Manta lamp, by Ross Lovegrove for Barrisol, illustrates the perfect balance between organic form and high technology.
Barrisol membranes with distinct stretching intensities provide layered sound damping whilst maintaining uniform lighting. Choose a desired colour temperature: warm, neutral, or cool white, as well as the intensity of diffused light with the integrated dimmable control. 100% recyclable.
Interior design studio SpaceInvader transforms the previously lifeless One Piccadilly office and retail building in the heart of Manchester, UK, into a vibrant and contemporary bustling hub. The team took inspiration from the city's rich history in clay mining and piccadils to influence colour palettes and fixture choices.
Manchester-based interior design studio SpaceInvader has transformed one of the city’s well-known developments at One Piccadilly Gardens for LGIM Real Assets (Legal & General).
Originally designed by architects Allies and Morrison, and developed in 2003 by Argent, the building faces into the gardens with an impactful red-brick frontage.
Comprised of retail on the ground floor and office space above, the brief to SpaceInvader was to design new interiors for the six-storey Grade A office spaces, creating a more inviting, dynamic office that promoted a sense of welcome, wellbeing, flexibility, and collaboration, via a scheme that would match the building fabric in terms of character and presence.
“The transformation forms part of a bid to bring more life and love to this part of the city,” says SpaceInvader Founder John Williams. “Helping to ignite a more vibrant surrounding area with a café culture feel. Legal & General took the decision to invest in the building in order to make a mark and help elevate the overall Piccadilly area.”
Senior Interior Designer on the project is Regina Cheng who sits down with darc to discuss the project and SpaceInvader’s design intentions. “We were appointed by the client right at the outset, creating a feasibility study for the different areas, analysing how the spaces were being used and putting together test fits and concept ideas for how to improve them,” she explains. “We then worked closely with the project team through to completion.”
The original interior of One Piccadilly comprised an entrance to the office building located on a cut-through that sees a lot of through-traffic but offered no real sense of arrival. Existing views through to the interior gave off unwelcoming, dull and grey impressions. Once inside, an existing, huge-scale reception desk functioned more as a barrier than a welcoming element, discouraging people from doing anything but passing straight on through the speedgates, despite a few additional arrangements of loose furniture serving as waiting areas. The double height diagonal void through the ground and first floors of the building was also not utilised to its best advantage.
“There was a great opportunity here,” Williams reflects, “to turn the personality of the offer around, working with rather than against the building. A new interior that was properly integrated with the building’s stature, location and material palette was called for, to make the most of the great corner location and views out. This was evidently a well-established building with real potential for change.”
SpaceInvader was commissioned by Legal & General for the concept stage of the project and then novated across to commercial interior design, build and delivery specialist ADT Workplace for the construction delivery stage, and the scheme’s project managers were Paragon.
The full scope of works by SpaceInvader covered the entrance, reception and atrium areas, a new upper basement bike store with adjacent changing rooms and shower space, the building’s lift core and circulation areas and a refreshed design for the non-tenanted office spaces on the third and fourth floors, as well as the scheme’s wayfinding.
The concept formed by SpaceInvader was centred around the idea of creating a new community culture, featuring a series of attractive spaces for people to sit, relax, meet, and collaborate. Taking nods from the building’s rich history, the design also needed to be timeless with a non-exclusive appeal catering to a wide user and age-range demographic.
The site dates back to the 18th century when Piccadilly Gardens was a wasteland on the edge of the city and known as the “daub holes”; an area home to a wet pit and ponds from which clay was extracted and used for the construction of wattle and daub structures.
“We were inspired both by the terracotta colour of clay and the outer red building façade when it came to creating the design palette,” says Cheng. “Although, as it’s such a strong colour, the terracotta was to be used for highlights only. We also looked at the origins of the word Piccadilly, which comes from a 17th century frilled curved collar known as a piccadill. Roger Baker, a tailor who became rich making piccadills, lived in the area. The origin of the word is thought to be the Spanish “picadillo”, meaning pierced or punctured. Subtle references to this in the form of curves and punctures, especially using light, also formed part of our design language.”
