Slamp supports fight against cancer
(Italy) - In October, Slamp supports the fight against breast cancer.
Pink is a ribbon that keeps us united in a great mission: to support the fight against breast cancer.
The World Health Organisation has declared October International Breast Cancer Awareness Month in an effort to promote preventative measures, early diagnosis, and timely cures.
Slamp’s board member Erika Martino Mazza notes that “This is a cause particularly close to our hearts: 70% of our company is female, as are our spectacular ‘hands that tailor light’ into luminous sculptures.”
Slamp, a leader in Italian illumination since 1994, is supporting the Komen Italia (www.komen.it) foundation during the month of October. Since 2000, the foundation has raised more than 21 million euros for breast cancer prevention and women’s health.
For every lamp handcrafted by one of its ladies purchased, Slamp will donate to breast cancer prevention and treatment.
To further explore prevention, early diagnosis, and healthy lifestyles, on 8 October at 1 pm live on Facebook and Instagram, Erika Martino Mazza will interview vice director of General Corporate Fundraising for Komen Italia, Maura Cosmelli, who will explain how small changes help prevent and combat this disease that affects 1 in 9 women throughout their lifetimes.
Slamp is Pink! How about you?
Rakumba and Studio Truly Truly present Vela
(Australia) - Lighting brand Rakumba teamed up with Studio Truly Truly to launch ceiling fixture, Vela.
In the second iteration of its hugely successful Typography family, Rakumba with Studio Truly Truly launches Vela. This stand-alone lighting collection is a poetic mix of iconic design references and celestial contemplations.
For Vela, designers Joel and Kate Booy of Studio Truly Truly have reimagined the most elemental of forms, the sphere. In reference to the Vela constellation, its spherically formed luminaires reinterpret the Typography rail system as the axis of an orbital space. Distinctive discs accent sculptural arrangements of spheres, creating forms and shadows reminiscent of eclipses.
Together these elements create a play on balance, evoking an Alexander Calder-esque sculpture in space, said Studio Truly Truly. “A visual dance happens with the addition of the discs parallel to the light but perpendicular to the rail,” they said. “Together with the illuminated spheres, they can be seen to reveal the image of all the phases of the moon – from eclipse to waning crescent.”
Vela lights can be positioned anywhere along or around the axis. Combining multiple rails in vertical or horizontal orientations and varying the number of lights means the system can be formed into endless expressions; from simple pendants or wall arrangements to incredible chandeliers.
Rakumba Managing Director, Michael Murray, said that while Rakumba had curated a suite of spectacular compositions as a starting point, “Vela offers designers the opportunity to create their own sculptural pieces with ease, each one being unique”.
Each Vela composition stands as an artistic piece. “What we love is that as you move around the forms, they look different from every angle. You can’t help but smile - and feel something - when you see an Alexander Calder mobile, and Vela is the same: it’s that emotional connection we always look for,” said Mr Murray.
The collection comes in a palette of black, golden, and colourways inspired by the hues of the Dutch De Stijl movement reinterpreted with a mid-century aesthetic.
Studio Truly Truly said Rakumba was the ideal partner to bring Vela to life. “Rakumba is highly professional in production and this, accompanied with a desire to push creativity and beauty, means together we can make interesting objects,” they said.
Rakumba’s product development team have taken many learnings from its ongoing partnership with Studio Truly Truly. “Studio Truly Truly are purposeful, rigorous designers, decisive and at the same time collaborative. The sphere is an archetypal light source – the most fundamental source of illumination, so minimal that it’s become universal. Yet Vela jumps out as completely recognisable,” said Rakumba Head Of Design, Dan Treacy.
“Studio Truly Truly has managed to ‘thread the eye of the needle’, paring back as far as possible without Vela being in any way generic. Every Vela combination you curate looks good and achieves something unique – whether that’s playful or serious. It’s outside of the expected,” Treacy said.
The Vela collection is available from December 2021 on a four-week lead time.
CTO Lighting - Cloudesley
The repetitive oval forms of the glass when illuminated bring about a heavenly effect. Each oval glass shade is arranged with an almost poetic rhythm.
The collection comprises three sizes, small, medium and large and it is available in satin brass or bronze finish with exquisite acid-etched oval glass shades creating a unique heavenly effect when illuminated.
