino comments: “I believe the change needs to be radical. The entire Modernist architecture was based on building healthy buildings, with as much sunlight as possible, clean surfaces, and so on. The pandemics of the last century pushed cities and architects to design and build in a new way. I think we need to have the same approach, but I am not so optimistic. Everything is driven by capital and not by ideals.

There is no long-term plan, developers are only looking for a quick turn around and they are building for that. The pandemic is only a small part of the issue, climate change is a much bigger problem that is completely ignored here in the US.” In terms of future design and how lighting can be integrated, Agrawal highlights numerous ways in which lighting can be used to aid social

distancing regulations: “For large open space offices, it is possible that only a certain number of desks at a distance of six feet will be permitted on each floor. The six feet distance can be measured from the centre of the chair and highlighted using patterns or colours on the floor or reflectors or anti-slip inground lights.

“Many will be encouraged to look into smart lighting by incorporating IoT in their offices, allowing them to gather data and monitor the rate of occupancy, provide circadian rhythm light and disinfect by using UVC light,” she explains.

“People have definitely started to give health and wellbeing greater importance. Greater emphasis is put on ergonomic designs, UX Design, pretty much anything that would enhance the comfort and wellbeing level to the maximum of an individual. I see the pandemic as an evolutionary momentum for the design industry to be creative and provide, with comfort maximising revolutionary solutions.”

Looking at workspace design specifically, Williams’ team has witnessed a shift, as he explains: “There will clearly be some shortterm changes here, from one-way systems in the office and rotations of office occupation, as we work towards a more established mediumterm ‘social distancing design guide’. These short-term phases, however, will pass when the vaccine (hopefully!) arrives, so I think it’s incredibly important to think of the future in several stages, from the immediate to the medium and longer-term.”

When asked about what practices he’s had to put in place when approaching the new way of working, he added: “We’ve been at the forefront of encouraging collaborative, flexible and agile ways of

040 | INTERVIEW | THE FUTURE OF DESIGN

Nitika Agrawal uses renders to explain lighting solutions to clients, identifying how task lighting and daylight are necessary at work stations. IoT is also introduced into the workspace for multiple reasons explained by Agrawal's annotations.

working for our clients for a long time, so in that sense I wouldn’t say we’ve had to change our work approach radically, apart from enquiring more deeply about the relationship of individuals to the workplace.

This is very much a bottom-up not top-down management moment and we need to help clients to recognise this in their own organisations and plan for flexible and organic future growth.

“The big point is that Covid-19 has accelerated the pace of the key, positive changes that were happening anyway – agile working and the accent on health, biophilia and wellbeing. What has been added is an increased accent on hygiene and air quality, both to be welcomed, and a ramped-up attitude to flexibility. We see flexibility as the way by which individuals can be empowered with the choice of carrying out their activities at safe distances and the ability for business teams to grow and contract effortlessly in a space as government guidance and business and personal needs change,” he adds.

“We are seeing organisations more willing to empower individuals to work in the way they choose. This change resonates with us as we have always worked with far-sighted businesses that listen to their

people, which involves letting them balance their home and work deadlines to achieve an equilibrium that benefits both them and their employer.

“The major advantages of a physical workspace are for relationshipbuilding and for people to come together for the more collaborative parts of their work, before dispersing either into smaller pockets of space that respect social distancing or else returning to their homes to carry out specific tasks.”

Mannino expands on his predictions for workspace design: “I think there will be a return to the cubicles, compared to the open space model - there are interesting approaches that make it totally flexible and lighting can now be focused on these individual workstations rather than illuminating the entire room evenly.

“I see this as an opportunity to try something different. You can never go back to the old world, the new normal will be something different and people will adapt. I think we will learn something from this, and we will go back to the things we miss the most. In a way it will be a way to evaluate what’s really important and what’s not.”

042 | INTERVIEW | THE FUTURE OF DESIGN

Goddard Littlefair's interior scheme for Villa Copenhagen offers floor plan flexibility and the use of overhead decorative lighting to create a cohesive design.

When asked about what emerging trends might occur in response to the new world, Littlefair says: “Individually, we like a sense of personal space and time and hate being crammed into venues. We also welcome environments that put us at ease while delivering interesting spaces. This speaks to the trend for wellness, which is high on our agendas at the moment. I see people re-evaluating our online lives, we’ve been overwhelmed with emails and video calls for so long, and focussing and balancing the positives and the negatives of what we do digitally and trying to live more in the present and personal time with those people for whom we feel a true connection.

“Ultimately, I think we all have to be kinder to ourselves and oneanother. Ironically, Coronavirus combined with the death of George Floyd have given us a lot to reflect on as a global community and I hope that can unite us in a positive response.”

In terms of designing spaces with this flexibility and adding elements that create this atmosphere of wellbeing and comfort, decorative lighting plays a key role. For Littlefair: “Decorative lighting ultimately is much easier to install and manipulate to enable flexibility of social distancing. We’ve seen the festooning of lights using flex and hooks across ceilings in more industrial and urban settings for some time.

Pools of light over tables can be used to keep people together around a table and create an intimate atmosphere, great for hotels and restaurants.”

Reiterating this idea of flexible design, Williams adds: “Right now, lighting needs to work harder to adapt to flexible usage of groups or as individual task lights.

“Lighting will play a major role in helping designate areas and identify

occupation and usage. It also plays an important part in our wellbeing and circadian rhythms,” he explains.

“In addition, presence sensors in lighting that measure occupancy around the workplace are proving a really useful tool in social distancing.”

Ewart elaborates: “Working from home means everyone has become used to the adaptable, personal, soft home lighting and it will be hard not to feel the effects and strain as they work under the bright consistent tones [in an office]. If management want to persuade staff to re-enter the 9-5 office world after so long doing it solo, they need to strongly consider lighting design. Task lighting, diverse and adjustable will be key.”