Lighting formed a central part of the brief, with various needs demanding unique attention, from task lighting and decorative ambience to wayfinding. “We didn't use a lighting designer but worked with Hydrock (M&E consultant) in the early stages to ensure we had the right general lighting lux levels to supplement and support the feature lighting,” explains Cheng. “Once on site, ADT - who delivered the project - brought on Lorne Stewart (M&E Contractor), who worked with Glamox Luxonic to develop the scheme for the general lighting. For the more bespoke areas, such as the external entrance and the atrium, we worked with lighting specialists Studiotech, whose expertise and experience were invaluable to advise on and deliver our vision for the layering of the suspended hooped lighting and the entrance overhead planter with integrated lighting.”
The entrance to the building posed one of the greatest design challenges for the team, as a statement needed to be made without changing the external façade. “We re-thought the entrance as a ‘puncture’ within the passageway, changing its hidden nature and making it stand out by the creation of a new, hanging biophilic and light installation above the entrance, set within a rectilinear LED light, which extends the full breadth of the passageway and is clearly visible from either direction of approach,” says Cheng. “We then added a new round ‘bus stop’ signage, using the development’s existing ONE logo, where all branding previously had related only to neighbouring retail and hospitality offers. We also increased the presence of the glass-front manifestation. Clear views through now ensure a new era of transparency for the interior, celebrating rather than concealing its existence.”
The new reception area was completely rearranged, with a new, smaller bespoke desk featuring a portable Lee Broom table lamp, linking to other feature pendant lights in the space. Here, highlights of terracotta feature in various furnishings and finishes, as well as a play on ideas of light and dark referencing the concept inspiration of piercing and puncturing.
The first seating area close to the reception presents a striking curved nook that houses chestnut leather Gubi Masculo chairs alongside terracotta accents that create a warm and inviting area. A Lee Broom Lens Flair pendant hands over the space with two further identical pendants in the seating area adjacent. The main reception area features four large-scale Flamingo pendants from Vibia.
“The feature lighting choices all stemmed from what we thought complemented our concept and the overall look and feel of the scheme,” explains Cheng. “We chose the Lee Broom Lens Flare pendant and table lamp, for example, for its contrast of two halves (the dark solid against the soft deflected light through a transparent cross-cut lens), reinforcing the concept of light and dark.
“The Vibia Flamingo lights offered the soft light, curves and layering that complimented the double height space and the curves within the design.”
Moving into the atrium, architectural lighting is used in balustrades for wayfinding. A centrally-located box garden pavilion is a focal point in the space, providing a breathing space and a private meeting space for first floor tenants. “This was a key area for our new scheme,” comments Williams. “We saw the potential here to turn the focus inwards and create a real statement space that would serve all the building’s inhabitants, not just the company whose offices were located directly adjacent.”
A heavy use of planting along the back wall as well as generous hanging plants creates a feeling of outdoor space as well as added privacy. The integration of biophilia allows the atrium to be an area of retreat, aiding user’s physical and mental wellbeing, as well as acting as providing natural acoustic properties. Fan-shaped circular Buzzispace acoustic lamps are also featured, representing the lace collar reference. Above the pavilion, simple hoops by Studiotech hang at different levels, tying in with the entrance area lighting.
“The BuzziPleat [by Buzzispace] allowed for a functional decorative light, with the acoustic felt finish adding further softness in a hard-surfaced atrium space, whilst also referencing the ‘piccadil’ lace collar that also formed part of our concept. The feature rings [from Studiotech] reinforced the circular element and concept of community, whilst the layering helped highlight the verticality of the atrium.
“Acoustic lights are great for creating intimate spaces set in more open/transient/busy areas, such as the atrium at One Piccadilly Gardens, so location is a main consideration,” explains Cheng. “For the atrium, there were a lot of hard surfaces in a very high, open environment. Although the pavilion structure incorporated acoustic panels and soft furnishings, suspending the Buzzipleat lights at a lower level added extra intimacy by reducing any sound bouncing between the hard surfaces.