Brokis expands its Fall collection
(Czech Republic) - Brokis adds new products to its collection this year.
The Czech lighting manufacturer Brokis has expanded its collections with new lights, including wall lights, hanging lights and table lights.
Geometric, designed by Boris Klimek and Lenka Damova, accentuates the aesthetic expression and structure of Brokis glass, which itself is remarkably distinctive. The collection is defined by basic geometric shapes that characterise the overall contours of the lights and instil them with a singular graphic element to achieve a striking contrast with the animate, almost sculptural makeup of the glass. The suspension components make up the glass geometric shapes, their edges rendered in black profiles.
The graphic aesthetics of the collection allow the lights to be arranged in a great number of final shapes – circle and oval – either as solitary lights or as a sort of jigsaw puzzle, which in the hands of architects can result in an endless variety of lighting combinations. Thus, the concept surpasses its primary function as a lighting fixture and opens the door to large-format blocks of light and other uncommon compositions. For the majority of the solitary lights, each side can be finished in a glass of a different colour for even greater variability and originality.
HD Expo + Conference celebrates the future of hospitality, industry resiliency
| (USA) - HD Expo + Conference celebrated its return to Mandalay Bay Convention Center on August 24-25 after a two-year hiatus.
From expert panels and a show floor brimming with new products, to inspirational sessions designed to spark creativity and inform including keynote talks with the likes of 20 leading hotel operators and owners and featured conversations with visionaries like 21c Museum Hotels founder Steve Wilson, the show was a testament to the power of bringing the industry together once again. The event also debuted new branding and several new activation spaces designed to inspire and create an immersive experience. “For many people, HD Expo + Conference was their first industry event in a long time. The feedback from attendees and manufacturers has been overwhelmingly positive, and it’s clear the industry was missing the face-to-face interaction and camaraderie of live events,” says Kevin Gaffney, Group Show Director and Vice President, Emerald, HD Expo + Conference’s parent company. “It was amazing to be able to bring the industry back together again, safely and effectively,” says Stacy Shoemaker Rauen, editor in chief of Hospitality Design magazine, and SVP, Design Group, Emerald. “The more than 100 speakers brought much-needed in-person dialogue on top-of-mind topics, and the show floor was filled with inspirational new products. It was a true celebration of hospitality’s resilience.” The largest U.S.-based hospitality event of its kind, this year’s HD Expo + Conference served as the launch event for hundreds of product manufacturers and featured a robust lineup of industry veterans, thought leaders, and ones to watch in nearly 30 conference sessions. The HD Park, inspired by the industry’s many immersive outdoor experiences, hosted all CEU-accredited conference sessions with brand updates and deep dives into new concepts, while talks at the DesignWell Pavilion explored the ever-evolving $4 trillion wellness industry in a desert oasis-inspired space crafted by BHDM Design. A VR-led installation of Urban Robot Associates’ winning design from Hilton and HD’s The Box design competition in 2019 also previewed the full concept buildout that will be built out at the 2022 event. The Hospitality Diversity Action Council (HDAC), brought together by Hospitality Designmagazine, hosted a series of pop-up talks in a booth designed by Curioso throughout the two-day event. Comprising hoteliers, designers, landscape architects, and purchasers, the group strives to be a catalyst for addressing the issues of systemic and institutionalised racism which has contributed to the lack of diversity within hospitality. From barriers to access capital to defining Black design to creating inclusive LGBTQ environments, the topics sparked conversation about creating real change within the industry. Bernhardt Hospitality took home top honors in the annual Best Booth Awards as best in show, with booths from Lacquercraft Hospitality, CB2 + Crate & Barrel, and Society6 among the winners across nearly a dozen categories. View the full list of HD Expo + Conference Best Booth winners. HD Expo + Conference will return as a three-day event to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas on April 26-28, 2022. 2021 Sponsors: Ambius, Arhaus, Artonomy Inc., Astek Wallcoverings, Bear Mattress, Bryan Ashley, Bryte, Brand Standard Furnishings, Cosentino, Crate & Barrel/CB2, Currey & Co., dormakaba, Draperies.com, Duggal Visual Solutions, Durkan, Fabricut Contract/FR-One, FLOR, Honeywell/Inncom, HotelFurniture.com, Inpro, Interface, Kohler, M Group, Mini Bar Systems, Mirror Image, Navien, Nourison, Porcelanosa, Quick Drain USA, RH Contract, Serta/Simmons Beautyrest, Shaw Contract, Sika Design, Sonny + Ash, SYNLawn, Symmons, Tarkett, TUCCI, TURF Design, Valley Forge Fabrics, Williams-Sonoma Business-to-Business, Yellow Goat Design Association Partners: The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), Boutique + Lifestyle Lodging Association (BLLA), The Commercial Interior Design Association (IIDA), The International Society of Hospitality Purchasers (ISHP), and NEWH—The Hospitality Industry Network. |
Lutron releases Athena architectural lighting solution
(UK) - Beautiful light made simple: Lutron brings Athena architectural lighting solution – with iOS App Control – to the global market.
