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Bondi Green | Bomma | Hotel Lighting London Events Round-Up | Costa Smeralda | Gabriel Scott - Luna Kaleido | Vibia - Plusminus | Milan Design Week Part 2

Osca Pendant Round 400

Follow @astrolighting www.astrolighting.com

Sarah Cullen • Editor Time has flown by this year, and I can’t believe we are on the last issue of 2021 already!

What a year it has been…and what a last couple of months it has been for us at [d]arc media as the world well and truly opened its doors to welcome everyone at industry events again.

You may remember the beginning of our last issue started with the buzz of events organisation in our office. Well now we have returned to the office with a bump and weary feet. The return to exhibitions was a stark reminder of how tiring they can be - although my step count is reaching great heights again! [d]arc room pop-up @ Design London in September was a resounding success for us to ease ourselves back into in-person interaction again. We also hosted a fantastic line-up of panel discussions and presentations on our [d]arc thoughts stage. A massive thank you to everyone who took part and helped with the organisation of putting this stellar programme together. The Diversity In Design series is something I am personally proud of and eager to pursue in the new year, continuing to support our design communities in any way I can.

Not long after our venture down to London, the team then jet-setted over to Greece for our brand new event, [d]arc sessions. A unique event was curated to connect people involved in lighting specification projects around the world in an intimate and exclusive setting on the Greek Island of Mykonos. It was a very welcomed change to networking and socialising away from the glare of Zoom meetings on our laptop screens. Again, thank you to all those involved and to everyone who attended! Everyone at [d]arc media really appreciates everyone’s support in getting this new event off the ground. Keep an eye out for plans next year for the second instalment in a new location!

Then after a quick turnaround and switch of clean clothes into our suitcases, darc headed back to London to catch Decorex International at the Olympia. Catch our product round-up over on page 66 to see a bunch of the beautiful lighting pieces we saw at the show. Also, I was privileged enough to take a seat on the sofa of Decorex’s esteemed talks programme along with Designers Mind to discuss the importance of wellbeing in your workplace, whether that’s in the office or at home. Catch Designers Mind on Clubhouse, an international app for open-room discussions on all topics, for weekly chats about mental health to improve your working environments and much more!

Also in this issue, we have some beautiful projects including Costa Smeralda Cruise Ship, Bondi Green dining space and THDP's latest hotel in Sicily and a special feature on Hotel Lighting.

Our cover story looks at one of Bomma’s latest collections, Dew Drops. We find out more about its inceptions and inspirations in our Materials Feature on p.39. Also, we take a behind the scenes look at Vibia’s latest launch, Plusminus in an interview with its designer Stefan Diez over on p.45.

Cover: Dew Drops Collection

Bomma

Welcome

BLOOM BY KARICE LIGHTING

KARICELIGHTING.COM

Contents Regulars

The Magazine Managing Editor | Helen Ankers

008 Focal Point | Arkadia 6 | Finland

h.ankers@mondiale.co.uk 010 Focal Point | Baker's Lounge | India

+44 161 476 8372

039 Materials Feature | Bomma | Dew Drop Collection

Editor | Sarah Cullen

045 Product Focus | Vibia Vibia is set to launch its latest collection, Plusminus, this year. Designed by Stefan Diez, the unique lighting system comes in various installation options.

074 In Focus | Gabriel Scott | Luna Kaleido

s.cullen@mondiale.co.uk +44 161 476 9401 Media Sales Manager | Stephen Quiligotti s.quiligotti@mondiale.co.uk +44 7742 019213

Projects

Media Sales Executive | Adam Syme a.syme@mondiale.co.uk

006 | INSIDE ISSUE 43

012 Costa Smeralda Cruise Ship Lichtvision has completed the lighting design for the new Costa Smeralda cruise ship, with an interiors masterplan by Tihany Design.

020 Bondi Green Bondi Green is the second hospitality venue designed by Run For The Hills for the Daisy Green Collection. With lighting design completed by Elektra Lighting, the modern Deco -beach inspired aesthetic is one of the newest dining and drinking spots in West London.

026 Watt Plaza At 17,000 sqft, Studios Architecture has revealed a stunning, flexible light-filled space nearly six times the original size. Situated in the lobby is a stunning bespoke feature from Canadian-based Archilume.

Features

+44 161 476 9118 Contributing Editor Matt Waring

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

Finance

029 Hotel Lighting Take a look at some of the latest hotel lighting projects from across the globe. Plus, a project insight into THDP's design for the RG Naxos Hotel at Giardini Naxos in Sicily. THDP's Nicholas J Hickson sits down with Editor Sarah Cullen to discuss the scheme.

Finance Director | Amanda Giles a.giles@mondiale.co.uk Credit Control | Lynette Levi l.levi@mondiale.co.uk

051 Milan Design Week Review | Part 2 Continuing our round-up of Milan Design Week 2021, we take a look at some of the latest showroom events and product launches from Italian brands. We also interviewed Salone's President Maria Porro to get an exclusive insight into running the show this year and how the Italian design market has weathered the challenges brought by the global pandemic.

Corporate

062 London Events 2021 As the world opened up for industry events, darc covers a selection of some of the best shows in London from September and October, including [d]arc room pop-up @ Design London.

Managing Director [d]arc media | Paul James

070 [d]arc sessions Review [d]arc media's newly launched event, [d]arc sessions, was a great success! Held at the exclusive Royal Myconian resort on the island of Mykonos, the decorative and architectural lighting community came together to network and build relationships with those specifying on international projects.

Chairman Mondiale Publishing | Damian Walsh

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

F lindt Plaza D esign by Christian Flindt

News Design to Shape Light louispoulsen.com

R20152_LP_DARC_236x333_FlindtPlaza_AD07.indd 1

06-09-2021 14:56:07

008 | FOCAL POINT

Focal Point Arkadia 6 Helsinki, Finland

“The Arkadia 6 business centre in Helsinki is dominated by an impressive lighting installation that works as a centerpiece in the large lobby. The general lighting is soft, allowing the installation full attention while also guiding its guests.” This is how interior architect Riina Ruska of Rune and Berg Design describes the 300 Tube pendants in brass highlighting the adjustable counter in the newly opened office facilities.

The Tube pendant is designed by Finnish interior architect Esa Vesmanen and produced by Saas Instruments in Helsinki, Finland. The minimalistic design and recycled material of the fixture makes it an approachable product to work with in a wide range of projects. While the Tube works very well on its own, it becomes truly majestic in a larger installation like this. The adjustable beam angle, different colour temperatures and various colour options completes this small and efficient design piece. www.saas.fi

009

010 | FOCAL POINT

Focal Point Baker’s Lounge Panchkula, Haryana, India Baker’s Lounge is a new age Indian sweet and confectionery shop, where French bistro meets English patisserie.

In India, traditionally consumption and gifting of sweets or “mithais” are symbolic of celebration. It has a deep-rooted association with auspicious events and is an indispensable part of its socio-cultural heritage.

Drawing inspiration from the versatile range of food products and contrasting flavours, concept evolution and development for Baker’s Lounge became an enquiry: what would be the impression of a space that is somewhere between a French bistro and an English Patisserie?

An effort was made to recreate the bygone British colonial era. A distinct visual tone was set with Art Deco reminiscent arches in chequered soffits, a kaleidoscope of monochromatic flooring and pastel blush ceilings.

Suspended bespoke light fixtures, by Naresh Lighting Company in Dehli, orchestrate a vintage symphony in the form of inverted arches while metallic gold accents seal the retro vibe of the store bringing in just the right amount of bling. studioardete.com

011

012 | PROJECT | COSTA SMERALDA

Seaworthy Design Lichtvision has completed the lighting design for the new Costa Smeralda cruise ship, with an interiors masterplan by Tihany Design. Maintaining a constant lighting theme throughout the ship whilst giving each space its own identity was a key design choice.

Designed by four different interior designers (Partner Ship Design, Rockwell Group, Jeffrey Beers International and Dordoni Achitetti), under the guidance of Tihany Design’s masterplan, the Costa Smeralda cruise ship presents a large variety of design aesthetics between each of its spaces. The floating mini-city offers an incredible variety of areas between restaurants, shops and entertainment.

Lichtvision Design was brought on board to complete the lighting design schemes for numerous areas on the ship. darc spoke with Karen Ihlau, one of the lead designers on the project to find out more about the architectural and decorative lighting scheme throughout.

“We were approached for Costa Smeralda’s lighting design as

Lichtvision was already involved in the lighting design of other vessels belonging to Carnival Maritime Group (Aida Cruises),” explains Ihlau.

“Lichtvision has been involved with Aida since 2007 and has designed the lighting for 10 of its vessels and will be completing the second Costa vessel by end of 2021.

“The project took around two years from start to completion and was related mainly to lighting design of front of house and public areas, both interior and exterior (all restaurants, bars, gathering areas, theatre, museum, beach club and pools, spa, casino, show lounge, sport venues, indoor and outdoor decks etc. and also typical cabins and suites).

013

“The general client brief, for this Italian-themed cruise ship, was to support the masterplan by Tihany Design and ensure very different atmospheres between day and night (sun filled look at daytime and moodier and cosier at night). General lighting was used as the main connecting element throughout the ship. Dim to warm modules were widely used in order to allow for atmospheric changes, always in respect of the architectural characteristics of each area. Also, light levels were designed to be (as much as possible) equal along the ship unless this was going against the venue design and feel that was intended to provide,” she continues.

“Finally, all the main architectural features specific to each area were

highlighted to bring additional value and interest. Entertainment plays a big part on the cruises and lighting design that supports this was crucial.”

As Ihlau explains, general lighting was used to bind the various venues together, creating pleasing transitions from one area to the next.

Custom decorative fittings and highlights to architectural features have been introduced to bring out the essence of each area for a greater customer experience. However, ensuring a cohesive lighting atmosphere was achieved across the entire ship was one of the major challenges Ihlau and her team had to deal with. She explains further: “The design challenge was to create individual special atmospheres for each themed

014 | PROJECT | COSTA SMERALDA

venue and at the same time maintain a cohesive lighting ‘masterplan’ for the entire ship.

“Very typical for a cruise ship, ceiling heights are low and daylight is not always available. The lighting has the task of transforming the spaces to light and airy rooms and give the illusion of tall spaces.

“Additionally, we identified four further challenges within this project; the integration of fittings due to very reduced ceiling cavities, cost control for both luminaire quantities and for control channels, the wide use of highly reflective surfaces that made implementation of lighting in architectural details difficult, without making fixtures visible (cove lights, furniture integrated lighting etc.), and control of overall quantity of different light fixtures specified.

“As mentioned, we did have some structural constraints due to very reduced ceiling voids behind ceiling panels. In a ship, every centimetre counts and cavities were reduced to the minimum acceptance.

This had a particular impact on the definition of cove details and for recessed fittings with more than 90mm recess depth,” she says.

Decorative lighting played a key role in all of the spaces designed

by Lichtvision, particularly as each public area was working with a unique design aesthetic. “We had 33 decorative lighting situations, varying according to the interior design of each public area, within five different interior design practices,” says Ihlau. “As the intention was to enhance the spirit of each of them, we didn’t insist in a common language for decorative lighting. Nevertheless, we made sure, through mock-ups and samples, that all custom and non-standard decorative fittings were visually checked and approved by us and/or interior designers.

“Rutec was used as our main manufacturer for linear LED strips and fully encapsulated linears, different CCTs, tunable white, RGB and RGBW. Other manufacturers commonly used throughout were: DGA, iGuzzini, Hunza, Philips, Osram and Segula for retrofit lamps in decorative fixtures.

