Materials Feature | Mydriaz | Loïe

Kelly Hoppen, Kelly Hoppen Interiors

Designing a collection of ceramics at the time, Hoppen took inspiration from these materials and textures to create her scaled-down, contemporary yet timeless Welles chandelier in a chalk white finish. “The prospect of taking such an iconic existing design and putting my interpretation on it was what drew me in. It’s always exciting working with such inspiring and innovative external teams, too. “The moment I saw [the Welles] I knew exactly where I wanted to go with my redesign,” she says. Key factors Hoppen considered in the design process were “staying true to the signature, iconic form with a refined, delicate touch, but changing the texture and size”. “I used matte white clay and satin brass for a classic, understated elegance. Mixing the neutral matte tones with an uplifting brass accent is somewhat of a signature design detail for me and always creates an interesting visual. It’s wonderfully delicate yet maintains that sense of movement that the original design does so well. “Statement geometric shapes and decorative lighting are two things I just love, so working with the original design and putting my design influence on was an interesting project but for me the texture was imperative,” she adds. Hoppen visualises this versatile piece will work well in residential dining settings as well as in hotel rooms. Or layering a few pieces together to create a larger statement installation. “Craftsmanship is at the core of everything that my KHI team and I do. Every design and detail is a couture, artisanal process, and I often collaborate with external craftspeople on bespoke pieces and exciting collections. “Decorative, statement lighting is everything in my design work. I knew that I would use this piece repeatedly in my future projects so— perhaps selfishly—it’s really designed to align with my taste!” www.kellyhoppeninteriors.com

Michelle Gerson, Michelle Gerson Interiors

Gerson’s inspiration for her reinterpretation of the Welles was derived from the climate and mood brought about by the global pandemic. “We wanted to design something uplifting and joyful, that embodies a sense of artistry,” she says. “We turned to nature, bringing in a floral element to add that lively feel. It was important to us to represent growth and bloom, alluding to how something classic and a decade old could have a re-birth. “We wanted the fixture to take on a more organic form while staying true to its geometric roots. All this led us to be inspired by nature, trees, branches, flowers, and leaves. “My aesthetic is organic yet luxe with a touch of glam and quiet drama. We felt by softening the geometric forms of the Welles and adding a bit of texture it would be a collaboration that could really work,” she continues. Gerson chose malleable materials with softer edges that juxtapose the hard, geometric shapes of the original Welles with more “organic and softer textures”. “We chose to make the fixture’s arms take on the shape of organic branches, and we added perforated brass leaves to create texture and to show an airy element that could also reflect light in an interesting way. “What we love so much about our fixture is how versatile it is and how it can be used in many different spaces. Like many different Gabriel Scott fixtures this one is also modular. You could use a single branch as a pendant over a bedside table or you can use three branches and have it act as a chandelier over a dining table. It could be used over a kitchen island, or you could use 10 branches and use it as a centre hall fixture in a double height space. “Decorative lighting is not only needed to actually light a space but is also a part of the whole picture and scene. It truly allows a space to feel finished. We think of Gabriel Scott lighting as the jewellery to our homes.” www.michellegerson.com

Guan Lee, Architect, Lecturer, and Director at Grymsdyke Farm

Lee’s re-interpretation of the Welles chandelier started with a question: what is ‘Reciprocity’? “I am an architect and academic with expertise in materials and digital fabrication. My background in digital workflows allows me to think through and explore the relationship between geometry and material unique to each project. I combine digital tools with traditional crafts in the design and making process,” explains Lee. “I took on this project because it is an opportunity for me work with a leading designer and maker in glass, a material I am not familiar with. My piece is also about my friendship with Scott. “Gabriel Scott’s Welles geometry is iconic and materiality in glass a part of its identity. My aim for this project is to capture what is unmistakably Welles with new materiality and design assembly. I want my creation of Welles to work as a distinct silhouette, by absorbing light instead of letting it through.” Lee sees his Welles design as “building blocks that can tesselate together or simply amass to build something new”. Instead of an “orderly tessellation” of the Welles, instead Lee created a freeform amassing of two different types. “My recreation of Welles’ component is made of a material invented by my practice, POLiROCK, a porous black ceramic. This material shadows the shape of the original by literally making a shadow of it. The vision here is about strong contrast and clear integration. Contrast in materiality and integration formally. This is my interpretation of design reciprocity, working the unfamiliar through collaboration.” “Welles’ geometry is iconic and materiality in glass a part of its identity. My aim is to capture and explore what is unmistakably Welles as a silhouette by absorbing light instead of letting it through. “I imagine this new creation especially in homes, a place that is intimate and generous, in daylight as well as nighttime. The glass Welles accompanies the ones made in black ceramic, lit or not, like hand and glove.” www.grymsdykefarm.com