“The science behind acoustics needs to be considered to inform the size and shape of the acoustic light if it’s a noise-sensitive space,” she continues. “It again ties back to location and how that space is being used, e.g., if it is a focused working area within an office space, there would be more need for acoustic treatment to help with work productivity, whereas an open flexible space that can be used for informal meetings or breakout may not need to be as acoustic-heavy. The light output from the fitting needs to match as well so that it's fit for purpose; there needs to be a balance between the two features of acoustics and light.”
Elsewhere, for main office lighting, the team selected linear lights from Luxonic, either suspended or integrated into the suspended rafts. “[These] gave a good general spread of light for an office floorplate, and provided a simple and elegant aesthetic,” says Cheng. “Simple downlights were coupled with the feature Tricell ceiling in the core areas where reception and breakout areas are likely to be located by new end-user tenants.”
When approaching the lighting of an office space, there are various factors that need to be considered in the design stages. Cheng elaborates further: “We first look at the overall space and how it is likely going to be used. We can then start dividing the space into areas that may need to be made into more of a feature zone, and others where it may need to be a question of more generic lighting, e.g., reception and lounge vs. circulation routes and open office spaces.
“We also think about what type of ceiling treatment would work best for the space and the types of light fittings that would work together with that. It's important to get the right levels of light according to the end use of the space e.g., lighting in the office area needs to provide sufficient, even lux levels and good overall comfort suitable for working, compared to a reception or lounge/breakout area, where it’s more a question of setting the right mood and where a design choice can be more tailored. This ties in with where feature lighting is best located, and if there is need for more control by the end user, e.g., for floor lamps or table lamps.”
Reflecting on the project’s success, Rob Codling, Fund Manager at LGIM Real Assets, comments: “Through long-term investment, we remain proactive in delivering the optimum environment for our occupiers. LGIM Real Assets has made a significant investment in One Piccadilly Gardens (OPG) – in which SpaceInvader has played a pivotal role. The transformation of the property will not only improve our occupiers’ experience, but, more widely, assist in our drive to be landlord of choice. Aligning with Legal & General’s ongoing ESG agenda, all works undertaken at OPG have the highest ESG credentials, ensuring the building remains fit for the future.”
Way of Life's The Gessner is a collection of 164 apartments to rent and guest suites for short stays located in Tottenham Hale, London. Taking inspiration from member's clubs, design studio Fettle Design completed the residential schemes.
A full-service contemporary rental offering for the UK, Way of Life's 164 apartments to rent include a selection of studios, one, two, and three-bedroom apartments with views across London. Tenancies for the apartments start from six months to five years, and all apartments are pet-friendly, with many including private balconies. Amenities include an on-site café, fully equipped gym and full-time concierge and support team on site. Shared spaces for residents include a large rooftop garden with BBQ, communal kitchen and dining room, sitting rooms and lounges with fireplaces.
Apartments are available furnished or unfurnished, meaning the interior architecture is decidedly neutral to allow residents to put their own stamp on their home or move into a fully furnished space curated in a way they can interpret.
Way of Life’s offering includes full-service, contemporary rental agreements in London and across the UK. It is designed to lay the foundations for renters to make a home, with ready-to-move-in accommodation, no-fuss tenancy management and an in-house team to take care of billing, contracts, and general life admin, with no need for deposits or service charges.
Fettle’s curated design approach for The Gessner spans living spaces as well as communal areas, which include guest kitchens and dining rooms, lounges, an on-site café and workspace, and a large-scale rooftop terrace. The thoughtful design elements draw on Fettle’s experience with leading hotels, bars, and restaurants across the globe, which is reflected in the mixture of private residential spaces and communal areas, designed to anticipate how residents will utilise different areas throughout their tenure.