“With regards to the decorative lighting, we used pieces from Chelsom, TVV Marine and Light Contract (Flos) as the main manufacturers for

NO 512 U N M I STA K A B L E

S CA N D I N AV I A N

D E S I G N . PA P E R L I K E F E E L W I T H A L I G H T T H AT B E C O M E S A L M O ST P O E T I C. D E S I G N L AU R A T U O R I L A

L I G H T S N O R T H O F T H E 6 0 t h L AT I T U D E

S A A S I N S T R U M E N T S / H e n r y F o r d i n k a t u 5 B / 0 0 1 5 0 H e l s i n k i / F i n l a n d / t e l + 3 5 8 9 6 8 6 0 6 1 0 / i n f o @ s a a s . f i / w w w. s a a s . f i

016 | PROJECT | COSTA SMERALDA

custom decorative fixtures. Vibia, Flos, Venini, Chelsom and Fontana Arte were the main manufacturers for standard decorative fixtures.

“Decorative lighting provided that final touch to make each space outstanding and clearly recognisable.

“Lighting allows for variation and supports the theming of the project.

It provides different daytime and nighttime atmospheres and offers different visual choices, for example entertainment spaces but also quiet and relaxing spaces.

“The decorative lighting layer was part of the interior architecture, theme, look and feel of the space, (as opposed to the general lighting layer being the glue and transitions between spaces). Sometimes, visitors may have the feeling that the entire space has been designed around decorative lighting (especially for oversized chandeliers).

Sometimes decorative lighting completes the design, and you may think that without that specific decorative element something would be missing.”

Despite having a full portfolio of cruise ship projects under its belt, this was a first for Lichtvision’s London office to design with the support of the Berlin team, as well as a first to work on a vessel along with five

interior design practices, including a masterplan by Tihany Design.

Luckily, the brief didn’t change much for the team along the design process. However, Ihlau admits that they had to “run revisions of lighting layouts to reduce costs, especially for decorative lighting that followed the architects’ design brief. The interior design was simplified together with the decorative fixtures to bring the overall design into a specific price point”.

She continues: “It was exciting to be involved and experience some very differently designed spaces come together at the end, and at the same time find a visual common language that ties in all the designs.

The spaces are designed to appear very different, yet they require a solid visual and detailed design strategy as well as considerations for costs, procurement and future maintenance, which of course is not visible but goes on in the background.”

Adam Tihany, Creative Director for Costa Cruises, adds: “I was in charge of selecting and directing the team of designers who created the interiors of Costa Smeralda, soon to be joined by her sister ship, Costa Toscana.

“Lighting has always been a key component to the project’s success.

018 | PROJECT | COSTA SMERALDA

Lichtvision worked very closely with the four commissioned design firms, creating not only dramatically lit individual venues but, most importantly, a seamless transition between very diverse spaces resulting in a harmonious and balanced project.

“My studio designed only one venue on the ship - CoDe: Costa Design Museum, the first ever design museum at sea. The museum occupies approximately 500sqm and has a dramatic ‘tunnel’ made out of highly polished steel rings requiring a clever and bespoke lighting solution.

Again, Lichtvision rose to the occasion and helped create a memorable experience.”

In conclusion and upon reflection of the project, Ihlau says: “We would re-consider the colour temperature selection of the dim to warm range (specified was 2000K-3000K), and perhaps also consider a change to tunable white LED chip, which have that extra flexibility for different light scenes and atmospheres. Overall, the flexibility of changing colour temperatures between day and night was widely liked.” www.lichtvision.com www.tihanydesign.com

Design Details Costa Smeralda, International Interior Design: Tihany Designs, Partner Ship Design, Rockwell Group, Jeffrey Beers International, Dordoni Achitetti Lighting Design: Lichtvision Design Lighting Specified: Chelsom, Flos, Fontana Arte, Segula, TVV Marine, Venini, Vibia

Lichtvision worked closely with the various interior design practices to ensure a cohesive lighting journey was carried throughout the whole vessel, whilst also allowing each space to have its own unique identity.

This was achieved by using a variety of decorative lighting fixtures that suited each individual design.

“We had a high number of different decorative lighting situations, varying according to the interior design of each public area (33 in total) within five different interior design practices,” says Karen Ihlau. “As the intention was to enhance the spirit of each of them, we didn’t insist in a common language for decorative lighting.

020 | PROJECT | BONDI GREEN

Urban Oasis Bondi Green is the second hospitality venue designed by Run For The Hills for the Daisy Green Collection. With lighting design completed by Elektra Lighting, the modern Deco-beach inspired aesthetic is one of the newest dining and drinking spots in West London.

Images: Katya De Grunwald

One of West London’s newest and most expansive al fresco drinks and dining spots, Bondi Green is an all-day bar, restaurant and café that immediately stands out from anything else in the area.

Set within a huge, light-filled space at the base of the landmark Brunel Building, directly beside the peaceful waters of the Grand Union canal in Paddington Basin, the client - the Daisy Green Collection - called on interior designers Run For The Hills to create a space that was “luxe mixed with a bit of industrial - pops of metallics, refined concrete and textured plaster, creating a luxurious palette with an urban edge”.

The interior designers were involved in the project from a very early stage, working with the clients during site negotiations to put together a vision for the space and discuss concepts with the Brunel Building landlords.

Anna Burles, Founder of Run For The Hills, explains the initial brief for the space: “The venue has super high ceilings and a raw, refined concrete backdrop, dreamed up by Brunel Building architects Fletcher

Priest - the perfect urban oasis blank canvas for us to build upon.

“Our operational brief was to segment the space into a bustling, casual dining, all-day venue incorporating a glamorous cocktail bar, casual dining restaurant, and a pizzeria with a semi-open theatre kitchen. We also needed to work in a specialty coffee café zone and a live, working bakery.

“In terms of a look and feel, our brief was to run riot with a Miamiinspired palette, to inject bold colour into the space, while still keeping things pared back, and with an industrial-luxe feel. So we designed a wonderful, colour pop space, playing with pattern clash and experimenting with wow factor specialist surface finishes - an unadulterated celebration of tone and texture.”

The many elements within the vast space, coupled with the floor-toceiling glazed windows that fill the venue with natural light during the day, meant that zoning was a particular challenge, as the interior designers sought to “create a special ‘nook’ for every kind of guest”.

021

Meanwhile, the design of the venue’s huge “hero bar” was a challenge of scale for the interior design team, as it needed to incorporate two cocktail stations, a dedicated tank beer zone, wine testing section, a working bakery and dedicated pizza oven.

Burles continues: “Our solution was to create a huge, centralised bar to house all of these different zones, with a perfectly positioned ‘opening’ in the back bar that offers a direct view down the barrel of the pizza oven.

“We also used lighting to play a big part in helping zone the space, using tightly focused pools of light to create cozy nooks throughout what can only be described as a huge, airy space.”

To achieve this, Run For The Hills worked with lighting designers at Elektra Lighting, blending decorative and architectural elements to create a beautiful lit environment. The decision to work with Elektra Lighting was a natural one for Burles.

She explains: “Amazing lighting is a must have, not just a nice to

have. It can make or break design and transform a gorgeous scheme into an utterly jaw-dropping design. Spaces are zoned as much by the shadows and darkness as they are by the lights picking beautiful design details out.

“We designed the look and feel of the decorative lighting within the space, but we encouraged the commissioning of an architectural lighting consultant, to calculate lux levels, quantity of ambient lights needed and specify all technical fittings, including ceiling tracks, LEDs to the back and front bar and around the banquettes, to create the lighting mood we wanted.

“We’re delighted with the results of the collaboration with Elektra Lighting. The arches behind the bar are beautifully picked out with soft lighting, highlighting the curves and casting a glow onto our antique mirrored shelves, glassware and bottles. The fluted bar front is also softly washed with warm light, which picks out the lovely raw concrete finish we specified, which we then contrasted with an ultra-glamorous,

022 | PROJECT | BONDI GREEN

deep and swirling seaweed-toned marble counter top, with a luxurious double bullnose edge.”

Neil Knowles, Director at Elektra Lighting, explains how the architectural lighting sits in harmony with decorative elements specified by the interior designers: “We’ve worked with Run For The Hills before on a couple of projects, and they had worked with the client before on a couple of smaller kiosks and small coffee shops, but this was the first large-scale, full-service restaurant and everyone wanted to make sure the lighting was right.

“Decorative lighting has been used to define areas and spaces - the cluster of pendants over the central dining area for example, or the individual small pendants over the high seating booths. Each identifies and delineates these as a zone. However in some areas, it would be cluttered or intrusive to have decorative lighting, for example over the bar top. The back bar is a stunning decorative feature so the lighting here should be invisible, softly lighting the bar counter and leaving the back bar as a spectacle.

“In other areas, we have architectural and decorative lighting together.

The large group of pendants in the main space look great but we wanted a dedicated spotlight to each table, which these don’t provide.”

Burles elaborates on the decisions behind the decorative lighting specified for Bondi Green: “We wanted to find textural, interesting fixtures that would be features in their own right, but that also cast a lovely glow onto tables and seating. The lights at the pink half-moon banquettes have a retro space-aged 70s feel, the lights at the singleman booths in the bakery are a little more School House electric to create a really eclectic feel. Lights above the high booths opposite the

bar are more invisible and discreet, there to cast a really tight glow of light onto the tables. Extra large textured dome pendants above the main dining area are clustered for effect, to zone the dining space.

“Beautiful decorative lights are also stunning objects in their own right, quite aside from the lovely light and highlight they provide.”

Bondi Green’s huge space is also zoned through botanical-style planting, which has also been picked out with lighting. Here, specialist wall finishes were used to zone areas of the bar, so Elektra Lighting also paid special attention to make the metallic specialist wall finish in the Tank Beer zone sparkle day and night. In this space, lower light and visual interest is provided by bar-top decorative lamps, while architectural lighting draws the eye up to the high ceilings and wall feature designs.

Although Run For The Hills’ design approach is very varied from project to project, Burles believes that this particular location stands out as it puts “colourful glamour” centre stage.

“We went quite out there with furnishings for the Bondi Green client they pop in extrovert shades and clashing botanical and animal print fabrics. We chose swivel seats for a golden age style, pared down with 70s style cantilever dining chairs in a mix of raw cane and upholstered in tactile fabrics,” she continues.

“For fabrics, we opted for a mix of boldly patterned and plain velvets, softly textured wools and leathers. Dining tables were sourced in a mix of rounds and squares, topped with a range of finishes for an eclectic feel - including cocktail-cool smoke-tinted glass, deep emerald green, Carrara white and dusky brown marble - edge-banded with antique brass for a touch of glamour.

Add PENDANT LAMP

a company of Quadrifoglio Group

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024 | PROJECT | BONDI GREEN

“The semi-open kitchen is also a standout. It features a three-metre charcoal robata grill, creating flame-filled drama throughout the dining room.”

Looking back on the completed project, Burles is very pleased with the end result. She concludes: “We love how Bondi Green has turned out - it reflects the vision and personality of the clients and the Daisy Green Collection, but it also encapsulates our Run For The Hills design signatures - artfully juxtaposing eclectic, personality-driven furnishings, lighting and fabrics, creating the perfect backdrop for the client’s colourful, characterful art collection.

“Bondi is also a standout project for us because of its scale, at a huge 1200sqm of double height space. Since the opening up this summer, the venue has been buzzing, with the kitchen, bakery and Tank beer teams working hard to keep up with demand. Extra covers are being added on the canal-side terrace to service customers still wanting an al fresco experience.