Looking to the future and the evolution of design in response, Littlefair concludes: “There will be a lot of changes, we’ve all been forced through some extreme conditions that will have reverberations. It’s shown many of us that the future is not as predictable as we thought it was. However, people also love being with other people, there’s no substitution for a real conversation and we’ve all recognised the value of personal relationships. Creativity feeds from a team of people working together for the greater good, so there is a real vitality in that process, and we need to create environments which foster that.” www.goddardlittlefair.com light-dew.com m1ntstudio.com www.sergiomannino.com www.spaceinvaderdesign.co.uk

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Working Comfort

044 | WORKSPACE LIGHTING FOCUS

The Assemblage Park Avenue House New York, USA

The latest addition to The Assemblage’s portfolio of boutique coworking spaces is Park Avenue South, with interior design completed by Mancini Duffy.

Working simultaneously with The Shorewood Real Estate Group and Prodigy Network, the architects transformed the existing 1920s structure, located at 331 Park Avenue South, into a vertical multi-use working environment.

The building was designed as a vertical campus of four social floors, which members use for connecting and gathering, and seven coworking floors that offer a variety of space options, from individual desks to dedicated suites. Juniper lighting was used in these spaces, both for space-use identification and task lighting.

Each coworking floor holds a small lounge area, hot desks, private and team office suites as well as an agile conference room, a pantry and phone booths. Mancini designed each space to capitalise on access to natural light. Strategic lighting is used throughout so that each space is bright and inviting for members.

Featuring fixtures from Juniper’s THIN system, the THIN Task Lamp was used across long work desks, while the THIN Chandelier was used as an attractive focal point in the private meeting rooms. The THIN Task Lamp redefines minimal lighting as a precision-engineered adjustable lamp with a fully articulating hinge and ball joint that connects to a cast iron base. Featuring a dimming knob at its tip, the LED lamp illuminates through a clear lens for functional task lighting.

The THIN Chandelier is a complex modular LED fixture that appears to suspend weightlessly. Available in two sizes, the chandelier is made up of 24 minimal hinges connecting precision-machined half-inch diameter brass tubes. www.juniper-design.com Images: Interiors by Mancini Duffy, Photography by Garrett Rowland

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046 | WORKSPACE LIGHTING FOCUS

Images: Studio Moost

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Remote Workspaces Global

With most people working or studying from home these days, it’s often difficult to find a suitable setup for productivity. From homeschooling bored or boisterous children to significant others trying to maintain their daily schedules, the challenges abound.

To help create the right kind of environment for a range of work-at-home situations, Vibia has come up with three inspired design ideas. In each, lighting plays a central role, helping you remain efficient, focused, and relaxed.

A desk can provide the most seamless transition from an office or classroom environment, easily accommodating a laptop, lighting, and accessories.

The Pin table lamp by Ichiro Iwasaki pairs a bold, circular base and diminutive dome shade with lean lines, a distilled design that lends itself to a variety of desk styles and size. Ideal for a home office, the streamlined, LED-powered light has an adjustable head to direct light where needed on a work surface.

Another option is the Mayfair table lamp by Diego Fortunato. A modern reimagining of the 18th Century French bouillotte light, Mayfair

is elegant and cutting-edge. Its classic form and sleek steel structure lend a polished presence to a desktop, while an optical sensor conveniently activates dimming of the LEDpowered lamp.

Designed by Stefan Diez, the Guise pendant is an elegant choice to illuminate a table.

The horizontal hanging lamp is crafted of precision-cut crystal and embedded with a row of recessed LEDs. The light source appears invisible within the glass while the engraved surface radiates an intense glow that brightens the work space below. Deploying a pair of Guise pendants enhances the radiant effect and casts a broader swath of light if several people are sharing the table space.

Evoking the mood of Zen minimalism, Rhythm

by Arik Levy features slender light modules of varying lengths, each fitted with an LED module. Its unique rotation system allows the light sticks to move along the axis and be positioned in any direction, providing ambient downward illumination and precision lighting along the span of a table. www.vibia.com

Skye Chandelier

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048 | WORKSPACE LIGHTING FOCUS

Sedus Showroom Cadorago, Italy

Products from the Linea Light Group were chosen by Light+Arch Consultancy firm to light up the Cadorago showroom and to emphasise the innovation, technology and aesthetics of the office of the future.

Sedus Stoll AG is a leading full-service supplier of office equipment and workplace concepts. A well-established brand all over the world, synonymous with innovation, technology and aesthetics, particularly in the field of ergonomics, design and environmental sustainability.

To light up the Cadorago showroom, near Como, the Light+Arch Consultancy firm in Milan, specialised in architectural design, industrial design and lighting design, chose Linea Light Group solutions.

The lighting project was created with the aim of integrating and improving the quality of light previously installed. In this way, the different environments were emphasised and the accent was placed on the chromatic palette of the products as well as the integrated natural green environmental features. Flows, optics, and the colour of the light are the result of design choices proposed and packaged thanks to a painstaking job of natural light and artificial lighting design.

There are no home automation or dimming controls managed with brightness sensors.

The final result is a large, multi-purpose space, equipped with just as many technical lighting solutions, such as the large dimension Tour suspensions (up to 250cm), which create a first layer on two levels, which highlights the work stations and the company products. In the informal areas, Poe suspensions were dropped over the tables with special drivers to reduce glare. Optus, a high chromatic yield projector, best describes the nuances of the materials used on the large, textured wall that becomes the curtain in contrast with the entire showroom.

The meeting room integrates double-emission general lighting, obtained with the hanging Oxygen units, with black finish. To balance it out, a perimeter light gives the entire area personality thanks to the micro recessed 6W Warp units. www.linealight.com

050 | WORKSPACE LIGHTING FOCUS

Raiffeisen Bank Zug, Switzerland

Swiss architectural practice Studio Aglo was tasked by Raiffeisen Switzerland to come up with an innovative space concept for its new bank branch, situated at a busy main railway station in Zug, a town just a stone’s throw away from Zßrich.

