Product Focus | Chelsom

emotional design – inspired by nature.” The majority of Aqua’s pieces are created using silk the team has sourced from the same traditional weaver’s village in south India for the last 30 years. The village produces Aqua’s signature Tusser silk using silkworms that live in the forest. Moths are then allowed to emerge from their cocoons naturally before the empty shells are harvested, soaked in boiling water, and softened into silk. For the studio’s new limited-edition collection of Morning Glory, the weavers have created Desi silk, a special raw silk that has a unique natural colour that is both beautiful and strong. The silks are then dyed in Aqua’s studio using its signature range of 16 colours, or it is digitally printed using its L&LD Live & Let Dye programme, which was developed in-house at the studio. After printing, the silk is hand-pleated and applied to the lamps. When asked about his experience of working with light, it is evident it is a medium that he has worked with closely for a long time before becoming a product designer. “I’ve worked with light as my main tool in photography, as it is with my design. I make rules and also enjoy breaking them. Light should bring emotions, beauty and of course some light to a space. “Now, I’m working on a new collection, which combines technology and craft in an exciting new way for me. It is a game between 2D and 3D illusion with our signature silk, but in a new and refreshing way. “Good product design should include a balance between so many things, but mainly it needs to surprise.” Looking back at some of the studio’s most notable projects, Serfaty reflects on the project for Oceanic Park in Valencia, Spain, which they completed in 2000. The team was hired to create a custom-designed centrepiece for the Submarino Restaurant in the heart of the Oceanic Park. However, at the time Aqua didn’t have any light fixtures large

enough to fill the space. “After seeing the location, while sitting in a bar we drew up the design on a paper napkin,” he says. The result was an 1800kg, 15-metre diameter light sculpture. In turn, its Stand By family came to life shortly after, inspired by the designs for this project, and has since become one of the studio’s most successful collections. One of the most frustrating things for Serfaty as a product designer is the time it takes for a design to come to fruition, yet at the same time, its most rewarding aspect is seeing a final design match closely to its original sketches. This was true for the Oceanic Park installation. Another notable project the team recently completed was for car brand Suzuki. “[We] were commissioned by Suzuki Israel to design a centrepiece for the new main branch and showroom in Rishon LeZion, Israel,” says Serfaty. “Three Nana 200’s, in a bright red colour, fan out across two floors, sending a warm glow across the entire space. The lighting fixtures are suspended amidst the central stairs, which at the ground floor is surrounded by a Japanese Zen Garden.” What lies ahead for the studio? Serfaty continues to explore and experiment with designs using natural materials and how they work in collaboration with light, producing lots of new designs in response to and influenced by the world around them. “We love organic materials, but we also love to innovate,” he explains. “My focus at this time is the technical aspect of lighting. We are now working on a new silk collection that is our thinnest design yet. This is a fun challenge for me, which allows me to push the limits of what we thought was possible for Aqua Creations, while still being able to make the design that Aqua is known for. “We are also currently working on the MakeLight Collection. A range of small and smart lamps that can be controlled by an app, which we are

developing in-house, the first of its kind from our studio. The lamps are made to influence your mood and state of mind. We will share more about this by the end of this year.” And finally, inspired by the Covid-19 pandemic, the studio has created Code 130°. “I felt a responsibility to create a way to light up the future. This is my joyful colorful contribution to elevate our lives; we all need to lift ourselves up. “Design’s most important role now is to deal with climate change. Most aspects of our life have to do with consuming goods, which are created by us the designers. We must give our children the chance to live on this planet peacefully. I think that design has a huge role in not stealing the future of our children, as said by Greta Thunberg.” aquagallery.com

Celebrating 30 years of product design, Aqua Creations continues to experiement and push its designs into new directions. Exploring the integration of new technologies and materials, Serfaty and his studio continue to take inspiration from the world around them, whether that’s through societal situations or the natural environment, to form new lighting designs. An important factor to include in their continued design journey is that of their role as designers and the wider impacts of creating consumer goods has on the world and its climate. Serfaty is eager to ensure designers design with the purpose of securing a safe future for younger generations to grow into.