“We feel the design really has delivered on creating an F&B destination in its own right in West London - a new style of venue not seen anywhere else in the area.” runforthehills.com www.elektralighting.co.uk

Design Details Bondi Green, London, UK Interior Design: Run For The Hills Lighting Design: Elektra Lighting Lighting Specified: Cameron Peters, Felix Lighting, Mullan Lighting

Anna Burles, of Run For The Hills, explains the design aesthetic for the vibrant dining space in West London as a brief that allowed them to "run riot with a Miami-inspired palette, to inject bold colour into the space, while still keeping things pared back, and with an industrial-luxe feel".

Having worked together on previous projects, this was the first time both parties were working together on such a large-scale, full-service restaurant. It was key for the lighting to work cohesively throughout the design concept to ensure it was user-friendly and striking to match the interior design.

OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART STUDIO AND FACTORY IS A SPACE WHERE WE COLLABORATE WITH DESIGNERS TO TURN THEIR BESPOKE LIGHTING IDEAS INTO REALITY.

+44 (0)20 8760 0900

info@dernier-hamlyn.com​ www.dernier-hamlyn.com

026 | PROJECT | WAT T PL AZ A

A Touch of Drama Canadian-based lighting studio Archilume were brought in by Studios Architecture to create a stunning lighting installation for the Watt Plaza. With sustainability and efficiency in mind, Archilume's piece uses low consumption LED pendants to create the dramatic effect.

First designed in the 1980s by architect Gin Wong, the lobby of the Watt Plaza building located in Century City, California called for a major renovation and the new design was completed in 2020. At 17,000sqft, Studios Architecture has revealed a stunning, flexible lightfilled space nearly six times the original size. Watt Plaza was the first LEED Platinum-certified office high-rise building in Century City.

Central to this space is the lobby’s lighting feature. The original design

by Studios Architecture called for a large decorative light display made up of a multitude of small pendants. Lighting design specialists Banks Landl Lighting Design (previously Hiram Banks Lighting Design) were brought on board the project. A variety of fixture types, sizes, and shapes were explored, with the design team finally landing on the desired solution. The result is a striking constellation of 350 luminaires in a single fixture from the Canadian lighting studio, Archilume.

Archilume’s P1 pendant blends minimalism and contemporary styling into an elegantly simple luminaire. Its simple form hides a visionary

development in the use of energy-saving LEDs. It utilises total internal reflection optics, where the light source is not visible and emits a pleasant, flattering light that instantly enhances the space.

“Given this element is the focal point of the project, the feature needed to maintain a certain mass for it to carry the stature it would need in the space. If the design only used say 50 fixtures due to budget or another factor, the impact would have been far less. The density and scale of the installation make this feature a success,” says Matthew Landl, Banks Landl Lighting Design.

A project of this magnitude certainly had its challenges. Once the number of luminaires had been decided and a design solution had been created, labour and installation became the primary focus so the design was constructible. BLLD designed a template system for the overall 15x19ft ceiling cove area with which the contractor could simply layout the mounting points and required wiring. This was a critical component to the overall design success of the installation

027

Images: Bruce Damonte

as the pattern needed to be exact and simple enough for the installation to be efficient, but random enough for the overall mass to look unified.

“We’re thrilled to have worked with BLLD and Studios Architecture. Not only did this design project truly tap into our core design philosophy, it showcases the breadth of our product capabilities,” says Saleem Khattak, Archilume.

The design includes new energy-efficient glass, sustainably sourced materials, low-flow fixtures, new energy saving cool roofing over the rotunda, and LED lighting. By using Archilume’s P1 LED, low wattage, low output fixture, but doing so in a large, focalised quantity, it allowed for the surrounding connective spaces to have reduced power consumption, effectively allowing for the space to remain energy efficient and preserve resources. archilume.com studios.com bankslandl.com

Design Details Watt Plaza, California, USA Interior Architecture: Studios Architecture Lighting Specified: Archilume Lighting Design: Banks Landl Lighting Design

Studios Architecture commissioned Archilume to create a stunning lighting feature in the lobby of the Watt Building in California.

Using a collection of P1 LED pendants, Archilume achieved a dramatic focal point of light to welcome visitors to the newly renovated space.

Watt Plaza was the first LEED Platinum-certified office highrise building in Century City. Archilume's design was conscious of this criteria and ensured its fixtures were low wattage and low output in order to adhere to the sustainable stipulations.

The Glowbules

A collaboration with Adam Nathaniel Furman

HAND-BLOWN GLASS - AVAILABLE IN 22 COLOURS

www.curiousa.co.uk

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029 | HOTEL LIGHTING FOCUS

Home away from home Lindis Hotel Ahuriri Valley, New Zealand

Nestled in the pristine Ahuriri Valley in the South Island, the Lindis Hotel is New Zealand’s latest luxury lodge.

The property is situated in an idyllic 6,000-acre plot of wilderness, with uninterrupted views of mountains and meandering rivers. Featured throughout the aweinspiring Lindis lodge, London-based Cameron Design House’s bespoke, sculptural lighting emanates exquisite beauty.

Set within the magnificent New Zealand countryside, the Mahlu circular pendant lights can be seen illuminating from the picturesque baron landscape. Effortlessly hovering from the ceiling of the striking, glass fronted lodge, the pendants create a warm and inviting glow by emitting light from both above and below the rings.

Sophisticated in design, the bespoke lighting pieces perfectly link the modern and sculptural interior of the hotel with the great outdoors. The Mahlu’s vivid radiating glow can be seen whether relaxing in the hotel or exploring the rugged surrounding land, projecting the stillness of nature in refined luxury.

The pearlised diffuser and wide profile gives the Mahlu a discerning elegance, allowing it to fit seamlessly into any interior. Available in a polished or brushed brass finish, as a single ring or a combination of rings in a variety of sizes, the versatile Mahlu light from Cameron Design House offers a spectacular statement piece in any residential, hospitality or commercial space. camerondesignhouse.com

030 | HOTEL LIGHTING FOCUS

Nobu London Portman Square London, UK

The design narrative for Nobu London Portman Square was focused on an atmosphere of timeless elegance and contemporary luxury.

It was determined by interior architects David Collins Studio that lighting was to be an essential element in creating the right ambience and that it needed to be able to change the scene and highlight different tones and materials during different times of the day. When it came to statement decorative fittings, they chose bespoke lighting manufacturer Dernier & Hamlyn, which they’d worked with previously on numerous projects, including the hotels Gleneagles and Adare Manor as well as Harrods Men’s Superbrands.

The artisan team at Dernier & Hamlyn used its extensive experience and wide-ranging skills to produce more than 100 individual light fittings crafted from brass and hand finished in bronze. They feature in the most spectacular areas of the hotel including wall, ceiling and pendant lights in the restaurant and

bar and private dining room.

In the lobby twelve colonnade wall lights are installed in the ceiling, which were formed from brass sheets cut by hand, all pieces were then individually silver soldered and finished in a unique bronze shade created and specified by the David Collins team.

Light is softly dissipated through the panelled shades created by sandwiching luxury Spanish parchment between glass panels.

Lyn Newcombe, Dernier & Hamlyn’s Head of Projects says: “This project utilised many of our team’s skills to ensure the lighting we manufactured achieved the quality and attention to detail required. The lighting they produced for Nobu Hotel London Portman Square is even more exquisite than we hoped for and we have no doubt that the hotel’s guests and diners will have their experience enhanced by the mood it helps to create.” dernier-hamlyn.com

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Stilwerk Hotel Heimhude Hamburg, Germany

Stilwerk Hotel Heimhude is an Art Nouveau villa with a history of more than 150 years, in which a new chapter is just beginning: the meeting of young and old, the encounter of striking charisma and modern design.

The villa with 24 rooms, library, lounge, gym and garden has been lovingly transformed into a contemporary, charming home.

“For the lighting design, it was a challenge: every room is different, both in terms of size and furnishings,” says Erol Siegert-Knop, Occhio senior lighting designer, who has worked on the project from the beginning. Each room is a showroom. Clear lines, harmonious colour worlds, discreet lighting scenes provided by various Occhio lights from the Mito, io, lui, leì and Sento series.

The lighting scenarios are controlled via an app using the Occhio Air system. Whether in the morning in the breakfast room, in the afternoon in the library or in the evening at the bar, the guest always feels noble and comfortable. Instead of a cool design, something was

created here with heart and soul that celebrates the idea of sustainability with handmade manufacturing quality - and invites inspiration. High-quality, modern interior and classic stucco elements create an exciting and harmonious atmosphere. The io verticale on the walls create a real “at home” feeling.

The British-styled cosy library is characterised by the “Elephant curry” wallpaper. The mobile lights were also chosen because of the adaptable furniture and spread a warm feeling of space, while outside the door the big city beckons.

Each of the 24 hotel rooms are unique: size and furnishings are individually different. What unites all the rooms are the high-quality materials and a style that reconciles the classic with the modern. The changeability of the luminaires from the lei family is ideally suited to accompany this symbiosis with different lighting moods. www.occhio.de

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Volcanic Vibrancy THDP's Nicholas J Hickson sits down with Editor Sarah Cullen to discuss the design influences for the RG Naxos Hotel at Giardini Naxos in Sicily. The scheme takes strong aesthetic cues from the towering Mount Etna located above the resort.

Images: Giorgio Baroni

RG Naxos Hotel at Giardini Naxos, Sicily, has recently opened and is set to become a new Delta Hotel by Marriott. Designers THDP were brought on board at the end of 2019 to complete the new scheme for the hotel that was previously built in the late 1970s. Huddled against the Mediterranean coast and cradled by the imposing Mount Etna, the hotel's position is idyllic and unique. The hotel features 296 guest rooms, suites, two penthouses, two restaurants, lobby, gardens and beach, all of which were designed by THDP. darc caught up with lead designer Nicholas J Hickson to find out more about the chosen aesthetics and their inspiration.

“The hotel was first built back in the late 70s as a Holiday Inn, so the rooms and hotel are therefore atypically large for the area; the hotel was then a Hilton Hotel – but has now rebranded as a Delta Hotel by Marriott. The client is an Italian family, which owns many other hotels in Rome, Milan and other areas of Sicily,” explains Hickson.

Mount Etna and its volcanic landscapes played a key role in the team’s

design concept and choices for materials and objects throughout the space. Its natural beauty and supernatural presence, along with the nautical, seaside features of the island of Sicily, were brought together into a central point of design in the lobby. By adding local decoration, artworks and colours, the goal was to add character, a deep sense of authenticity and a refined and resort-based palette of natural tones with touches of colours of the sea.

What made this a stand-out project for the team, was its location.

“Being in the shadow of Mount Etna, gave us a real opportunity to tell stories - La Sciara restaurant in particular features dark grey rough lava stone walls, and enameled lava stone bar and tables - the theme is dark, brooding just like the volcano above it,” says Hickson.

The hotel is also categorised as a MICE hotel for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. It provides an elite space for professionals in a tailor-made hospitality setting.

From the outset, THDP considered adding a new lobby bar to the

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centre of the space, defined as being both a visual anchor but also dividing the space and making it feel more intimate. This new layout allows workers and leisure guests to cohabit in an intimate space. The style is elegant, Mediterranean with sea colours and Taormina’s stone colours blending the indoors and outdoor colour palettes.

In terms of lighting this space, Hickson says: “The lobby area for the hotel is very large, and previously didn’t have an anchor feature, to encourage guests to use it. A very early idea from THDP, supported by the client, was to activate this space as a new lobby bar, Quintessenza.