As today most traditional bank services have moved online and the main demand from clients comes from their need for financial advice on investments, loans, and pension analysis, the architects decided to design a spacious open office with a focus on two elliptical conference rooms for client meetings. The larger conference room has been designed to be easily transformed into two separate smaller conference rooms.

One of the main design features chosen

by designers was to have a smooth wave ceiling that runs across the entire space, taking inspiration from the nearby Lake Zug. When the architects were looking to accent the space with a feature lighting piece, they turned to Tokio Lighting and its Carbon Light modular lighting system. Tokio created three unique custom-configuration pendant lamps that were used in each conference room.

The flexible lighting system enabled the architects to precisely control the illumination inside the larger conference room. The two custom carbon fiber chandeliers can properly illuminate the conference tables in both settings, as a single large conference room or once divided in two smaller rooms with light points divided in several segments, which can

be controlled separately.

Together, with other design elements, they emit a special calm and defy the stereotype of what a bank branch should look like.

Carbon Light is a high-performing modular suspension light made using the latest LED technology. A feather-light carbon fiber body links highly efficient power LED spots. With an adaptable design and multiple LED spot options, Carbon Light allows you to create the optimum levels of illumination for any surface. As a modular fixture, Carbon Light can be configured to illuminate a surface of any dimension. www.tokiotokio.com Images: Christoffer Joergensen

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052 | PRODUCT FOCUS | ASTONE

Sustainable Solutions Tekna's newest addition, the Astone collection, introduces marble for the first time to the studio's catalogue.

The latest collection from Tekna focuses on a sustainable material; natural stone. The Astone collection was an original concept by the studio’s CEO Maxim Blijweert as a solution for a product that was originally designed for brass but ended up being too difficult to produce in that material. In-house designer Kevin De Koning explains the product's evolution from brass to stone: “He [Blijweert] thought a solid marble fixture would be something fresh and different. After the first prototype came in, we were all blown away by the result. We

looked at some other products we already had that would accompany this product nicely and had those made in marble as well."

Blijweert describes the products as “The harmony of art, craftsmanship, advanced technology and lighting… This is what the Astone Collection strives for.

“In addition to the well-known materials including bronze, brass and glass, we are now adding a fourth sustainable material: natural stone.

This noble material makes every product unique; no two are the same.

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"Each product starts as a solid block of stone, which is chiselled, ground and milled into a beautiful shape and is incomparable. Every block tells its own story, the veins, the colours, the textures… All orchestrated by the forces of nature millions of years ago,” he says. “In close cooperation with our in-house designer and one of the world’s leading natural stone companies, we transform these treasures of raw materials into unique and high-quality designed lighting. The Astone Collection allows us to be creative with colours, textures and shapes.”

Working with stone came as a new challenge for the Tekna team, as De Koning explains: “To make fixtures in marble takes a different mindset entirely. For instance, when you need to bolt something together you can’t just thread the hole like you can in bronze. We were discovering the limits of the material as well as the uniqueness of it.

“We want to put the focus on the marble as much as we can,” he adds.

“However, brass is what we are known for, so we couldn’t resist using this in combination with the marble. The design process was about learning as much as it was about designing. There are limits of what you can do with both marble and brass, so it was very unique in that way.

You can do things in marble that are just (economically) impossible to do in brass, and vice versa.”

Admiring the product as an investment piece designed to last decades, the team decided to keep the concept as simple as possible, and not overload it with various new technology that runs the risk of becoming outdated. “For these first products we have been fairly conservative - the emphasis is on the materials and the design,” says Blijweert. De Koning adds: “A Rembrandt doesn’t glow in the dark, a Michelangelo doesn’t use Bluetooth. We want to avoid making our products too gadget-like."

Best suited to modern interiors, the marble bases come in a selection of neutral and brighter colours for added choice. “The materials and details are near and dear to our heart,” concludes De Koning. “Whereas some other companies go to aluminium and stainless steel, we stick with brass and bronze. Our products aren’t made by robots but by craftsmen who eat, breathe and live for brass. The detail and care we put in our products when designing and producing them is what sets us apart.” www.tekna.be

054 000 | | DESIGN DESIGNREPORT REPORT | | SPAIN XXX

Inside Scoop Pablo Conde Diez del Corral, Director of Fashion, Habitat and Cultural Industries at ICEX and of Interiors from Spain catches up with Acting Editor Sarah Cullen to discuss the world of interior design in Spain and future trends emerging in the country.

sustainability with more and more clients demanding eco-friendly materials and low-energy solutions.

“Also, due to the recent Covid-19 crisis, some of Spain’s most international interior designers are looking at the possibilities of incorporating cross-sectional design, that integrates versatility with health and wellbeing. In the lighting industry, this means luminaires that provide good, restful lighting, which are as functional as they are beautiful and well-proportioned.”

For the purpose of this article, Conde caught up with some Spanish interior designers to get a flavour of how the design industry is reacting to current changes. Ramón Esteve, of Ramón Esteve Éstudio, explains that space versatility is key: “Home design is going to have to respond to the needs for privacy and intimacy, taking into account all its inhabitants, especially with regard to teleworking, and terraces and balconies are going to be revalued.”

Designer Héctor Ruiz Velázquez stresses that, “on top of functional and aesthetic aspects, special attention should be paid to ergonomics implemented in our homes”.

Francesc Rifé explains that this crisis “encourages us to rethink the relationship between society and space. From now on, we believe that we will need to design interiors giving them a much more functional, optimal and healthy approach”.

Conde adds: “His studio has always designed around spatial order, but he thinks it will be crucial to reinforce this aspect to improve personal relationships; “Get the mess in order”.”

Héctor Ruiz Velázquez told Conde that “regulating the spaces we share after a health episode of such dimensions will require a multidisciplinary consensus by many experts from different areas, obviously, including essential health professionals as well.”