Following Way of Life’s philosophy, the homes give residents the opportunity to make them their own. Most of the furniture is bespoke and suited to each apartment size, including some signature bespoke lighting pieces for shared spaces. A focus on quality and attention to detail is evident even down to the finer touches across the rooms; a fully equipped kitchen supplied by Borough Kitchen, Buster and Punch ironmongery, Earl of East bathroom products, smart TV from Samsung, equipment from YogaMatters and handmade ceramics from local artisans.
Dedicated guest suites provide opportunities for visitors to experience the Way of Life lifestyle and design, available for a minimum of two nights. Guests can stay in the double bedrooms and gain access to all the amenities and perks enjoyed by full time residents, including the same high level of finishes and thoughtful designs throughout.
Andy Goodwin, Director at Fettle Design, tells darc about their involvement and approaches to decorative lighting throughout the residential project. “We were approached by Way of Life to design the interiors for The Gessner, taking on both the residential apartments, short stay guest suites and communal areas. Way of Life wanted to create a space inspired by best-in-class hospitality, so our experience working in hospitality - designing for hotels, restaurants, bars and members clubs - was a huge advantage,” he explains.
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“Decorative lighting is incredibly important when designing a space. One of the elements we introduced, which differentiates The Gessner from others in the sector, is the layered approach to lighting in the communal areas. We approached the lighting the same way we would for one of our hospitality projects, using a layered approach to create a residential feel and a beautiful ambience in the public spaces such as the lobby and shared spaces like the dining and living room. Low level lighting such as table lamps and floor lamps provide additional feature lighting, complemented by wall lights and picture lights which create this layered effect.
“Within the residential apartments and guest suites, we opted for a smaller quantity of lights to create the same effect in these more intimate spaces. Traditionally, apartments in this sector would not feature an abundance of lighting, but we introduced pendant lighting, and even chandeliers in some of the larger apartments, which is relatively unusual. These are complemented by table lights and smaller lights to allow residents to control the lighting in their apartment to suit their changing needs over the course of the day - whether they are working, relaxing, or spending time with friends - and create ambience when required.”
With the majority of fixtures supplied by Zico Lighting, Goodwin continues describing the importance of decorative lighting and how it impacts the overall ambience and impression of a space, as well as the design choices behind the fixtures used in various spaces: “In many of the communal areas for residents, such as the ground floor guest lounge and 13th floor dining room and resident lounge, we introduced larger bespoke lighting for impact. Ceiling fittings such as chandeliers or semi-flush fittings on the ceiling, create a main focal point within these spaces. We decided on bespoke fittings for the ceiling lights, to maximise the impact and make them a feature in their own right. In both the communal areas and the private spaces, we paired the larger ceiling lights with wall lights to create a sense of depth in the space. For the wall lights, we worked with a long-time collaborator Visual Comfort, which provided high quality finishes for the lights that align with the wider interior design of The Gessner.”
Goodwin’s final impressions were that of a renowned success for all involved: “We really enjoyed working with the Way of Life team to deliver The Gessner and have been delighted with the outcome. We utilised many of the same suppliers we use within the members clubs, hotels, and restaurant projects that we work on and believe that this, alongside our extensive experience of these spaces, has created a unique perspective to this residential scheme. We collaborated well with the client team who pushed us to develop a scheme that we feel is totally different to others in this sector and will be an amazing place to reside. We hope the residents enjoy living there as much as we enjoyed designing it.
“From a design perspective, the lighting was one of the areas that we pushed to differentiate from competitors and previous projects Way of Life has developed. We decided to reduce the amount of architectural and down lighting in the space and instead utilised incandescent light from decorative elements, creating a warm and inviting space. As you enter The Gessner and move around the public spaces, the lighting helps to create a sense of welcome, which invites you in and helps residents feel at home. From this perspective, the choice of lighting was a key reason why the project fulfilled the brief and has been so successful.”