Therefore, the lighting needed to be completely manageable to transition the space from a fresh place to have a coffee, to a cool cocktail bar in the evening. We built lighting into and over the bar and added lighting to the back of some new banquet seating, which had a room divider effect with a rattan screening and new Laos wall lights were added by Aromas del Campo. These are a wonderful collection of dried grass wheels, which are back lit - perfect for a seaside

resort. Overhead fans were also added to give a cooling and peaceful atmosphere.

“For us, lighting not only provides a functional but aesthetic enhancement to any space, so as this was a MICE hotel used by both business and leisure guests it was important to light the spaces well, but also to enhance each area,” explains Hickson. “Generally, the meeting rooms have recessed ceiling lighting, with inset LEDs so the lighting is invisible but completely manageable. For the restaurant here too, the lighting was generally lowered, and new pieces of furniture, such as buffets etc. had built-in lighting at touch points to help guests navigate.

“The decorative lighting brands we chose included: Aromas del Campo, Faro Barcelona, Utu Lighting, Marset, Aldo Bernadi, Contardi, Servomuto.”

Speaking of how the lighting was integrated into the entire interior design and what it brings to the spaces, Hickson says: “Without good

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lighting there is no interior, ensuring that there is not only light but there is dark is the key for us, allowing spaces to transition from daytime use to evening is so important to our front of house spaces. So lighting placement and control is key. Too much lighting, or lighting in the wrong space simply ruins a good design.”

As is the case with so many projects these days, the THDP inevitably encountered some issues with completing this design during international lockdowns, which caused numerous delays throughout the process.

“The client initially wanted the interiors of the main front of house areas built during the spring of 2020, THDP were appointed in December 2019. With Covid rather interfering with this plan the works were finally carried out in the autumn of 2020 and spring 2021. Clearly the intent of the interior design being in such a wonderful location as Sicily was to keep the design, selection of suppliers and finishes local. This way we could rely on the natural heritage of these materials within our design.

“Like everyone else THDP soon became fluent in meeting online, of course this affected the review meetings, luckily we have a team placed in Italy so we could always attend meetings personally and review samples and materials with the client directly. Of course we prefer to meet the client face to face, and we now recognise that by doing so, you really avoid misunderstandings, and you can not just show your work to your client but get immediate feedback from them.

Moving forward we will revert back to meeting clients face to face.”

Luckily for the design teams, the brief for the concept did not change over the course of the project. However, as is typical, the budget did “mature over time”, and due to the age of the building, necessary additional costs came into play to cover civil works that had not originally been accounted for. “Some value engineering took place, but in the end it was through direct procurement opportunities that savings were made – and therefore in the end many of the items specified by THDP were included,” says Hickson.

Design by Stefan Diez

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Overall, the final outcome of the design is something Hickson and the team are “immensely proud of” despite working with the challenges brought on by Covid-19. “I think if we had the opportunity to visit the property more we would have had a better result, as the project was more or less completely designed in lockdown, it suffered due to obvious misunderstandings, which caused some delays - that said, we are immensely proud of the final result.

“I think the balance of using a local design vernacular mixed with a modern take on interior design works really well, not making it kitsch, but rethinking local tradition and making it feel more contemporary - perhaps given more time it would have been possible to add more artwork, and accessories to amplify this,” he concludes. www.thdpdesign.com

Design Details RG Naxos Hotel, Sicily, Italy Interior Design: THDP Design Architect: Architecna Engineering Messina Lighting Specified: Aldo Bernadi, Aromas del Campo, Contardi, Elle Gomiero, Faro Barcelona, Marset, Omio Lighting, Servomuto, Utu Lighting

Taking its design inspiration from the supernatural elements of the volcanic Mount Etna, the RG Naxos Hotel presents a beautiful, vibrant, yet calming design for its luxurious resort.

The team at THDP consciously chose to use local products and finishes to maintain an authentic representation of its georgraphical placement. Using decorative lighting pieces, lead designer Nicholas J Hickson created poetic moments of focus for each space, which brought the schemes together in a cohesive aesthetic suitable for tourists and business visitors.

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Product Designer Boris Klimek's latest conception for Czech lighting brand Bomma is the Dew Drops collection. darc learns more about the design's inspirations and creation at Bomma's in-house glass making facility.

Images: Martin Faltejsek and Bomma

Designed by Boris Klimek, Dew Drops is a unique collection of pendants from Bomma. Featuring an internal light source, each glass object presents a hint of iridescence, adhered tightly to hand-sewn bands of either vegan material or high quality natural leather.

Having first worked with Bomma on the Pebbles collection in 2019, Klimek says of his second collection for the lighting brand: “The Dew Drops collection was created to capture the fleeting beauty of morning dew, clinging to blades of grass. We managed to transpose that magic to materialise the seemingly immaterial with lightness and grace. The delicate drops on the surface of its carrying straps hang in space like pearls in a necklace. The carrying strap is as essential a part of the lighting as its glass drops. They connect harmoniously and equally contribute to the overall appearance of the lighting.”

In three words, he describes the pendants as “poetic, emotive, and magical”.

He continues about the design’s conception: “Working with light, especially in combination with glass, is magical and endlessly inspirational. I had been thinking about the concept of Dew Drops for

a long time. Bomma then approached me to design a new lighting collection for them, so I tried to transform my idea into sketches.

At this moment several people from Bomma joined the prototyping stage; every step of which was challenging as everything was new and different. A big thanks goes to the Creative Director of the brand Václav Mlynář and head of R&D Ota Svoboda, who played a crucial role in the development of Dew Drops collection.”

Klimek likens the design process of Dew Drops to many of his other products’ journeys. “From the first ideas and sketches, I went quickly to verifying the proportions and modelling in 3D,” he explains. “Afterwards, I created visualisations that I showed to Bomma and they liked it. The prototyping process took into consideration Bomma's glassworks, where we tested the combination and proportions of used materials – leather, crystal glass, metal etc. The light source was the most challenging part. The Bomma team always develops the light sources themselves and it differs for every collection. It took us almost one year to develop the Dew Drops lighting, which is a success considering the technical difficulty of this collection.”

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Nature's Finest

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Manufacturing Processes Created in-house at Bomma's glass making facilities, the crystal glass "dew drops" were handmade for each pendant, giving each drop a unique finish with an iridescent finish.

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Dew Drops use a combination of metal-coated crystal glass, leather hand-sewn straps and an LED light source. The collection is also available in vegan leather.

When asked more specifically about why these materials were chosen, Klimek elaborates: “It emerged from the essence of Bomma itself. They are not afraid to experiment, and they accept every challenge. They move the boundaries of the glass making craft; therefore, they weren’t afraid, even though the realisation of this collection was challenging.”

Klimek continues to describe the new collection and its application suitabilities: “It is almost like a sparkling pearl necklace levitating in a space, it is a crystal object that brightens up every interior. You can use Dew Drops as a single pendant or you can create immense installations by multiplying it. There is no limit except the space itself. It is perfectly suitable for both private residence and public spaces such as lobby, hotel receptions, cafes and others.

“I think that every lighting in Bomma’s portfolio is unique in a certain way. All the collections differ not only by the concept itself but also by the individual approach of the designer and their work with glass, it’s colour and the form. The light source and the way the lighting is attached to the ceiling is, for many products, different.

The Dew Drops collection is not an exception.”

Václav Mlynář, Creative Director of Bomma adds: “From the beginning, it’s characteristic for Bomma glassworks to create lighting that balances functional fixtures with art objects that lend interiors both atmosphere and distinction. The Dew Drops collection follows this principle with perfection. Various options to combine individual lights through crossing and bending add custom possibilities to its artistic intent.” www.bomma.cz www.borisklimek.com

The Dew Drops collection, launched this year for Bomma by Boris Klimek, took its inspiration from nautre and its water dew drops that form on blades of grass.

The bands that each light source is fixed to comes in a choice of real leather or vegan leather to cater to all audiences and applications, for residential and hospitality projects.

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Tightrope Lighting Vibia is set to launch its latest collection, Plusminus, this year.

Designed by Stefan Diez, the unique lighting system comes in various installation options and fixtures.

Beginning his design journey with Vibia in 2017 with the award-winning creation of Guise, Stefan Diez’s latest design for Vibia is the Plusminus collection, which is soon to be available in 2021.

Diez grew up in a household of fourth-generation carpenters, which provided him with an early bond to craftsmanship that profoundly shaped his development as an industrial designer. He studied under Richard Sapper at the State Academy of Fine Arts Stuttgart before opening Diez Office in 2002.

Plusminus is a lighting system that provides designers the opportunity

to customise light in their interior spaces. A bespoke collection that features a fabric belt and various light fittings to lend individual sensibility through contemporary technology, the specially developed belt provides the support and electrical conductivity, while the light sources are attached using a clip-and-connect system.

Starting its design concept back in 2018, the inspiration for Plusminus originated in the simple luggage strap of a car roof rack or bicycle carrier. To achieve the successful technical resolution of the system, Diez worked with a Berlin-based institute in order to come up with a belt

046 | 000 PRODUCT | M ATERI FOCUS ALS| VIBI A

Image: Daniela Trost

fabric belt and various light fittings to lend individual sensibility through contemporary technology, the specially developed belt provides the support and electrical conductivity, while the light sources are attached using a clip-and-connect system.

Starting its design concept back in 2018, the inspiration for Plusminus originated in the simple luggage strap of a car roof rack or bicycle carrier. To achieve the successful technical resolution of the system, Diez worked with a Berlin-based institute in order to come up with a belt that would allow the conduit of an electrical current through its entire length. Starting from the properties of this conductive belt, Vibia and Diez explored different ways to attach the various light sources.

Each strap, which can be cut as needed, accommodates multiple luminaires and operates with simple plug-in technology for unparalleled ease of installation and connection. The belt offers adjustments in tension from taut to relaxed, as well as click-and-connect functionality that snaps into a buckle attached to each luminaire.

There are six different sources that give the lighting its specific characteristics when attached to the fabric belt: sphere, semisphere, cone, spotlight, linear diffuser, linear low UGR, curved metal shade, linear

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rectangular profile and hemispherical spot. A series of anchors and fixings maintain the desired configuration of the belt with the attached lights, which in themselves are an attractive addition to the overall installation.

The common thread of the Plusminus collection is the specially developed fabric belt that can be easily adapted to create all sorts of lighting installations. The belt is available in different tones and finishes within the Vibia colour palette.

Plusminus offers designers a powerful toolkit to create numerous possibilities of integrating light into their schemes, from intimate installations in residential settings to striking installs in commercial spaces. The various tensions of the belt can create elegant

compositions, or an architectural presence when under more tension, creating a space divider or artistic installation in vertical configurations.

Used horizontally, the system suggests a suspended ceiling with light sources delimiting the height. Adding a wire cable attachment allows any number of configurations to become possible.

The light sources are also configurable with intuitive software that allows designers to create pre-set lighting configurations from Vibia or design their own bespoke schemes. The light sources can also be added to or removed from the system depending on the evolving needs of the client. www.vibia.com

049

Road to Recovery

The events’ industry has had a turbulent 18-months due to the impact of international lockdowns and restrictions, as a result of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

However, 2021 saw the beginning of the events world re-opening, and with that came the latest instalment of Salone del Mobile.

Milano in the form of Supersalone at Milan Design Week. darc sat down with Maria Porro, President of Salone del Mobile, to find out more about how Italy’s design community weathered the pandemic and how the exhibition bounced back to accommodate the “new normal”.