Conde adds: “Equipo Creativo told me that the design industry will emerge strengthened from the current situation since it provides products and services that can make people comfortable, protected and delighted. They hope that post-Covid-19, design will generate healthier socialising habits, “confinement has encouraged the idea that our homes can house disparate uses such as high-end restaurants, offices, nightclubs, or gyms. It is not unreasonable to think that home interior design should incorporate something of the design of such places, allowing inhabitants to transform their spaces according to how they want to use them.

A very attractive challenge”.” www.interiorsfromspain.com

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Interiors from Spain is an initiative of ICEX Spain Trade and Investment, The Spanish foreign trade body aimed at promoting design from Spain, including lighting and furniture to the international architectural and design community. The platform offers interior designers a showcase of the latest ideas, trends and product launches coming from the country. darc got the chance to speak with Pablo Conde Diez del Corral, Director of Fashion, Habitat and Cultural Industries at ICEX and of Interiors from Spain, to discuss how the evolution of interior design has looked in Spain.

“Many design studios have adopted a multidisciplinary approach to encompass all aspects of design including ephemeral spaces, branding, interior and product design,” he says.

“The new generation of Spanish interior designers are as likely to be as interested in graphics, industrial design or even event organising as they are in interior design. Another feature that characterises the Spanish design industry are the close ties between design and manufacturing.

Spain has a rich manufacturing tradition that includes furniture, lighting and textiles, and there is real interest both from interior designers and clients on products with authentic provenance that have their roots in the artisanal tradition of our industry.”

When looking at the relationship between light within interior design, Conde claims that it is a “fundamental element in any interior design project in Spain”.

“A key characteristic of lighting design in Spain is connected to the weather,” he goes on to explain.

“The sunnier climate in Spain, with more daylight hours than any other country in Europe, means that designing with natural light is commonplace.

Designers often need to incorporate daylight into their designs, taking into account energy and climate factors.

“There is a strong tradition of industrial development and traditional craft workshops, with materials such as metal and wood, in certain areas of the country, which means that there is a plethora of lighting manufacturers capable of supplying luminaries in all sorts of styles: from the traditional brass chandeliers to understated, sleek designs in metal, wood and recyclable materials,” he says.

Looking at trends appearing in the country at the moment, it appears Spain continues to be on par with global attitudes towards design, with Conde explaining that sustainability is at the heart of current influences.

“In recent years, the Spanish interior design industry has been increasingly working towards

056 | DESIGN REPORT | SPAIN

designer profile yonoh studio

Design studio Yonoh was founded in 2006 by Clara del Portillo and Alex Selma in Valencia, Spain. The studio boasts a full portfolio of product, furniture and lighting design, working with a number of lighting icons including Vibia, Bover, Flos, Foscarini, Zero and Louis Poulsen.

During its short career, product design studio Yonoh has aquired multiple industry awards such as Red Dot, IF design award and the Wallpaper* Design Award to name a few.

Selma and del Portillo both had backgrounds as industrial designers and established solo careers before meeting in 2004 at a young designer’s exhibition. Fast forward to 2006 and their first collection was released as the collaborative Yonoh brand. Since, the pair have created numerous design collections across disciplines, while working as Associate Teachers at the Cardenal Herrera CEU University in Valencia, delivering workshops and lectures around the world promoting their work.

Acting Editor, Sarah Cullen, sits down with del Portillo to find out more about her background as a designer and her work as a Partner at Yonoh.

“I’m from Valencia in Spain and studied Design Technical Engineering at the Cardenal Herrera CEU University. I was then an Erasmus student in Paris at the Strate College.

That was a very enriching experience that made me grow as a person,” she says. “University made me fall in love with

design. The ambience was great, and we had professional designers as teachers that made us love the profession.

“After finishing my studies and returning from Paris, I started working on different design jobs while I was preparing to present at a young designer’s exhibition in Valencia called NUDE. This is where Alex and I met and the Yonoh seed was planted. After that, we started collaborating on projects and then in 2006 we started our own studio.” del Portillo’s career and interests have never strayed from the design world, with her first official job in Paris at a company that worked on shop windows and ephemeral furniture design for perfume and luxury cosmetic brands.

“After I came back to Spain where I was working on furniture design, although I didn’t stay in that job for long. Even if the brand was great and I was loving the furniture, it wasn’t really my thing to be working in a shop,” she says. “I started to work with furniture manufacturing here in Valencia, where I have learned a lot about the technical side of manufacturing. It was an enriching job where I based myself for nearly four years, up to the point of starting Yonoh with Alex.”

When asked about where inspiration strikes and what her influences are in her design work, del Portillo explained how it typically comes from day to day life but that traveling sparks it the most. “Knowing different cultures and

057

understanding that not all people live like you makes you look at things differently,” she says.

Yonoh is a multidisciplinary studio that produces a varied portfolio of designs stretching across different industries from furniture to products. They have worked with numerous big lighting brands in the industry, including Vibia and Bover in Spain, Flos and Foscarini in Italy, Zero in Sweden and Louis Poulsen in Denmark.

When asked about lighting, it is clear the design process for creating luminaires plays a fundamental role in del Portillo’s repertoire. “We have had the chance of working with some great lighting companies across the world. Working with light is different than working on any other product because they are objects that are sometimes on and sometimes not,” she says. “We have to think about it and make the lamp work well in both conditions.” When referencing what lighting should bring to a space, del Portillo adds that “the most important aspect is to create an ambience with light. It really depends on which space you’re illuminating but creating a comfortable ambience for us is the most important part.

“Architectural and decorative lighting are complementary, and both are necessary for a perfect ambiance. Decorative is more important in interiors with its main goal to create a relaxing and restful space.

Architectural is more for hospitality and contact use, but we always find a mix of them in every project.”