Gavin Chetty, Creative Director of Way of Life, adds: “With their impressive track record in hotels and hospitality design, Fettle were our partner of choice to bring The Gessner to life. Fettle’s design sets a new standard for stylish, quality yet accessible rentals in London, with high calibre design, which has been considered down to the last detail. Our vision for The Gessner is to raise the bar for hospitality-inspired living in London and create spaces for residents, guests, and visitors to enjoy however they choose. We’re delighted to welcome the first residents and guests to experience this new Way of Life.”
This January, Israel-based Aqua Creations reached its 30th anniversary. Looking back at some of its iconic designs, darc Editor Sarah Cullen sits down with Founder and Creative Director Albi Serfaty to reflect on their third decade of lighting creation.
Born in Jerusalem, Serfaty grew up in a “handy family”, with one brother a watch maker and another a painter. As the youngest, he was keen to assist with the various building projects, which acted as his “formal” education. By the age of 13, he received a dark room and camera as a present from his brothers and became a self-taught photographer.
Serfaty describes his hands-on childhood as one that was “all about problem solving in an aesthetic way”. He continues: “I love the need for the new, but also admire the old. My favourite object is over 200,000 years old; a working tool from the Stone Age, and it is perfectly handmade. Often, I think about the prehistoric person as a designer by need. I never decided to become a designer, I just became one, and I am also a designer by need.”
Taking photography into a career, Serfaty became a Still Life pro in the advertising world. But eventually his creative disposition found other avenues to explore. “It became boring for me to take photos of tea bags and such. All I wanted was to work and look at cool things. I opened a creative studio named Communication Factory, which was a group of photographers, copywriters, and graphic designers, offering creative services for advertising companies. After a few successful months we merged with an advertising agency, and one year later as creative director I understood three things: The advertising world is not for me. My passion for photography doesn’t get satisfied here, and it is going to be a long race with lots of mistakes and it’s better to have my own company.
“With this in mind, Aqua Creations came to life straight from the coral reefs of north Sinai (Egypt) and up until today I have the opportunity to make wonderful objects and to take their photos.”
The coral reefs mentioned are located in the Red Sea, which Serfaty discovered while on a snorkelling trip. The “underwater life, organic shapes and natural forms” are what inspired his first collection’s design. “It is incredibly beautiful, and the ever-changing nature never fails to inspire. 30 years ago, there was very little organic and sculptural design around, and we felt we had something special on our hands.”
The Aqua Creations studio resembles Serfaty’s childhood experience and is led with a strong family ethos, comprised of members of his family and close friends. “We are a family,” he states. “Some have been with Aqua from the beginning. We are a part of each other’s daily lives and major life events such as weddings, and we see each other’s children grow up.”
It was at Milan Design Week 1997 that Aqua Creations was first shown to the design world and general public, rubbing shoulders with the likes of “Ingo Maurer with his endless creativity, Ron Arad with his poetic metals, Droog Design with their ideas - design was also around,” reflects Serfaty.
Displayed at the InterNos gallery, Aqua’s products stood out among very minimalist “white on white” products, as described by Serfaty. “We were with the wrong products at the wrong time, but in the right city. Milan loved us and we were gracefully welcomed. To this day I still feel an appreciation for this city and its elegant and free-minded people.”
Further to their time at Milan Design Week, he adds: “When we first presented our works, the public and art scene loved our designs as much as we did ourselves. The sculptural, organic, and emotional design is what’s still at the core of Aqua Creations’ DNA today.
“There was a crazy amount of creativity in one place. Also, the Italian companies like Cappellini, Flos, and Luceplan were exploding from creativity. We all felt part of a new design movement. Our contribution in this new world was the use of organic forms, soft materials, and 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.”
(France) - Maison&Objet, March 2022: an edition marked by dynamic international business, confirming the attractiveness of inspiring events.
It was in a positive business climate once again that the doors of the decor, design and lifestyle fair closed at the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre. This second post-pandemic session, which was moved from January to March in order to be held under satisfactory sanitary conditions, leaves no doubt as to everyone’s desire to finally meet at Maison&Objet to exchange ideas, make discoveries and sense market trends, in person.