“Supersalone was a real success, well beyond our expectations,” says Porro. “After 18 months away, together with colleagues, entrepreneurs, architects, designers, manufacturers, the city of Milan and the entire international design community, we created this unprecedented event that we wanted to call "Supersalone": we set out to organise it, believing that it was essential to get together again, but above all, to rediscover, retouch and try the products that our companies have continued to create in these long months of the pandemic.

“As you might know, the decision to do the event was taken at the end of June, so we had very little time to organise it. It was a completely new format and we had a lot to do in a strict time. So, we are deeply satisfied by its incredible results.

“Figures speak for themselves: over 60,000 visitors from 113 countries - of these more than half were trade operators and buyers (47% from outside Italy); nearly 1,800 journalists from all over the world.

“I believe it sent a message of beauty and hope not only to Italy, but to the entire world.”

Unable to compare the previous years of Salone del Mobile.Milano to Supersalone due to its unique circumstances in which it was held, Porro is still delighted with the turnout at this year’s event.

“We cannot do any comparison with the last edition of Salone del Mobile.Milano because this year was an emergency year due to the general Covid situation. For example, Chinese visitors – who in the past are number one in terms of quantity - could not leave China.

“Supersalone” is not comparable to the 2019 edition, but by no means is it inferior: I can say we appreciated even more those who decided to visit despite the difficulties, confirming the strong relationship and affection with our design community,” she explains.

In order to ensure the event was as safe and secure as possible for its international visitors, Porro and her team worked hard to implement as many Covid-prevention measures to limit the spread of the virus.

“Salone del Mobile.Milano had laid down the bases, carefully and respectfully, to ensure that the first great trade fair in person was open, in terms of security, to as many people as possible,” she tells darc.

“We had to devote considerable effort and attention to the organisational aspects involved with preventing the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic and, in particular, to the organisation of the spaces at the fair, the guidelines for correct visitor behaviour (the use of masks and social distancing throughout was mandatory) and to regulate access and flows. Body temperature screening and Green Passes or the EU Digital Covid Certificate was compulsory for all visitors. We also created four rapid testing

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052 | MIL AN DESIGN WEEK REVIEW

darc's Editor Sarah Cullen sits down with President of Salone del Mobile.

Milano Maria Porro to discuss the impact of the global pandemic on the international design event, the Italian design community and how both have responded to its challenges.

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stations for those who wished to take a rapid antigen test.”

With an increased demand for large events and organisations to be more environmentally aware of their footprints, Supersalone reflected this in its approach to creating a more sustainable show. Porro explains how they achieved this further: “The show reflects the general attention to the environment and embraces the concept of sustainability and the issue of reuse, recycling and circularity. This approach interprets striving for better and more responsible development of the industry. In building the event, we gave importance to hire and reuse, in order to cut material waste as much as possible. All the materials and components of the installation have been achieved using a reduced quantity of chipboard panels made from 100% recycled wood, which will then be channelled back into the production cycle with a view to circularity, saving 553,500kg of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere.”

Shifting to look at Italy’s design market as a whole, darc asked Porro about how the local industries had weathered the last couple of years?

“These particular years have forced us to

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rediscover the importance of the domestic space and, for this reason, to reconsider the value of the quality of the places of living, encouraging renovation,” she says.

“The situation resulted in a positive growth in France, the US, Germany, the UK and Switzerland, the top five commercial outlets for us, as well as in the top 25 destination markets, testifying the healthy state of Italian exports.”

She continues: “The pandemic has increased the need for quality design: which does not mean only quality of materials and surfaces but also quality in the organisation of spaces, able to influence the way in which we live in the spaces.

“The experience of the home is something universal that unites all people in all the countries of the world, but every home is different because it is created by the people who live in it: every home is unique.

“Design made in Italy always gives a different and personalised quality solutions, making our furnishings enter the most diverse and distant homes, resulting in a harmonious encounter between different cultures and ways of life.”

When looking at design trends occurring in Italy at the moment, Porro adds that design has been directed back inwards to the home.

“During this long pandemic period there has been a lot of attention to the house and a rediscovery of the domestic space. Home has become more and more “home” and less and less “house”. A cosy place to take refuge from the outside, being comfortable and surrounded by beauty with your objects and pieces of furniture. Being forbidden to go out for some long periods, even the smallest balcony or terrace or garden became a sort of “escape room”. The boundary between indoor and outdoor is blending and home is now also a place where you can reconnect with nature. So, outdoor furniture has received a lot of attention.

“It’s essential to support companies in the process of innovation and change towards greater environmental sustainability, but first of all we need to enhance and communicate the strength already inherent in our products,

which are the expression of a virtuous manufacturing system and a model that focuses on quality and durability.

“I believe we have realised that we need the essential and the functional. The superfluous is not necessary in difficult times but we probably extend this concept to normal times. The experience of the home has been something universal that united everyone.

“At the same time, our perception of public spaces has dramatically changed, and now we appreciate more and more large, un-crowded spaces, where it is possible to control the flows of people and meet safely thanks to the presence of outdoor areas.”

Looking ahead to the next edition of Salone del Mobile.Milano, Porro is enthusiastic that the 2022 show will continue to bring designers and industry heavyweights together in the heart of Italy to spark new design and creativity. “Supersalone has reiterated once again how Salone del Mobile.

Milano, and its relationship with the city of Milan, is at the centre of the design scene with an irreplaceable role in catalysing all the energies of the sector, and attracting visitors, offering new enthusiasm and a creative boost to all our partners.

“All agreed that it had been a positive experience, and for everyone a signal of the restart of an entire industry and of the city of Milan, trade operators and exhibitors are all hard at work on the 2022 edition in the hope that we will be able to meet the whole design community again at Salone,” she says.

“Supersalone was a special event, a one-off piece. Salone del Mobile.Milano 2022 will go back to the original formula and we’ll once again be a fair rather than an exhibition.

However, it will certainly keep some “supersalone” important turning points, such as sustainability and the fact that for the first time we had a real digital presence through website, socials, QR codes and streaming.

And last but not least, the visitor’s experience at the centre for us.”

The next edition of Salone del Mobile.Milano will take place 5-10 April 2022. www.salonemilano.it

056 | MIL AN DESIGN WEEK REVIEW

Archiproducts Milano in via Tortona 31 welcomed visitors to its new exhibition Future Habit(at), inspired by the lifestyles of the future.

From Project Days to forays into the fashion world, the new layout in via Tortona 31 hosted a rich programme of events.

Design Week began with the inauguration of the new installation, resulting from a productive collaboration with Studio Salaris. Realised together with 60 international brands, the project explores possible scenarios that interpret future lifestyles. Technology - increasingly silent and devoid of traditional interfaces - and cocoon spaces opportunities for intimacy in shared spaces - were the keywords for this new edition.

In exploring these cocoon spaces of the future, the aim was not just social distancing but also finding new ways of social sharing.

At Archiproducts Milano, this was translated into hybrid collective elements – kitchen counters that become co-working tables, living walls and cocoon spaces.

Taking a walk-through of the space, we discover a large variety of decorative lighting elements that completed the scenes.

The arches, the project’s formal leitmotif, interpreted the spaces of the future, and became the graphic symbol of the new Kriskadecor anodised aluminium chain façade designed by the Archiproducts Team illustrator, Carla Di Benedetto. The arches welcomed the visitor at the entrance. The pale, neutral Novacolor grey on the wall contrasts the desk's bright orange and blue. The staircase took on a new meaning and moved from being a transitional area to a real living space. The walls were decorated with repeated graphic patterns in relief, inspired by fabrics from Florim ceramic wall tiles to Officinarkitettura wallpaper, offering a tactile - as well as visual - experience.

The lighting was also almost graphic. Ribbons intertwined to support round glass objects designed by the Canadian brand Studio d'Armes, filling the staircase void with rhythmic light. Comfortable Hobbyflower poufs arranged along the route allow people to take a break and admire the space.

Paolo Castelli's luminous glass sculptures, a tribute to Morandi, highlight and illuminate an additional seating area. We have become increasingly demanding of our living spaces, moving towards more fluid and multifunctional environments.

BuzziSpace furniture and lighting solutions created small office islands.The future of living is also more sustainable. Sound-absorbing felt covering the furniture is made of 100% recycled PET. Soft, sinuous lines, combined with light wood and pastel-coloured upholstery, create an environment that provides visual comfort. There was also a meeting room, an all-in-one office solution. Two rooms on the first floor house the BTicino Smart Apartment. Here was where you could experience a smart home, where technology gives value to everyday living. It allowed you to comfortably and efficiently control video entry systems, lights, sockets, automation, temperature and security via App or voice

controls.

The terrace hosts the Elmar freestanding cement kitchen. In the evening, Ambientec Japanese lanterns created atmospheric light and moved with our new nomadic needs.

The route continued along the corridor, which, like the staircase, became a place for a break and no longer a place only to pass through.

The wall is entirely covered with sound-absorbing Knauf AMF wood wool sheets. It is punctuated by three portholes covered with soft fabric, where people can sit or even lie down comfortably to watch a film or listen to music on their tablets or headphones. On the ceiling, a spectacular ANDlight installation ran throughout the entire space.

The kitchen became a hybrid element, halfway between domestic use and a co-working space. Wing was a freestanding wood kitchen by True Design conceived as a 'piazza' that comes alive in different ways at different times of the day. Wing had contemporary light lines, as does the room's lighting. The ANDlight chandelier, with its minimal, unconventional shape, expressed richness in brass. Adjustable aluminium office lamps by Re-volt extend from the walls.

The Dooor textile door separates the corridor from the next room, where Interna8's timeless furnishings took us back to a more familiar but not banal - domestic environment. It could be a living area, but also a more luxurious and cosy office. In the future, everything will be more fluid and harmonious.

The building’s largest room is transformed into an elegant set whose dominant colours are blue and teal.

Here the walls were veritable living architectures, with arches and cocoons that become part of the structure itself. It was furnished with a long wood Buzzispace table, a Silentlab pod, Midgard lamps, the Samsung 360 cassette for air conditioning, framed by AMFknauf hanging panels, Braun wireless acoustic speakers, and Samsung TVs for videoconferences and meetings.

Archiproducts Milano, even pondered new way of living on the planetary scale. Econyl provides an answer, showing us the various applications of regenerated nylon-carpets, chairs, lighting and rugs show its potential.

Attention to the relationship between design and sustainability is also explored in a room by Milla & Milli. The love affair with nature ranges from searching for raw materials to focus on the production process and formal inspiration. Waves carved into a wood surface create plays of light and shadow, speaking of deep waters, Zen gardens and furrows in the earth. The lighting featured soft profiles, with a Paolo Castelli pendant lamp and blown glass lamps by ANDlight.

The kitchen was a black steel futuristic sculpture that was both luxurious and highly functional. The new Desalto marble table came complete with two stools was illuminated by a pair of lime-coloured easy-to-adjust Midgard pendant lamps and Astro Lighting wall lamps.. www.archiproducts.com

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Milan Design Week Product Launches

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Croma Lodes Contemporary Italian lighting brand, Lodes, is exhibiting its lighting range at supersalone and La Casa Fluida by Elle Decor Italia as part of Milan Design Week 2021. The brand is presenting a selection of recent products, however the two events will first and foremost set the stage for the debut of Croma, the new floor lamp designed by multidisciplinary designer Luca Nichetto for Lodes.