As a young studio, the pair approach each project with fresh eyes and deliver an end result that both features a subtle design style as well as a solution for their client. “I think we have a subtle design style that we

try to adapt for each client. When they call us, it is usually because they like what we do. But, at the same time they want something that fits with what they already have. All our projects are influenced by all of our other projects we are doing or have done, as well as the collection of companies that we have worked for. Everything is mixed.”

Further to the mixed approach to each product and client project, del Portillo has also observed in interior design, both in Spain and internationally, the growing idea of not subscribing to one particular trend. “Nowadays, everything is fine – every style, every mix. We have minimalism and maximalism and then industrial and brutalism, and they all fit together.”

Next in the pipeline for the design duo is a collection of furniture and lighting for both indoor and outdoor applications. A key element that they believe a design process needs to factor in at an early stage is what’s more important – function or shape? “Shape is nothing without function. Design wouldn’t be design without function, that’s the most important. We always say that a lamp must be beautiful when switched off, but even more beautiful when switched on.” del Portillo and Selma may well be young designers with a young studio, but both bring a well established history of design knowledge that has set them in good stead to tackle all projects that cross their paths. “The most rewarding part about working in design is to see that people like what you have done, they buy it and use it. Walking around and seeing your products in a shop window or used in a bar or hotel…

That’s really exciting!” concludes del Portillo. www.yonoh.es

Spanish Highlights In collaboration with Interiors from Spain, we bring you a selection of our favourite lighting products from Spain

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058 | SPAIN DESIGN REPORT

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1. Domita Collection Bover

2. Clara a by arturo alvarez

3. Dalt Collection Aromas

In 2019, the Dome pendants were reimagined with the Domita collection by Benedetta Tagliabue and Joana Bover. The expanded collection of smaller lamps now features the Domita table lamp and Domita pendant. Both present a smaller, wooden dome-shape to that of its predecessor. www.bover.es www.mirallestagliabue.com

The Clara collection is a tribute to Clara Campoamor, lawyer, writer, politician and defender of the rights of Spanish women at the end of the 19th and 20th centuries.

This collection of floor and table lamps is equipped with LED technology to illuminate the interior spaces. The combination of two types of stainless steel mesh allows the organic shape that characterises it. www.a-emotionallight.com

The Dalt collection is designed by Pepe Fornas, a member of the design team at Aromas, and was inspired by geometric shapes such as the sphere and triangle.

Working with materials like marble and blown glass, this set of elements and materials gives the Dalt collection the perfect elegant/ retro-chic touch. www.aromasdelcampo.com

4. Bora Beneito Faure

5. Mei Collection Carpyen

6. Alfi Collection Estiluz

From suspended to recessed, surface and magnetic rail, the Bora luminaire was born from the idea of creating ​​ a minimalist and versatile product that can be arranged in multiple configurations. It is made up of two different powers and sizes and comes in white, matte black, chrome and rose gold finishes, colour temperatures of 2700K and 3000K and CRI> 93. www.beito-faure.com

Mei table lamp, Mei suspension and Mei Movil pendants are soft and magical, taking us on a dreamy journey to oriental landscapes. A genuine companion to a muted atmosphere, the table lamp offers a comforting and soothing light. The natural material of the porcelain endows Mei with a sensitive and gentle soul. www.carpyen.com

Designed by José Manuel Ferrero from Estudi {H}ac Atelier and developed by Estiluz’s design team, Alfi luminaires have an open frame, designed to effortlessly create different configurations and to seamlessly integrate geometry and disorder, achieving the visual and functional balance required by any environment. www.estiluz.com

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7. Le Vita Collection Faro Barcelona

8. Shoemaker LEDS C4

9. Parrot Party Collection LladrĂł

Le Vita is a collection of luminaires designed

by Daniel Vila and Esther Pujol from Nahtrang Studio for Faro Barcelona. The weight of light shapes the metal structure, transforming it into a soft material that accompanies the sphere of light. A memory of the reflection of the moon on the horizon and the gravity that surrounds us. faro.es

Shoemaker, designed by Joel Karlsson, redefines classic lighting, providing powerful technical features. The felt shade brings warmth and reduces noise in a space. The smart lighting LED technology enables temperature and light intensity control, offering high visual comfort. Shoemaker is available in two finishes and comes in round or oval shapes. leds-c4.com

The Parrot Party collection is now enhanced by the arrival of tabletop and wall lamps.

The refined forms of the supports contrast with the minute plumage of the birds. The decorative potential of lovebirds, cockatoos, parakeets and parrots, their bright colouring and the carefully studied proportion all add to the realism of a scene. www.lladro.com

10. Aura Luzfin

11. Tomo LZF

12. Dipping Light Marset

The Aura lamp is an aluminium extruded suspension lamp designed by Gauzak design studio and is available in customised colours.

As a light source it exclusively uses LEDs, located in strip format along the perimeter of the hood. A contrast is created between the materiality of its body and the lightness transmitted by its indirect lighting. www.luzfin.com

In a design that is reminiscent of books placed side by side, Tomo is an intelligent and thoughtful lamp, created by design studio MUT. Presented as a series of wood veneer oblongs, Tomo is both graphic and geometrical in form. Available as a suspension lamp and as a table lamp, Tomo’s arrangement is evocative of book spines. ww.lzf-lamps.com

The new suspension Dipping Light, designed

by Jordi Canudas, is now offered as a portable, suspension, wall and a new 20cm table lamp to bridge the gap between small and large sizes. With the Cluster accessory, it is possible to connect several suspension lamps into a single point of light, offering the absolute freedom to build with light. www.marset.com

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060 | SPAIN DESIGN REPORT

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1. Tosca Novolux

2. Bimba Ole! Lighting

The Tosca family, based on a new industrial concept, stands out for its functional and vintage design. It is protected by a grid that reflects its character, adding a decorative value as well. The original and unprecedented collection supports any combination of customised colours and is available as a wall mount or in two pendant sizes. www.novoluxlighting.com

Ole! Lighting launched the Bimba collection in 2020; a family of decorative fixtures with an original design that includes suspensions, ceilings and wall lights. These black metal structures are wrapped with hand-braided cord. For these designs, the cord is widely separated, allowing much more light to pass through, creating a unique light scattering. olebyfm.com

4. Halo Jewel Vibia

5. The Gatsby Collection Vondom

Designed by Martín Azúa, Halo Jewel is a shimmering and pure light, treated in such a way as to avoid glare, drawing the eye with its precious linking element that supports it.