The return of foreign visitors to Maison&Objet Paris was one of the main highlights of this edition: 1 in 3 visitors came from abroad, up 36.7% over the September edition. This vast proportion affirmed the choice of exhibitors who chose to wait two months longer to launch their new products, and compensated those French retailers, who prepared their season months ahead. Many of them met new export-market customers. Nearly 1,800 British visitors, who were not present in September because of travel restrictions, were eager to browse the aisles of the fair; similarly, more than 850 North Americans and nearly 1,100 Middle Easterners, as well as 200 firms and visitors from India, were in attendance to place orders.
Another indicator of the excitement surrounding the fair was the number of orders placed by specifiers (34% of visitors) and by the hospitality industry (nearly 2,500 professionals). Equally, aware that the supply-chain delays and inflation experienced in recent months may continue until the end of the year, the retail sector came to prepare for early September through the end of the year. With seven halls and Maison&Objet In the City (a new itinerary in Paris that showcased nearly 90 prestigious showrooms), the fair has successfully brought together the entire industry, mixing loyal brands showcasing new products with carefully curated new brands worth noticing. This session attracted 51,656 visitors from 136 nations, and 1,811 brands from 53 countries.
The fair was also an amplifier for brands that were not present with traditional stands. Indeed, through the What's New? trend spaces, designed by Elizabeth Leriche, François Bernard, François Delclaux and, for the first time, Julia Rouzaud, Founder of GoodMoods, brands registered on the MOM (Maison&Objet and More) digital platform or in the Maison&Objet In The City itinerary were presented to visitors in an innovative and inspiring way. This was a way for those who were not yet ready to join the fair to get exposure within the Maison&Objet community and be noticed by a targeted audience. Thus, millions of Maison&Objet's followers could also follow the industry news on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, WeChat, and now, Tik Tok.
In addition, those who could not attend the fair will benefit from reports and talks captured during the show (which will be translated and broadcast) through a subscription to the Maison&Objet Academy platform launched last September.
Next September, the programme will be enhanced with a new project called Future on Stage, dedicated to remarkable new companies worth noticing for their innovations. After highlighting six Japanese designers and one Japanese craftsman, the Rising Talent Awards will focus on the Netherlands. As for the show's seasonal theme, shared with Paris Design Week, it promises an interpretation of a major societal trend through the prism of the industry.
September will also see the re-launch of the Paris Capitale de la Création initiative, which includes Maison&Objet as one of its flagship events, along with the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and several of the capital's trade fairs.
2022 Visitor figures: 51 656 unique visitors (+6.20%) 136 countries represented 32 982 French visitors 18 674 international visitors TOop 10 countries outside of France: Belgium (2273), Italy (2031), UK (1839), Netherlands (1582), Spain (1449), Germany (1443), Switzerland (893), Portugal (869), USA (752), Turkey (373).
2022 Exhibitor figures: 1,811 brands 513 new brands 53 countries represented 825 French visitors 986 international visitors Top 10 countries outside of France:Italy (281),Belgium (99),Netherlands (77),Germany (71),Portugal (63) /Spain (63), Denmark (61),UK (45),Turkey (36), Poland (33), Japan (16).
Designed by the industrial design team at Foster + Partners, the new product reflects the diversity of the practice’s output.
Capsule is a family of table lights designed to capitalise on the unique materiality of alabaster rock. Their pillowed cylindrical forms are defined by soft continuous curves that allow for even illumination throughout the lamp, revealing the depth and unique textural detail of alabaster rock.
Manufactured by Carpyen in Spain, each lamp is individually lathed from locally sourced rock, sustaining traditional and local manufacturing. Given the naturally varied colours and veining of alabaster, each lamp is unique, celebrating the natural beauty of the material through its simplified form. The soft curves allow for a consistent thickness of the material, avoiding dark spots that form with more angular geometry.