Athena is inspired light that delivers a holistic experience – a simple, flexible, all-in-one solution for lighting, intelligent blinds, and connected apps.
Lutron Electronics brings the Athena architectural solution to global applications. Athena is a simple, flexible, all-in-one solution that elevates everyday experiences with the magic of light. The system marries world-class control, flexibility, and simple app-based setup in a lighting control solution that is optimal for both new construction and retrofits and is ideally suited to handle the evolving needs of commercial spaces. Especially now, as commercial spaces are rethinking occupancy patterns and ease of use, Athena is built to meet today’s uncharted design challenges while delivering flexibility for the future.
Key features include:
- Universal fixture control – control all load types from a single product with no minimum load requirements.
- A right-sized processor accommodates design and budget in both small and large spaces with no limit to the number of DALI zones making it ideal for intimate restaurants, art galleries and museums, and hotel public areas. Athena is designed for seamless integration of lights and blinds to deliver a beautiful lighting environment.
- Simple-to-use, the mobile iOS application for real-time programming and personalisation includes features such as fade times adjustable to up to four hours.
- Seamless API integration to building management systems for centralised monitoring and control. Athena is designed to deliver quality light, natural light, a connection to the outdoors, and control options that are focused on enhancing the human experience.
“Across the globe, building design and customer expectations are changing to reflect a more human centric lighting experience. As designers and business owners navigate new challenges, Athena offers a solution that supports the human experience and celebrates nuances in design and culture. For today’s lighting designs, flexibility and simplicity are paramount. Athena is built with this in mind,” said Olivier Perrigueur, Vice President and General Manager, Commercial Business at Lutron.
Most people spend their days under static light that doesn’t change. Athena invites architects and designers to change this paradigm, to extend dynamic natural light deep into the built environment, far beyond the window’s reach. Athena brings the full power of tuneable white, DALI Type 8 fixtures to the designer's fingertips. With best-in-class fade times, and independent control of colour temperature and intensity – from 100% to 0.1% – create perfect harmony between interior light and natural daylight.
Athena expands opportunities for beautiful light in elegant spaces. Customise lighting designs with warm dimming and tuneable white control. The simple, mobile app enables dimming to 0.1% light with precision fine-tuning in 1% light level increments for visual presentation and aesthetics that are unique in each space. Customised controls are also available to meet the needs of occupants and visitors alike – touchless, responsive options like occupancy and daylight sensors or timeclock control, individual Pico remote controls and luxury aesthetics such as Palladiom keypads, or the all-new Athena Touchscreen, and mobile app integration ensure the right options for each space.
Athena processors allow the system to scale easily, making Athena systems as good for small architectural spaces such as restaurants, museums, and boutiques, as they are for large, open-plan office spaces and corporate headquarters.
· Featuring a compact, small form-factor, the Athena processor can be discretely tucked away and takes up very little real estate on the wall
· For special events, lighting adjustments can be made quickly without affecting system presetsDesign without risk – With simple apps, universal fixture control, and a full complement of control options, Athena addresses the needs of lighting designers, facility managers, and MEPs alike:
· Intuitive app – Set and adjust lighting scenes right in the space, in real time. Quickly make changes for a special event, and just as easily return to the original settings.
· Touchscreen wall control – a brand new touchscreen option integrates seamlessly into the Athena solution and provides dynamic control of lights and blinds all from one sleek control station.
· Universal DALI control module – simplify design; one module offers control of static white (DALI Type 6) and tuneable white (Tc DALI Type 8) luminaires.