Made from a steel structure with a matte gold finish, and the various angles of inclination, even the supporting piece appears to give off a luminance when touched by the light. www.vibia.com

Designed by Ramón Esteve for Vondom, this lamp is based on the idea of creating a surrounding atmosphere through a play of lights from the lamp’s surfaces, where the material reproduces the shapes and sensations of engraved glass. Its autonomy, adjustable light intensity and customised colour projection at any moment makes Gatsby a perfect technological solution. www.vondom.com

062 | DESIGN REPORT | SPAIN

sylvestrina santa & cole

Inspired by the oil lamps of old, Sylvestrina is a new table lamp from Santa & Cole, designed by Enric Sòria and Jordi Garcés.

Powered by an efficient rechargeable battery, the initial concept for Sylvestrina originated in the early 1970s, when Sòria and Garcés sought to design a lamp suitable for illuminating liquor bottles so that they could easily be seen in different spaces. Based on this idea, they took one of these bottles as a reference, and applied the same height for a cylindrical lampshade. Taking this idea further, the illuminated part of the lamp corresponds to the half-full portion of a bottle.

Although based on an idea dating back more than 40 years, Santa & Cole has been working on the Sylvestrina for the last 18 months, dedicating a year to the development, and the rest to the industrialisation process.

Santa & Cole explains the design process for the fixture: “Three different phases divide the design process: briefing, prototyping and development. In this case, since it is a re-imaging of a 1974 design, the focus was on adapting the product today’s processes, technologies and functions.

“Once the conceptualisation was clear, the development started by modelling the luminaire and prototyping it. After this, all the effort was centred on iterating until we achieved the desired result. The final step consisted of conceiving the technical information and producing several tests according to the regulations.”

On a technical level, the source for Sylvestrina was entirely customised in order to achieve Santa & Cole’s aim of simulating the light of an oil lamp. However, one of the main innovations, the manufacturer believes, is the system used for charging the lamp.

Powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, the lamp charges simply by contact with its charging base.

Regarding the production processes, each piece has different finishes, such as painting, sandblasting or zinc, in order to get the best quality. The lamp’s tube is produced by local glassmakers, enhancing the beauty of the artisanal processes behind it.

In creating such an intricate lamp, inspired by the classic oil lamps of the past, getting the perfect replication of these classic lamps proved to be one of the main challenges for Santa & Cole. “Since Sylvestrina’s designers were inspired by conventional oil lamps, we had to achieve a similar light with LED technology, maintaining the aesthetic of the original design.”

Thanks to its replication of the oil lamps of old, the original intent for Sylvestrina was for the piece to illuminate intimate spaces.

However, through the re-design and the shift to creating a portable fixture, it has become a lamp suitable for multiple scenarios – bringing a touch of warmth to any environment.

“The treatment of light is what distinguishes Sylvestrina from other products,” Santa & Cole tells darc. “It is a very warm and elegant light that perfectly illuminates the table or surface on which it is placed.” santacole.com

Lรกmina | Antoni Arola | 2018

064 | DESIGN REPORT | SPAIN

Inviting faro

We are experiencing a profound reconfiguration of the work models, and therefore the spaces where we work. The workplace is no longer just an office. It can also be a part of our home, a co-working space and even a place in our most visited hotel.

How to adapt working environments to new health and social conditions, combine teleworking with the traditional office, or ensure health and safety in coworking and leisure spaces are some of the issues that most concern when talking about the ‘the new normal’.

In this transformation of workspaces, the lighting has a lot to contribute. Good lighting in our workspace will help us improve our concentration, performance and well-being during working hours.

For this reason, it is the lighting that must be adapted to the requirements that we may have in each situation of our working day, being some moments more relevant a more intense lighting because we are carrying out tasks of greater precision or moments in which we must be more creative and relaxed and the lighting can be more relaxed and warm.

Known as Human Centric Lighting, the purpose is to bring artificial light as close as possible to natural light in order to improve the quality of life and well-being of people, considering the different phases and needs of the day.

Light functions as the most important regulator of the human body and directly influences its life cycle in such relevant aspects as concentration, efficiency and sleep.

Furthermore, aspects such as the level of flicker, glare, or blindness caused by the lighting, or its ability to provide good colour representations, with low reflection and uniform light distribution, are factors that will determine the environmental quality of a space. The contrast between task-specific and ambient lighting is also a very important factor to be considered, along with the user’s ability to control it.

Inviting has been designed to meet this need. Inviting allows us to regulate both the intensity of the light and its temperature by simply sliding the wheel located in its head.

Our work zone is typically the place where we are the most productive. For some, it’s in a collaborative environment surrounded by people; for others, it’s alone at home on the desk or even on the sofa. Inviting invites you to change the light depending on what you need. A workplace can easily be created at the kitchen table or in a reading corner, by moving it. From now on, our workspace is simply where we are.

Creativity is now free to go. www.faro.es

A D JUS TA B LE C OLOR A ND I NTENSI TY

DESIGNED FOR NEW WORKINGSPACES Get your Inviting on eshop.faro.es/inviting

Ad Darc Magazine.indd 1

14/09/2020 17:26:29

066 | DESIGN REPORT | SPAIN

dew grok

One of the latest products to be launched in 2020 from the lighting firm Grok by LEDS C4 is Dew, a totally architectural proposal created by the multidisciplinary Yonoh Studio that stands out for the visual image it projects, the interaction with the user, its connectivity possibilities and light control.