Alessandro Munge, Founder and Design Director, Studio Munge

Munge’s redesign of the Welles chandelier took a softer approach to counterbalance the geometric angles of the original design. “The Welles has such an innate architectural strength, I wanted to preserve its essence and dynamism while juxtaposing the original design with a more delicate feminine sensibility,” explains Munge. “We studied the piece from all angles and decided to celebrate its precise geometry, distinct modularity, and the various components that made it the well-engineered piece we all know. “Our design process always starts with a multi-faceted immersion where we listen to our partners and analyse the framework we’ll be creating within. In this case, we studied Gabriel Scott as a brand, its beautiful collections, and the original Welles fixture to extract core design principles and the essence that we wanted to preserve during the re-interpretation. We needed to bring forth something unique and drastically different yet remain on brand, relevant to the marketplace, and inherently connected to the iconic Welles.” Munge’s team was inspired by bold fashion references and rhythmic dance elements. “We also highlighted the beautiful jewel-like connecting bracket, making it a hero on the front of the glass,” he says. “While the fixture’s volume is radically different, the modular qualities remain with an ability to extend stems for extra tall ceilings and multiply the globes for larger spaces.” The “architectural strength” Munge identified in the original design was celebrated with “a thoughtful monochromatic statement”. “The all-black fixture evokes timeless elegance while also exuding a sophisticated sex appeal. The graphic lines and elements are highlighted in a refined fashion, making it a quiet yet confident chandelier suitable for fresh and moody environments alike.” Interconnected with delicate branches, the faceted handblown glass globes appear floating in the air, performing a synchronised rhythmic dance. “Different space typologies require varied solutions, so I wanted this fixture to be highly adaptable. While it will be presented in Milan as a single fixture, I also envisioned it as tiered and layered across ceilings. One of the qualities of this chandelier I’m most proud of is its ability to be specified in residential and commercial settings alike,” Munge concludes. www.studiomunge.com

Opposites Attract

As part of its 10th anniversary, Mydriaz recently launched a high street collection of Loïe pendants. As part of this collection, a limited edition run of straw pendants were created in collaboration with Lison de Caunes.

The brass petal-shaped Loïe pendants from Mydriaz are inspired by artist Loïe Fuller; an American actress and dancer who pioneered modern dance as well as theatrical lighting techniques. Her light and airy dance movements are at the core of influence for the pendant’s flowing shapes. As part of the new collection, Mydriaz collaborated with Paris-based straw artisan Lison de Caunes to create a limited edition range. darc editor Sarah Cullen sat down with Mydriaz’s Co-Founders Jennifer Midoz and Malo du Bouëtiez, along with de Caunes to discover more about their unique collaboration. “The original Loïe suspension is part of our high-street collection that we launched for our 10th anniversary. Created by heating a brass petal, this signature piece highlights one of the techniques we have elaborated and perfected in our studio throughout the years,” says Midoz. “This particular Loïe piece with straw marquetry is part of Mydriaz’s first gallery collection of unique, limited-edition pieces. The collaboration with Lison de Caunes was very instinctive and the dialogue between the techniques felt completely natural. They are two worlds that work well together.” The heating technique referenced by Midoz is one that the studio had used previously for its Mercure light that was extended and adapted into several other forms. This creative process allows the design team great freedoms in their creations, and allowed them to form the “whimsical curves of the Loïe supension light”, which is created by continuously

Manufacturing Processes

Mydriaz's Loïe pendants use its signature metal heating and bending process to create the flowing, petal shape. Working closely with Lison De Caunes, the team seamlessly blended the straw craftsmanship beautifully with the smooth metal surface to create the unique, limited edition version of the lamp.