Mike Holland, Head of Industrial Design, Foster + Partners, says: “Capsule capitalises on the natural properties of alabaster to create a carefully crafted lamp. Its simple form allows the richness of the material to shine through, with every piece embodying a distinctive presence.”
Designed to provide soft light to any commercial or residential space, Capsule is available in three different sizes. Seated on a thin bronze band the lamps can be dimmed by a discreet touch sensor at the base.
The practice has also designed a fully recyclable packaging box for shipping the lamp. A protective cardboard spaceframe eliminates the need for plastic filling materials and the lamp is further protected with a hessian bag. Using single-coloured ink and reducing the use of stickers also enhances the lamp’s environmental credentials.
(UK) - Cameron Design House will unveil a unique outdoor lighting sculpture in collaboration with designer Chris Beardshaw for the RNLI Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022.
Working alongside renowned Garden Designer Chris Beardshaw, Cameron Design House will be installing an awe-inspiring outdoor pendant light for a Show Garden for one of the nation’s most well-respected charities, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) as part of the new ‘Project Giving Back’ initiative at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
With the brand’s first illuminated, pollen-inspired lighting piece showcased in Chris Beardshaw’s Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2019, Cameron Design House is delighted to be taking part once again.
Sparkling from every angle, like a brilliant cut diamond, the chosen multifaceted pendant light is a complex and contemporary chandelier that will hang as a central focal point from a green oak pavilion at the rear of the garden. Consisting of strong lines and flawless segmented symmetry, integral LED lights will shine with Opal-Acrylic light diffusers on the internal and external sides of each arm for a wonderful luminous glow.
Providing a contemporary twist on a traditional chandelier lantern, the pendant perfectly captures and reflects light, suggesting the multidimensional, lifesaving work of the RNLI. Beardshaw wanted to incorporate a strong light within the garden design, as many of those rescued by lifeboats often comment on the relief experienced as they see the light of the lifeboat coming to their rescue.
Inspiring inquisitiveness, the cleverly designed RNLI Garden by Beardshaw promises to marry style hints from the charity’s Georgian origins, with more contemporary design cues. To represent the forward-thinking organisation that is the RNLI design today, Cameron Design House’s modern light piece will complement this rich and classically-inspired garden.
(Italy) - Slamp to open two new flagships stores in Europe as a result of large financial growth.
The brand closed 2021 on a positive note, with double-digit growth and total earnings of 11.5 million euros. Year after year, the company has seen a solid financial increase, up almost 40% from 2020, and more than 27% from 2019.
After the addition of the latest company asset and a 2,000sqm electronics warehouse, 2022 will see the first Slamp flagship stores open their doors: Slamp Milano Duomo on June 5 during the 60th edition of the Salone del Mobile, and Slamp London Knightsbridge in September during the London Design Festival.
“Slamp isn’t simply the story of one, or a handful of people, or a single entrepreneur following their intuition. Slamp is made up of 100, maybe 300, lives that together have built and strengthened an idea. We will never be satisfied, instead consistently and constantly searching for more and new things on the horizon. The new openings in 2022 are further evidence of the branding process adopted in 2019,” says Roberto Ziliani, Slamp’s Founder and President.
To capture the spirit of this moment at the cusp of the company’s third decade of creation, Slamp chose Milan’s Studio Punctum to film “La Luce prima di tutto”. The short clip, under the artistic direction of Slamp’s General Director Luca Mazza, exhibits Slamp’s defining handcrafted, sartorial approach.
“We are not presumptuous enough to try to change the world, but we believe that everyone can create vibrations, much like the flutter of a butterfly wing. We start every day with the knowledge that responsible dedication to even the smallest gesture can make a difference for many,” comments Slamp’s Sales and Marketing Director Erika Martino Mazza.
Furthermore, Slamp has the privilege of contributing to a sustainable cultural model, infusing systematic and inclusive social impact into its practices. A continuing sustainable project requires the strategic, efficient management of available natural, economic, and human resources. The company itself generates socio-economic development within its own operational community and with those who occupy it.