Taking its name from the Italian word for a ‘quaver’ or ‘eighth’, Croma illustrates a musical note in its slender frame. In contrast to the classic floor lamp, which typically opens out at the top rather than the base, Luca Nichetto and Lodes turned the frame on its head to create a revolutionary product. Available in four unique finishes, Croma offers two metallic ombré effects that fade from green to black and from bronze to nickel, which are new colourways for Lodes, as well as two matte shades in solid white and black, which have a texturised finish. lodes.com

Silence Sé For this year’s Milan Design week, European design house Sé presents Sé La Vie – an exhibition that celebrates a decade of collaboration at Galleria Rossana Orlandi.

Within one of Milan’s most iconic venues three welcoming rooms have been designed around our collective yearning for conviviality: the pleasures of gathering together, of sharing a sofa, sitting around a table and enjoying stimulating conversation.

As the spark to collaborate with Nika Zupanc was ignited at Galleria Rossana Orlandi it is fitting that in its own 10th anniversary year, Sé is launching two new pieces with the Slovenian designer – the Grace Sofa and the Silence Lamp.

Bringing a sense of repose and harmony, the Silence Lamp is a new large sculptural lamp with a canopy-like shade. Base in Carrara marble; also available in any Sé ceramic colour. se-collections.com

Parentesi Flos To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its long lasting best seller Parentesi, Flos reinterprets the iconic lamp with two new colors - Turquoise and Signal Orange.

Turquoise and Signal Orange were singled out after a careful study of the work by the two designers Pio Manzù and Achille Castiglioni.

The two colors are complementary to each other. So while being each a homage to one of the creators, they also connect Castiglioni and Manzù together once again in a subtle and cultivated way, to further fuel the story of this incredible object that was born, from the very start, from an impossible dialogue between two design geniuses who never actually met. www.flos.com

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Notte Africana Davide Groppi During Milan Design Week 2021, Davide Groppi presented an exhibition of unique projects, but also of future creations, possible and impossible, displayed in an original way through a path in the darkness.

“Writing and designing continue to be a mystery for me. A primordial force that is triggered, and that I have no full control over. Reality is there, it doesn’t really nterest me: it already exists. And so I rebuild it, in my own way, telling of worlds that don’t exist,” says Davide Groppi.

Notte Africana demonstrates the poetics of Fausto Melotti in this lightweight utopia of light. www.davidegroppi.com

Shades SowdenLight SowdenLight presents Shades, a collection of lamps with multiple configuration possibilities, thanks to the modularity of the silicone components, a fabulous material for the diffusion of light, bright colors, resistant and washable.

The result of research that the studio of George Sowden carried out during 2020 includes pendant lamps, table lamps, floor lamps, battery lamps for indoor and outdoor use.

The illumination source is standard LED lightbulbs (except for the battery lamp, which uses a specific LED circuit). www.sowdenlight.com

Milan Design Week Showroom Events

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Dolce & Gabbana Casa Barovier&Toso A memorable three-day event for Venice, and for the world of fashion and design, Barovier&Toso created a stunning installation of artistic impact.

A new leg on the Grand Tour of beauty by Dolce & Gabbana, the journey unfolded in two iconic locations in the city: the Scuola Grande della Misericordia and the Arsenale. Both sites and their displays were enhanced by the surprising installations of Barovier&Toso.

For the motif of the Sicilian cart, the two installations by Barovier&Toso shared the lively outbursts of colour typical of the Sicilian tradition, a constant inspiration in the collections of Dolce & Gabbana. In tune with this fil rouge, Barovier&Toso created five suspension lamps, each composed of six chandeliers mounted on

cartwheels in handpainted wood: a festival of seductive colours of great magnetic charm.

Red, Antalya green, blue, caramel and amber were also the protagonists of the other installation, a cascade of crystal composed of 14 suspension lamps arranged in space to create an intriguing, dynamic pattern, producing a striking three-dimensional effect. With a height of 7.5-metres, the Carretto contained 3000 glass tubes with a square cross-section, crafted with a bark-like finish. Each suspension was formed by an enclosure of multicoloured vertical parts, balanced to bring out the intensity of one colour at a time. The final result was an extraordinary tableau of saturated colours and ample forms. barovier.com

Elle Decor Italia - La casa Fluida Martinelli Luce

Daily Glow Seletti Seletti, the Italian brand known for its colourful, playful and sometimes irreverent pop image, presented the Daily Glow collection by Alessandro Zambelli atMilan Design Week 2021.

Born from a reinterpretation of Seletti’s DNA, always ready to astonish by combining memory objects with new ways of use and unusual aesthetics, Daily Glow is a collection of LED lamps that use the lines of objects of daily use, transforming them into light sources. A small paper bag, a tube of toothpaste, a milk carton, a liquid soap dispenser, a can of sardines, a tin can and a spray can are faithfully reproduced in resin to become luminous objects.

Luminous LED objects define their aesthetic, while at the same time recalling the function of the toothpaste coming out of the tube or the soap from the dispenser – in a playful, captivating manner.

The collection presents itself as an evolution of the first project conceived

by Zambelli for Seletti: Estetico Quotidiano (Daily Aesthetic in English), the collection that revolutionised the look of tableware 15 years ago.

“I liked the idea of being able to capture the essence of Seletti starting from a Daily Aesthetic,” explains Alessandro Zambelli. “I wanted to create a series of products in which the externality is important only until the substance lights up and prevails. Not simple lamps, but objects that intend to trace contemporaneousness and narrate the transformation of the world, reflecting on the value of the essence in a pop key, but with deep meanings”. www.seletti.it

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The exhibition "La casa Fluida", proposed by Elle Decor Italia for the Milan Design week 2021 and curated by Elisa Ossino Studio, introduces the concept of a 360° home, enhanced, interconnected and at the same time intimate. No longer just a private space but a place dedicated to work, wellness, shopping...

The exhibition aims to be a contemporary and innovative analysis of the new increasingly fluid habitats where the key word is "ultra domesticity".

Martinelli Luce will be present with a proposal of lamps that best describe the new way people live their homes: Elastica, Delux, Elica, Calabrone, Biconica, Frog, Elmetto, Ruspa and Cobra. martinelliluce.it

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London 2021: [d]arc room pop-up @ Design London

[d]arc room pop-up, held at the new Magazine exhibition venue as part of Design London, welcomed more than 12,000 visitors to [d]arc media’s first in-person event in two years.

Returning to London for its fifth year, from 22-25 September [d]arc room hosted a special pop-up event at London’s new design show, Design London (previously 100% Design).

Taking place at Magazine London, a striking new venue situated on the banks of the River Thames, the inaugural Design London boasted a highly curated selection of cutting-edge furniture, contract interiors brands and lighting, as well as emerging talent, high-end collaborations and a diverse talks programme.

Over the course of four days, 12,478 visitors attended [d]arc room pop-up, as part of Design London, which welcomed the architecture and design community to London’s new creative hub in North Greenwich. [d]arc room pop-up provided a dedicated area for high-end architectural and decorative lighting brands to show their latest product innovations. Exhibitors included manufacturers: Delta Light; Franklite; Formula Luci Italia; iGuzzini; John Cullen Lighting; Light LAB; Mesh; Nichia; Ray Lighting; Seoul Semiconductor; Thorlux; and Tryka along with associations IALD; ILP; and SLL. Upstairs on the Magazine Mezzanine, the [d]arc thoughts talks

programme saw highly esteemed design professionals take to the stage to discuss the latest topics within lighting and design - the first in-person talks programme from [d]arc media in two years.

Over the course of three days, the diverse programme included project focuses from Speirs Major and Kate & Sam Lighting Designers, who discussed the [d]arc award-winning Norwich Cathedral, and Mayfair Townhouse Hotel respectively.

The programme also featured in depth panel discussions surrounding exterior lighting with Gary Thornton (The Lighting Police, Nulty), Alison Gallagher (Arup), Aiman Shah (Isometrix Lighting Design) and Daniel Lemajic (TLS); lighting control with Mark Sutton Vane (Sutton Vane Associates), Nicola Agresta (Inverse Lighting Design), Ellie Cozens (Foundry) and Miguel Aguado (Lutron); and sustainability and the circular economy with Bob Bohannon (The LIA), Sofia Hagen (Hagen Hinderdael) and Arfon Davies (GreenLight Alliance, Arup).

Meanwhile, product designer Samuel Wilkinson and Simeon Chilvers of Cameron Design House examined how technology is pushing product design forward within the decorative lighting sector. In another decorative-focused panel, Anna Burles (Run for the Hills), Marvin George (Foundry), Mark Harper (Dernier & Hamlyn) and Scott Richler (Gabriel Scott) broke down the current trends within decorative lighting while looking at the challenges within the sector,

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and assessing whether Brexit is impacting what is possible on a project and influencing design.

Alongside this, a series of Diversity in Design panels was hosted by darc Editor Sarah Cullen, which aimed to address the difficult discussions around how the industry can be more inclusive of everyone regardless of their gender, ethnicity or sexuality.

In the Gender Equality panel, Krishna Mistry (Mistry Lighting), Ruth Kelly Waskett (SLL President, Hoare Lea), Marcus Steffen (MS Lighting Design) and James Poore (JPLD) discussed the recent Women in Lighting survey on gender equality in the lighting industry; while the Queer Equality panel saw Colin Ball (BDP), Sophie O’Rourke (Nulty) and Emma Cogswell (Skills Army, IALD) examine LGBTQ+ inclusivity within the design sphere, discussing what companies and associations can do to create a safe and inclusive workspace.

In the final Diversity in Design panel on Race and Ethnic Diversity in Lighting, Rouwaida Dugawalla (light.func), Alexandria Dauley (United in Design) and Seraphina Gogate (Nulty) continued the discussion that began in darc on the representation and presence of ethnic minorities within the lighting design community.

The three-day programme received high praise from visitors for its broad coverage of industry topics, project focuses and wider societal issues.

The pop-up event also showcased this year’s [d]arc awards light art installations, which were based around the theme of The Spectrum.

Displayed on the Magazine Mezzanine for the duration of Design London, a long-awaited [d]arc night party celebrating all of this year’s awards winners was also held on the evening of 22 September.

This year’s installation teams included: Arup / Lumascape; Buro Happold / TLS; Hoare Lea / Seoul; Lighting Design International / LedFlex; Nulty / Erco; and Studio-29 / Kingfisher Lighting. Continue reading to take a closer look at this year’s beautiful installations. [d]arc media Managing Director Paul James said of the pop-up event: “It was great to finally have [d]arc room back again after a two-year hiatus. The quality of the exhibitors and visitors was outstanding and I was very happy to see [d]arc room, together with the [d]arc thoughts conference programme and the [d]arc awards party, as such an integral part of Design London, who I thank for hosting us.

“It took a lot of hard work and effort to get the event up and running this year so I was delighted it was such a success.

“As an organisation, [d]arc media is constantly evolving, so I am looking forward to coming back next year with an exciting new event for the lighting and design community.” www.darcroom.com Images: Design London

London 2021: LDF Showrooms Vima Collection Bert Frank Showroom

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Vima is the latest luxury lighting collection from Bert Frank which sees the continuation of the brand’s pursuit to experiment with design through elevated form, craftsmanship, and materiality. Taking design cues from the elegant arches, strong lines and bold geometric shapes found in Art Deco architecture, classical undertones are reimagined for modern day. At the core of each Bert Frank design is solid machined brass, a signature of the brand. In Vima, we see this lustrous metal alongside opal acid-etched glass and alabaster quarried from the Aragon region of Spain. bertfrank.co.uk

Showroom Launch J Adams & Co. British lighting studio J. Adams & Co. debuted its first London showroom during London Design Festival 2021.