Dew is also a reflection of the work philosophy followed by designers Clara del Portillo and Álex Selma, where terms such as simplicity, innovation, attention, versatility, and timelessness become pillars of their designs.

Yonoh Studio explains: “Dew is inspired by dew - the drops of water resting on the leaves. We had the intention of making a technical lamp, but with a very organic appearance. With this idea we began to work on a luminaire that lost its spherical shape to become a more imperfect shape, all assembled with aluminium pieces that follow this idea of working in the more ‘humanised’ shape.”

In turn, Dew allows multiple light sculpture configurations, starting from a longitudinal element formed from a line of oval LED light points, joined by aluminium pieces at different distances. The lighting system has horizontal and vertical versions, allowing all possible combinations and inclinations.

Its subtlety and versatility allow it to fit into many types of spaces such as hallways, stairwells, hallways. groklighting.com

NOWAY

new decorative collection

LEDS C4

Sticks Vibia

066 | DESIGN REPORT | SPAIN

Image: Daniele de Carolis

Sticks is the latest piece to come from the partnership between product designer Arik Levy and Vibia. “Sticks is the result of a long-term collaboration with Arik Levy, during which we shared visual and conceptual connections,” says Pere Llonch, CEO of Vibia. “With Sticks, we wanted to explore the use of the linear LED, which in the industry is usually used in a commodity way. Our goal was to find a different, innovative, creative way to use linear LED. Arik Levy has the ability to create very architectural and, at the same time, sculptural designs. He helped us to think out of the box, shaking all the ideas we had in mind for this collection and came out with a strong graphic and material, yet emotional, appearance at the same time.”

Taking inspiration from the 1980s film, Dune, both Levy and Llonch created Sticks through a process of experimentation in the studio. “The moment I like the most in my work with Vibia and Pere is that when we meet, we don’t really know what to do,” says Levy. “We get into the design studio, we start experimenting - we have tools, we have parts, we have pending elements and so on, and we literally experiment in the space.

“Sticks is the first ever system that connects wall-to-wall and wall-to-ceiling-to-space. It is an attempt to reach a place where nobody has ever been before and create something truly innovative; it is a toolkit for lighting designers and interior designers. Its beauty is that you can start somewhere and end somewhere completely different. Even if the power is in one place, you can build a lighting installation that reaches far from the power source in an elegant, beautiful and contemporary way,” explains Levy.

“We live in a world of opposite, of antithesis and with this product we wanted to create a solution that you can customise. Furthermore, the Sticks are pivoting, which means you can choose if you want to direct them to the ceiling for indirect lighting or turn them towards a table for direct light.

Sticks permits us to bring light to places it has never been before, like the connecting of two corners, for example.”

Llonch adds: “Sticks is a great tool in the hands of the professional to explore their creativity. As a manufacturer, we always feel limited when we think in terms of floor lamps, ceiling lamps, etc., which are traditional categories that do not always respond to the real needs of spaces and people. We designed Sticks so that there would be floor pieces, wall-towall, wall-to-ceiling, pendants, etc.”

Levy concludes: “Considering that people change their home decoration every seven to 15 years, Sticks is a great product that can change its use, position and final result without buying a new product. In today’s world, we need to distil to the minimum of what we are consuming so that every Euro we spend absolutely perpetuates in time, and companies and designers have the responsibility to build long-time solutions that last. Creating intelligent and creative solutions that improve everyday life is the real task of the designer.” www.vibia.com

Sticks

Design by Arik Levy

BOUNDLESS SPACES Sticks, a creative toolkit for integrating lighting elements in an interior.

Pure and graphic, the minimalist aluminium rods transform linear light into floating sculpture, creating Boundless Spaces.

068 | DESIGN REPORT | SPAIN

erto aromas

aromas began its journey into design with dried flowers and glass bowls before transitioning into the lighting world. The mix of glass and lighting originated with a concept of table lamp that also acts as a decorative piece and air freshener hence the company name, aromas del campo – starting with potpuris to decorative lighting. aromas’ new collection, Erto, is designed around the concept of a constellation drawings of stars that children would create.

Taking a year and a half to come to fruition, the Erto collection underwent numerous re-designs before the team settled on its final version. Each time the collection produced a sample, the designers re-tweaked details in order to find the perfect balance of simplicity seen in the final product.

The pendant lamp principal materials include steel and brass with customisable disc accessories available in alabaster, coloured glass and concrete.

The Erto collection is suitable for any environment with the customisable discs allowing it to be flexible for clients to adapt to their chosen applications. www.aromasdelcampo.com

New Collection AW 2020

www.aromasdelcampo.com

070 | DESIGN REPORT | SPAIN

Halo ACB Illuminacion

Designed by Nacho Timón, a Valencian designer born in 1978 who is a restless creative with a curious and observant character. From a very young age, he has wondered why some things were like this and others like that. This is what marked him and conditioned his career and defined his vocation. A great defender of ‘less is more’ and an unconditional fan of McGyver and the architect Zaha Hadid, he studied Product Design at ESDI - CEU Valencia.

He is currently the creative director of his own multidisciplinary studio made up of young talents that is focused on industrial product design and development and offers its engineering services, such as external, technical and creative support to companies from a multitude of sectors.

His latest creation for ACB Illuminacion, Halo, conveys lightness. It is a visual metaphor; its

design is inspired by a group of balloons that escape from your hand - that first moment that transmits freedom and lightness.

Taking three months to design, Halo is a shaped iron ring with an opal mouth blown glass sphere and LED luminaire.

Its minimalist design allows it to adapt to almost any environment. Its ideal habitat would be stairwells or large spaces such as hotel halls.

One of the challenges the team came across was finding a cable that matches the lamp’s characteristics (that looks like a bow, not a spring), and it was also important to find a cable outlet from a single point that meets all safety requirements and conforms to the design.