Derived from the ancient Greek word ὑφ' ἕν (huph' hén), Hyphen means together, under one. The Hyphen collection is the unification of opposites and is available in several materials: warm, soft, delicate porcelain, which is joined by cold, strong, bright steel.
Flush with curves, Hyphen lamps are versatile and come in suspended and free-standing versions. Armes' suspended models boast two cylindrical shapes connected by a pivot that can be rearranged, casting soft directional light in different orientations.
The Hyphen table lamp is made of one or two modules that can be arranged in many ways thanks to a base that fits perfectly into its curves.
Several materials and finishes are available: Chromatic black cast steel, which boldly reflects changing colours along its lines. Sanded black cast steel, which highlights the lamp’s round shapes, and matte white porcelain, which is delicately coloured by the reflections of the light that surrounds it.
Like all other Armes lamps, Hyphen was designed and made in Morin Heights, Quebec. Its porcelain components are created in the same town by artist and ceramicist Gréta Jonckheere, who lent her expertise to Hyphen’s development. Made individually with the utmost care, each porcelain module requires many manufacturing steps over several days. The moulds are designed and made in Montreal.
(UK) - The 2022 Women in Lighting Awards are closing for entries on 30 April 2022.
"We couldn't have foreseen the devastating impact that Covid would have on all our lives and when we decided to honour all the WIL and WIL supporters who had achieved amazing things during 2020 and the start of 2021, we never imagined that we would still be in a similar global situation in 2022," says the WiL team.
Whilst the WiL initiative continues to applaud everyone in the lighting community who have never stopped dealing with issues caused by the pandemic with regard to our mental health, our work, and our private lives, and have helped us to remain connected, it has decided to point the WiL Awards in a different direction this year and honour some women in lighting outside the sphere of lighting design - namely Light Art, Education and Research and Engineering.
Nominations for women working in these lighting fields, whose work you find unique, inspiring, worthy, and believe the community should know about, remains open until 30 April.
The Edward Collection by James Bassant, Founder, Astro.
What is the concept behind the Edward Collection? I wanted the Edward range to retain our core Astro DNA but with more scale and visual impact. Not purely minimal but also not overly fussy. Its decorative modern style has a timelessness to suit hotels, hospitality, or high-end domestic interiors with ease.
How long have you been working on the collection? From concept to completion it was around two years, but as with many of our designs, the Edward contains ideas that have been forming in my mind and sketchbooks for several years; coming back to them, refining them, until there’s nothing I would change.
Tell me about the design process and materials used. I often start with a single detail that holds a design together. In this case, it was the simple connecting piece between the base and the stem. Although a small detail, it is hugely important to give the range its unique individual character and visual signature. This is especially true on the desk light where I feel the component almost evokes a feeling of familiarity, a contemporary delivery but with the essence that it could be a repurposed old machine part.
What makes this range stand out from anything else currently on the market? It is attention to detail that creates good design and what makes an Astro product. On the desk light, although the base has an integral switch it was visually important that the cable exits from the tube rather than the easier route through the side of the base. Seemingly simple but a complication we embraced to ensure the product looks just right.
Another important difference with the Edward range was to offer our clients greater flexibility, so for the first time, we offer a range of metallic as well as fabric shades. The simple base unit can be paired with either a black or brushed brass metal shade or three fabric shade options, allowing for dramatically different looks depending on the combinations chosen.
(MEA) - DesignLSM opens a new satellite office in Dubai as its project portfolio continues to expand.
DesignLSM has worked extensively across the Middle East for notable brands, such as Emaar, Meeras, Al Futtuiam Group, Food Hospitality, and Al Ghalia, as well as introducing international brands to the region such as Sumosan, Nac Mayfair, and the Michelin star Galvin Brothers.
With its main office just outside of London, UK, it has over 50% of its current projects based internationally. A presence within Dubai enables the team to work closely with clients and suppliers as well as enhance relationships with local producers; offering clients more hands-on support whilst supporting the team’s strong sustainability ethos.
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