The showroom is in a prime location: just a short walk from the City and London Blackfriars, a stone’s throw from Farringdon station and nestled in the heart of the Clerkenwell design community. With a rich history in design and engineering, the premises, once occupied by an acclaimed scientific glassware manufacturer in the late 19th century, is now home to up-and-coming British lighting studio and manufacturer led by design director Will Earl. Decorated in a signature J. Adams & Co. colour palette, the new showroom space echoes the timeless and refined style of the brand’s evolving collections. www.jadamsandco.com

A new exhibition by Edinburgh-based curatorial studio Local Heroes showcased 40 new products for the hybrid home as part of the London Design Festival. Running from 18 - 26 September, The Future of Home offered a fresh and sophisticated collection of items for modern interiors from a new generation of designers. A wide variety of products, from furniture and lighting to textiles and collectible craft have been brought together aimed at creating spaces of comfort and style that also reflect the hybrid needs of flexible working. Designers who found themselves at a standstill in 2020 used that time to innovate, speculate and dream and the results are a vision of a future where interiors are as fun, beautiful, comforting and tactile as possible.

Walac X Juli Bolaños-Durman came together for The Future of Home with The Isles of Reclaimed Wonderment, a collaborative series of one-of-a-kind lighting sculptures. The collection invites the audience to wander into a world of fantasy – a departure from the usual representations of lighting. The Isles of Reclaimed Wonderment come to life using local found glass collected, rescued and gifted over the years alongside graphic wood cutouts. The Costa Rican and French (respectively) duo work together to assemble, using their imagination to transform waste material into fantasy and functional pieces. Composed of little piled glass towers, bottle buildings and fluted loops, reminiscent of fun fairs and abstract science devices, they are drawing unique topological personalities. And finding happiness amidst the scarcity and isolation of the pandemic.

“Springing from the need to decorate our homes with beautiful and joyful objects, we permitted ourselves to flow in the creative process and create these together” “Juli’s approach to design is in the same explosion of joy and colours as her approach to life. Stepping into her studio was like stepping into a candy and jewellery store all at once. Her focus on rescuing and highlighting the world’s lost and fallen beauties is incredibly fascinating.

While our work met on a playful angle, she definitely shed some colours and light on my darkness, for the better,” says Walac on BolañosDurman. “I have been an admirer of Camille’s approach for some time now. When I see her work, I am energised. Her approach to design is fresh and authentic and makes everyday furniture fun and unexpected,” says Bolaños-Durman on Walac. walac.xyz

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Urpflanze is a lighting project that uses botanical ornamental forms to create modern lamps inspired by Tiffany and the vegetal ceramics of Portuguese pottery firm Bordallo Pinheiro. Urpflanze have created a plant-themed chandelier and a smaller lamp series called Cabbage Patch Kits. These new designs are a continuation of the studio’s popular and irreverent Eat Up lampshades which honour the beauty of everyone’s favourite allotment vegetable, the cabbage.

The chandelier is based on a popular house plant, the lacy tree philodendron selloum. The leaves of this tropical plant-themed

chandelier are made from frosted green laser cut acrylic and supported by a brass armature, which makes up the chandelier.

This allows the plant to hang down from the ceiling, and combines traditional lighting fastenings and fixtures with contemporary processes and technologies.

The Cabbage Patch Kits continue Urpflanze’s central motif, the cabbage, as the basis for their DIY lampshade kit. Handcrafted in high-quality frosted acrylic, each shade is unique with individually shaped leaves. Echoing the realities of growing on the allotment, leaves are punctured with caterpillar holes. Like an actual cabbage each one is slightly different. Not only are the holes on the leaves in different places, but every lamp is also hand-moulded and so no shade is exactly the same. With the Cabbage Patch Kits you choose the colour of your lamp shade and cable or buy the shade individually and can use it with a pre-existing lamp fitting.

Using contemporary digital processes and materials, Urpflanze draws on the traditions of the decorative arts to create fun plantbased products, to brighten up the home. All products are designed and made in Glasgow using local fabricators and suppliers where possible.

In future, Urpflanze will offer a more bespoke range working on individual commissions based on an individual's favourite plant or flower. urpflanze.co.uk Image: Rachel Adams

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1. Flux Haberdashery

2. Kuulas Cameron Design House

3. Branch Empty State

he dense clusters of vertically hung tubes are alive with animated light streaming downwards in an infinite cycle. Using technology developed exclusively by Haberdashery, the final installation can be simply toggled between a static, dimmable light, and the animated rain-like effect with each tube displaying a unique, randomly generated flow of light. www.haberdashery.com

To celebrate the inaugural Design London show, Cameron Design House created an immersive installation featuring its Kuulas chandelier. The award-winning chandelier focuses on making a statement through modular design. The piece exudes a sense of cultivated elegance with an industrial flair. Made up of 55 glass pearls that have been individually hand-blown by artisans. camerondesignhouse.com

The new collection from Empty State is made up of six highly engineered products including the Branch – a frosted, cylindrical tiered brass structure. With structures following the themes of modularity, whilst drawing inspiration from contemporary architectural styles and design icons through the ages, the products are suitable for a vast array of projects. www.emptystate.com

4. Integralis Artemide

5. Glifo Penta

6. Wellington Wicker Dish Cluster Fritz Fryer

Integralis is an innovative light that sanitizes spaces. It combines sanitizing efficacy with luminous performance and design beauty. It also integrates itself in both the environments and moments of life by interpreting the rhythms and needs of mankind. Integralis is managed by Artemide App, a digital interaction system accessible to all. www.artemide.com

Glifo comes from a drawing of two lines that, like a typeface, define its space. A vertical element that is also the fulcrum of the whole rotation of the lamp, and an oblique element that moves away from the wall defining the opening angle of the lampshade and offering a hold point, with a wooden finish, to reposition the lamp and to dim the light. pentalight.com

This wicker cluster light is completely free from any harsh chemicals, hand woven of willow, grown in the English wetlands. Hours of craftsmanship and care have gone into the creation of this unforgettably gorgeous cluster chandelier. Available in all four of our metal finishes and can be paired with the flex cable colour of your choosing. www.fritzfryer.co.uk

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1. Humbug Batch Glass

2. Bebecca Blossom Cocovara

3. Cone Marc Wood Studio

Batch produces bespoke glass lighting, hand crafted in the UK. Updating traditional glass canework by adding a soft wash of colour, the Humbug Collection is a contemporary British twist on a classic Venetian style. The lights are fully customisable in colour, finish and fittings. Each glass Humbug is handblown by glassmakers Jonathan Rogers and Phoebe Stubbs and has a turnaround of 6-8 weeks. www.batch.glass

Bebecca Blossom chandelier is a relatively new design addition from Cocovara Founder and Director, Lucy Powles. Inspired by nature, the Blossom chandelier features organic clusters of rock-crystal adorning a beautifully delicate branch, hand-crafted from bronze.

Offering a totally bespoke service, it can custom-make its products to any size and finish to fit in with any interior specification. www.cocovara.co.uk

Cone is designed to showcase the beauty and timeless elegance of geometrical symmetry. Each cone is machined from a solid block of brass, with a handblown glass shade delicately suspended from the cone’s apex. The collection comprises a single pendant light that can be hung individually or grouped in clusters. There are three sizes of the pendant available. www.marcwoodstudio.com

4. Flute Tom Kirk

5. Drum Sotis Studio Ceramics

6. Folio Arcform

The IP-rated Flute wall light is similar in appearance to the standard model, but with an added level of protection allowing you to use it in bathrooms or wet rooms. It is available in both polished chrome or gold finishes. www.tomkirk.com

The Drum lamp is a bespoke lamp in four parts. Its colourways transition from black through to white. The inspiration comes from the sound of the constantly repeating waves, hitting the black pebbles at the coast of the volcanic island of Santorini. www.sotis.co.uk

The Folio table lamp is the latest addition to British lighting brand Arcform’s collection.

Continuing its trademark curved, sculptural designs, the Folio accentuates its folded curves with strong verticals. Available in brass and satin-steel, each lamp is delicately hand-brushed to a soft, satin sheen in its UK workshop. www.studioarcform.com

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1. Edges Of Luxus - Tiara Atelier Luxus

2. Luna J Adams & Co.

3. Pill Empty State

The triple level base plate is made from 4mm of solid brass to withstand the test of time with handmade patinas and finishes.

Available in numerous sizes, the switches are suitable for vertical or horizontal installation with a multiple button or toggle configurations available. Small and large square and small round button options are standard. www.atelierluxus.com

Named after the Roman goddess of the moon, the new Luna collection combines luminous brushed brass with travertine.

Exploring concealed light and reflected illumination, Luna takes inspiration from the cosmos, mimicking the effect of a total eclipse by using handmade Romano Travertine stone discs to obscure a concealed LED light source. www.jadamsandco.com

Made from handblown glass with brass features, the Pill is a capsule-shaped pendant, which is designed to be hung individually or in a cluster. Machined from cast brass or aluminium depending on finishing choice, the Pill is available in a variety of states and colours. emptystate.com

4. Halti Cameron Design House

5. Fin King Original BTC

6. Glowbule Curiousa & Curiousa

Cameron Design House is an awardwinning British bespoke sculptural lighting company based in London. Over the years they have become synonymous with unique, contemporary design and refined craftsmanship.

Combining individually handblown glass spheres with brass fixtures, the Halti chandelier is a sculptural lighting design with plenty of contemporary flair. camerondesignhouse.com

Instantly comfortable and unassumingly elegant, Original BTC designs and manufactures lighting for domestic and contract interiors.

The ivory linen shade of the Fin King table light casts a soft light in the space it is adorned, creating beautiful shadows on the intricate hand slip-cast base. www.originalbtc.com

International renowned designer, Adam Nathaniel Furman has teamed up with Esther Patterson, designer and founder of Curiousa & Curiousa, to create an exciting set of six glass sculptural light pieces called the Glowbule Collection.Each segment is individually free-blown in semi-opaque glass, then meticulously ground and married together. www.curiousa.co.uk

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1. Avalon CTO Lighting

2. Ascher Elstead Lighting

3. Ned Pooky Lighting

Inspired by the legendary island, from where mystical stories of light and shadows have enchanted the world for centuries, Avalon chandelier showcases cascades of light emanating from a precious ring of alabaster, encapsulated in brass or bronze creating an exquisite illumination. ctolighting.co.uk

Ascher by Hinkley features a sleek transitional design, with a faceted solid crystal centre and bobeches. It is finished in Polished Nickel and has optional black organza shades. Also available in the range is a single wall light, six light chandelier and three light pendant with a black organza shade. www.elsteadlighting.com

The Ned floor lamp involves a beautiful, polished marble base, which is topped off with two solid disks of antiqued brass. Use for reading or for lovely ambient light over a corner table. www.pooky.com

4. Luca Fiona McDonald

5. Compass Tigermoth

6. Sand and Sea Haberdashery

The Luca chandelier is bespoke and therefore can be made in many shapes and endless dimensions - be it oval, rectangle, square, sphere or as seen here. Its glass is produced and hand-finished in small batches of Amber, Amethyst, Crystal and Smoked or any combination. The steel frame can be finished in white or brass lacquer, or chrome. www.fionamcdonald.com

Discover Tigermoth's elegant chandelier featuring shades hewn from solid alabaster. The soft opalescent alabaster shade is offset by the clean contemporary lines of the hand-grained metalwork. tigermoth.com

Haberdashery’s Sand and Sea Collection contains delicately suspended clear crystal and moongold ripples arranged to create bespoke sculptural installations, which echo these symbiotic landscapes. www.haberdashery.com

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[d]arc sessions: Greece Lighting

Making its debut at the beautiful, five-star Royal Myconian Hotel in Mykonos, Greece, [d]arc sessions is a brand-new event organised by [d]arc media in association with Hix, built around connecting people involved in lighting specification projects around the world in an intimate, exclusive setting.