Its light character, Halo is very minimalist and creates a unique atmosphere. www.acbiluminacion.com

export@acbiluminacion.com, ACB ILUMINACION, camino de Valencia 104, CP. 46190, Ribarroja del Turia, Valencia, EspaĂąa. www.acbiluminacion.com

ct re g r co in re rint a p es at e of d l Al t tim a

On Show

072 | CALENDARC

A look ahead to forthcoming design shows during 2020/21 with a strong lighting element.

INDEX • DOHA, QATAR

MAISON & OBJET • PARIS, FRANCE

13 - 15 October 2020 (www.index-qatar.com)

22 - 26 January 2021 (www.maison-objet.com)

DOWNTOWN DESIGN •

ARCHITECT @ WORK • LONDON, UK

DUBAI, UAE

9 - 14 November 2020 (www.downtowndesign.com)

27 - 28 January 2021 (www.architect-at-work.co.uk)

DECOREX • LONDON, UK

SURFACE DESIGN SHOW • LONDON, UK

17 - 19 November 2020 (www.decorex.com)

9 - 11 February 2021 (www.surfacedesignshow.com)

SLEEP & EAT • LONDON, UK

STOCKHOLM FURNITURE FAIR • STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

17 - 19 November 2020 (www.sleepandeatevent.com)

9 - 13 February 2021 (www.stockholmfurniturefair.se)

DESIGN SHANGHAI • SHANGHAI, CHINA

HOSPITALITY DESIGN FAIR • SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

26 - 29 November 2020 (www.designshanghai.com)

23 - 24 March 2021 (hospitalitydesignfair.com.au)

HONG KONG LIGHTING FAIR •

HONG KONG LIGHTING FAIR • HONG KONG

HONG KONG

27 - 30 October 2020 (event.hktdc.com)

6 - 9 April 2021 (event.hktdc.com)

[D]ARC AWARDS • LONDON, UK

EUROLUCE •

3 December 2020 (www.darcawards.com)

13 - 18 April 2021 (www.salonemilano.it)

LIGHTOVATION • DALLAS, USA

ICFF •

7 - 10 January 2021 (dallasmarketcenter.com)

15 - 18 May 2021 (www.icff.com)

MILAN, ITALY

NEW YORK, USA

AD INDEX ACB Iluminacion S.L.................................................................................... 73

Juniper............................................................................................................ 23

Archilume.......................................................................................................... 7

Karboxx. . ......................................................................................................... 15

Archiproducts............................................................................................... 75

Karice.............................................................................................................. 61

Aromas del Campo. . ..................................................................................... 71

LEDS C4......................................................................................................... 67

Artemide. . ................................................................................................... OBC

Original BTC. . ................................................................................................ 37

Astro Lighting............................................................................................. IFC

Oxen Luce.. ..................................................................................................... 25

BIID.. ................................................................................................................ 51

Rlon. . ................................................................................................................ 39

Catellani & Smith......................................................................................... 13

Santa & Cole.................................................................................................. 63

Chelsom. . .................................................................................................. 4 / 5

Sleep+Eat....................................................................................................... 76

Decorex.. ......................................................................................................... 77

Tekna............................................................................................................... 31

Design Shanghia......................................................................................... IBC

Tokio................................................................................................................ 41

Downtown Design....................................................................................... 49

Tom Kirk Lighting......................................................................................... 43

Elstead Lighting. . .......................................................................................... 47

Weplight......................................................................................................... 39

Faro.. ................................................................................................................ 65

Vibia . . .............................................................................................................. 69

17—19 NOVEMBER 2020 | VIRTUAL EVENT

17–19 November 2020 Virtual Event

oran by Kristof Pycke kreon

074 | IN FOCUS

Can you tell us a bit about oran, kreon's new decorative fixture? The new oran is a first for kreon. The lighting manufacturer is known for its sleek designs and geometrical projects. This time, though, the designers chose to switch gears. Without losing sight of their basic principles of ‘Unity in design, simplicity in techniques, and precision in detail’, kreon launches its first ornamental line.

The ornamental kreon oran line consists of pendant and ceiling luminaires. The luminaires are available in black and white, or in pure materials such as bronze. The mouth-blown bulbs come in two shapes, round or cone-shaped, or in alabaster. The pendant is optionally covered by a lampshade.

Where did the inspiration for oran come from? kreon oran’s design is based on the architectural principle of the ‘plastic number’. The basic shapes that can be derived from the number’s proportions make up the building blocks of this new line of lighting luminaries. Designing from the plastic number, means working with spatial components. Creating spatial luminaires is in strong contrast with kreon’s earlier designing principles, which were exclusively applied in flat surfaces. In other words, oran is a first for kreon, since it is its first design to claim space, and to actively demand to be a part of it. oran’s spatiality can be seen in its proportions, as well as its dimensions and materialisation. kreon’s team of designers was not only inspired by human concepts.

Nature too was a great source of inspiration for this first ornamental line. With its geometrical patterns, the skeleton of the Venus’ flower basket goes hand in hand with kreon’s designing process. Venus’ flower basket is a sponge, which can be found in the waters surrounding Japan. The animals, which can measure up to 100cm, are structured in a vase-like shape. The way in which the sponge is woven, grants the Venus’ flower basket a sturdiness that enables the animal to survive in the ocean. kreon’s designers analysed the shape of the sponge, to transform it into the unique form of oran’s reflector inside the bulb.

What materials and technologies have been used? The reflector is printed with 3D techniques. To mimic the natural shape of the Venus’ flower basket, a simple element is enlarged in a tiered manner. oran’s reflector thus seems to have grown in an organic way. While using the newest techniques, kreon does not lose sight of the past: oran’s glass bulb is mouth-blown, reminiscent of the traditional trade. The oran line creates space for artisan techniques and modern technologies in one design, that effortlessly finds a compromise between future and past. www.kreon.com

artemide.com

#GreenActionArtemide

DISCOVERY SPACE Ernesto Gismondi

DARC.indd 2

15/01/20 19:03