In an era when every business trip must be accounted for, the drive for [d]arc sessions was to get specifiers and suppliers together for a series of one-to-one meetings, away from the hectic hustle and bustle of a typical trade show, where there is no guarantee of who you are going to see.

For the inaugural edition of the event, held from 5-7 October, a curated guestlist of 20 suppliers and 40 specifiers (lighting designers, architects, and interior designers) made the journey to the stunning island of Mykonos for two days of face to face, in-person meetings, networking, and socialising – a welcome relief after 20 months of remote working and webinars.

Over the course of two days, four dedicated Speed+Sync “sessions” saw suppliers and specifiers attend a series of 20-minute meetings where they could sit down and discuss the latest products, projects, trends, and innovations in the industry, with the goal of generating

leads, specifying products, and forming new working relationships.

Alongside the Speed+Sync sessions, the event featured a series of panel discussions around some of the industry’s biggest topics. On the first day, Sanjit Bahra, Director of DesignPlusLight, Stephanie Harris, Senior Designer at dpa lighting consultants, and Staffan Tollgård, Creative Director of Tollgård Design discussed design in a post-Covid world and how the global pandemic has impacted on their approaches, if at all.

On the second day, the topic of sustainability and the circular economy was discussed by Filippo Lodi, Associate Director at UNStudio, Laura Suico, Senior Lighting Designer at Foster + Partners, and Gé Hulsmans, Director Specifier Service at eldoLED; the final panel talk saw Rose Murray, Director of These White Walls, Sabine De Schutter, founder of Studio De Schutter and Sanjit Bahra cover issues surrounding equality in the design community. From race to gender and sexuality, the free-flowing, open discussion welcomed participation from the audience, leading to a very positive dialogue about one of the biggest issues in the design community.

The conference programme was capped off by a keynote presentation from Eleftheria Deko, who shared with the audience the story of

whom you’re really interested in – good talks, good feelings and good vibes.”

Walter Långstedt of Saas Instruments added: “The [d]arc sessions at Mykonos were a great way to kickstart our path towards normality and being able to meet clients face to face. Because it had been 18 months since our last encounter with an international client we were really pumped, and to our delight so was everybody we met during the trip as well. Feedback on our light fittings and projects was really good and we felt the potential for future collaborations was very real.

Thanks to darc magazine!”

Amongst the specifiers in attendance, Darren Orrow, Director at into, said: “Well done to [d]arc media and Hix for putting together [d]arc sessions – a seriously well organised event connecting industry leaders in lighting design. Some great new partnerships established over a series of informal meetings, lunches and dinners. The beautiful location and sunshine was a bonus.”

Laura Suico of Foster + Partners added: “It has been an incredible experience, the perfect format and location to share design ideas and new trends for the future. I think the format works really well and the informal context helped the networking a lot, everyone was feeling more relaxed compared to when we are in our offices.” Meanwhile, Rose Murray of These White Walls added: “[d]arc sessions really stood out from the usual ‘conference’ events, and I feel quite honoured to have joined you all – and I have learned more about LED drivers than I knew existed.”

Eleftheria Deko continued: “After the Covid lockdown periods, it was great to be among so many lighting colleagues again, and to also share our journey of the lighting of the Acropolis. I would like to thank the [d]arc media team for the invitation to participate and to share with everyone our experience of this amazing project. A big bravo to the [d]arc team and everybody involved for all the efforts to bring the lighting community together.” www.darcsessions.com Images: Gavriil Papadiotis (www.gavriilux.com)

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the incredible, multiple [d]arc award-winning lighting design for the Acropolis of Athens. The inspirational talk was a big hit with the delegates in attendance, who were moved by the passion and enthusiasm that Deko put into this landmark project.

Following the Speed+Sync sessions, the event made use of its five-star surroundings with evening entertainment spread across its multiple restaurants each night. Here, delegates enjoyed exquisite local food, socialised and continued conversations initiated earlier in the day.

On the final evening, additional entertainment came with some traditional Greek plate smashing and sirtaki dancing to the soundtrack of Zorba’s Dance.

Looking back on the event, Paul James, [d]arc media Managing Director, said: “[d]arc sessions was an unmitigated success. I was absolutely delighted with the response from our delegates to this new event in the lighting specification calendar.

“The delegates’ enthusiasm and positivity, coupled with the beautiful surroundings, made [d]arc sessions a pleasure to organise. “[d]arc sessions is a unique event and a new way to get specifiers and suppliers to network with each other. Based on the feedback, both groups thoroughly enjoyed it and got so much from it.

“We will be organising more [d]arc sessions next year and we are currently looking at new locations, starting in the Middle East. We hope to welcome even more delegates in the future.”

Among the delegates in attendance, Gorazd Malačič, Managing Director at Tokio, said: “[d]arc sessions exceeded our expectations!

It was very well organised, set in a beautiful location and with great attendance of high-profile lighting and interior designers. It was a relaxed event where we were able to get the full designers’ attention.

We will definitely come back for the second edition!”

Jose Peramo, Key Account Manager at Sakma, added: “We are very surprised about the good result and response, this being our first time at this kind of event. In my opinion, the format is perfect to get in contact with the appropriate people and have the choice to meet with

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

On Show A look ahead to forthcoming design shows during 2021/22 with a strong lighting element.

DOWNTOWN DESIGN •

DUBAI, UAE

8 - 12 November 2021 (www.downtowndesign.com)

BDNY •

NEW YORK, USA

14 - 15 November 2021 (bdny.com)

072 | CALENDARC

ICFF •

MAISON & OBJET • PARIS, FRANCE

NEW YORK, USA

14 - 15 November 2021 (icff.com)

20 - 24 January 2022 (www.maison-objet.com)

WANTED DESIGN •

ARCHITECT @ WORK • LONDON, UK

NEW YORK, USA

14 - 15 November 2021 (www.wanteddesignnyc.com)

26 - 27 January 2022 (www.architect-at-work.co.uk)

HIX •

SURFACE DESIGN SHOW • LONDON, UK

LONDON, UK

18 - 19 November 2021 (hixevent.com)

8 - 10 February 2022 (www.surfacedesignshow.com)

CRUISE SHIP INTERIORS EXPO EUROPE • LONDON, UK

STOCKHOLM FURNITURE FAIR • STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN

1-2 December 2021 (cruiseshipinteriors-europe.com)

8 - 12 February 2022 (www.stockholmfurniturefair.se)

LIGHTOVATION • DALLAS, USA

LIGHT + BUILDING •

6 - 9 January 2022 (dallasmarketcenter.com)

13 - 18 March 2022 (light-building.messefrankfurt.com)

FRANKFURT, GERMANY

AD INDEX Astro Lighting............................................................................................. IFC

HIX................................................................................................................... 73

Atelier de Troupe......................................................................................... 19

ICEX - Spanish Commercial Office. . ........................................................ 38

Atrium............................................................................................................. 55

Intra Lighting. . ............................................................................................. IBC

Bover............................................................................................................... 47

Karboxx. . ......................................................................................................... 23

Catellani & Smith......................................................................................... 17

Karice............................................................................................................ 4-5

Chelsom. . ........................................................................................................ 37

Louis Poulsen...................................................................................................7

CP Lighting................................................................................................ OBC

Original BTC. . ................................................................................................ 43

Curiousa & Curiousa................................................................................... 28

Saas Instruments. . ........................................................................................ 15

Dernier & Hamlyn........................................................................................ 25

Skinflint.. ......................................................................................................... 44

Elstead Lighting. . .......................................................................................... 53

Vibia. . ............................................................................................................... 35

FW Lighting................................................................................................... 50

Tina Norden, partner, Conran and Partners

Vince Stroop, founder, Stroop

Cédric Etienne, founder, Studio Corkinho

Dex Hunter-Torricke, former communications executive, Google, Facebook and SpaceX

Jason Steere, managing director of brand & experience, The Student Hotel

Hen'a Yadav, principal, Studio Carter

TA LKIN’ BOUT A REV OLUTION Hotel design in our post-pandemic age must understand and respond to social change. HIX is your new event, leading this new conversation for our new world.

Get your free pass online: www.hixevent.com HIX Speakers ad 333x236mm Oct 2021.indd 1

The ever-changing design experience that makes hotels incredible

www.hixevent.com @HIXevent HIX-event HIX_event

28/10/2021 11:38

In Focus

074 | IN FOCUS

Luna Kaleido by Scott Richler Gabriel Scott

What is the concept behind the Kaleido product? Was the idea proposed to you / did you create the collection for a specific commission? The Luna Kaleido collection is the second chapter of Gabriel Scott’s best-selling Luna range. The customisable modular series includes two stackable glass lighting fixtures: a horizontal chandelier and a vertical pendant. The mouthblown glass beads can be ‘strung’ together in any order to create a bespoke glowing piece of lighting for someone’s home, hotel, super yacht or restaurant project. We always say our designs are inspired by jewellery and this one is no exception.

Inspired by a kaleidoscope, which comes from the Greek words for kalos (beautiful), eidos (form), and skopeo (to look at), the Luna Kaleido is an exploration of different glass-blowing techniques. The glass shapes have been designed to offer infinite interpretations of tone, shape and refracted light. When stacked, the lights become a glass mosaic with varying tones and patterns.

Playing with texture, colour and shape to distort light and create magical optical illusions when looking through the glass, the Kaleido Collection combines soft iridescent colours with patterned textures and delicately shaped glass beads.

How long have you been working on the collection for? This has been in the making for over a year but most intensely being perfected for four months.

What was the most challenging aspect of producing Kaleido?

Our main challenge was to reinterpret and modernise old glass techniques and then apply them to our existing Luna Series. It took several rounds of trialing various textures, colours and shapes to ensure the right finishes were added to the final collection.

The Lyra glass bead (smoked bronze, twisted) and Cygnus glass bead (opaque

blue, twisted), seen here on the Kaleido Large pendant, are just two of six new shapes, all named after constellations - Dorado, Lyra, Aras, Cygnus, Orion and Carina.

Tell me about the design process and materials used? The Luna Kaleido’s design is in keeping with the studio’s overall design principles: versatile aesthetic, customisable and timeless.

The collection’s design is considerate of all demographics and design environments and whether the client wants to opt for a single or double chandelier or a hanging pendant, the range is fully customisable with texture, colour and shape options.

Glass and metal are core materials we use as a brand and are what have been used for the Luna Kaleido collection. For structural reasons, we work with plated steel as opposed to the raw material. We enjoy working with glass for its versatility, which allows us to play with texture, opacity as well as shape.

I work closely with our Head of Design, Nicolas Pomerleau, as well as a design team consisting of industrial designers, engineers and manufacturers to create and oversee each piece in the collection from inception to production. From a sketch to a 3D model and then to a prototype, our team has developed a creative and effective way to work together, from anywhere in the world.

What kind of projects is the Luna Kaleido collection suitable for? This is the first time that we have specifically focused on textures and colours, and the extensive options available mean they can work in residential, commercial or hospitality environments.

Describe this pendant in three words?

Purity of glass. www.gabriel-scott.com

Futon Mirror A mirror and light all-in-one: round, rectangular, oval.

intra-lighting.com/Futon

CP LIGHTING

our 2021 outdoor collection will even make your weeds shine

www.cplighting.com +1-414-426-1473 @cplighting