· Manage your emergency fittings from the same system – Athena offers DALI Emergency testing from the same intuitive app used to control the rest of the system. Testing can also be scheduled to reduce overhead on the operations team.
· LED+ universal phase control dimmer – control all load types from one product with no minimum load requirement. Even a single pinhole downlight can be its own zone.
· A wide range of control technologies – smart blind control, and personal control – from simple wireless remotes to sophisticated keypads, occupancy, and daylight sensors that easily accommodate timeclock interface.
· Flexible and retrofit-friendly – Athena cloud-updateable software is easy to keep current and offers a smart lighting and shade solution that can be easily rezoned, reprogrammed and repurposed at any time. Make changes on your own time with no need for 3rd-party assistance.
Tala - Echo
Tala's product Echo by David Weeks follows the launch of Reflection in September 2020. Echo continues David Weeks’ exploration into material and form expressed in a Chandelier, Floor Lamp and Table Lamp.
Defined by intersecting asymmetrical steel cylinders, the pieces are powder-coated in a muted white finish and paired with Tala’s Sphere IV LED bulbs.
The Echo Floor and Table Lamps are each fitted with a custom dimmer to achieve maximum performance for the Dim to Warm technology of the bulbs, while the Chandelier is compatible with any of its recommended dimmers.
"Asymmetry is achieved by working backwards, starting at the end. We decide where we want the bulbs to go and then solve the problem of getting them there. This way awkwardness always has a remedy; it gets reconciled along the way. The result is off-kilter but wholly balanced," says David Weeks.
LED Expo brings focus on women in lighting industry through virtual LED Summit
(India) – Supported by the IALD and event partner K-Lite Industries, Messe Frankfurt India held an online webinar, LED Summit, which sought to unite successful women entrepreneurs from the lighting industry to address the challenges that female employees continue to face in the arena of lighting.
With the IALD as the knowledge partner, the LED Summit webinar organised earlier this month, united some of the most influential and successful women entrepreneurs from the lighting industry to discuss the topic of ‘Women & The Lighting Profession – Understanding their role’.
The panellists were forthcoming in highlighting the struggles and prejudices they face as women in the lighting profession: “In academics, there are a vast number of women going in to learn lighting design, but very few of them actually end up becoming a part of the industry,” shared Shailee Trivedi, IALD Member and IIID (Institute of Indian Interior Designers) Chair Elect.
Further elaborating on the issue, Surbhi Jindal, who is also the India Ambassador for Women in Lighting (WIL), added how WIL has been working relentlessly to profile, celebrate and support the women working in lighting. She also shared how women are facing the brunt of the severely affected job market due to the current pandemic.
The event partner for LED Summit, K-LITE actively seeks to create opportunities and support aspiring women. The company employs more than 50% women under its workforce across the spectrum.
An influential lighting professional herself and one of the panellists at the virtual session, Sharmila Kumbhat, Director, K-LITE described the significance of women employees and leaders in the industry: “Lighting being both an art and science, women by their very nature have the insights and temperament for art, architecture and design. Yet it is important to overcome these gender barriers and allow talent to come through regardless of gender.”
Empowerment of women in lighting profession is not only a case of gender equity but more so about celebrating the accomplishments of female professionals to inspire the next generation of women workers and decision makers.
As one of India’s leading lighting trade fairs, LED Expo aims to continue to provide a B2B platform where lighting professionals can gain equal access to sourcing and networking opportunities through its New Delhi edition, scheduled to take place on 18 – 20 November 2021 at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida.
Innermost launches Innermost Plus
(UK) - Innermost launches Innermost Plus that welcomes new brands to its portfolio.
With the launch of Innermost Plus, the original manufacturing skills and the innovative Innermost own brand will remain, and new, complimentary, brands such and UMAGE and Pilke will be welcomed to the fold alongside it.
All brands will be stocked at the Innermost Plus UK distribution centre and factory in Telford, which has facilities for bespoke finishing and assembly.
Innermost Co-Founder Steve Jones: “Over the coming months, we will be adding some really exciting brands to our collection, as we become the sole UK distributors for them in both decorative and technical lighting. Our aim is to bring innovation and interest to inspire our UK customers and now there is no design area we can’t cater for.”
[d]arc room pop-up @ Design London a success
(UK) – [d]arc room returned to London for special pop-up event
Returning to London for its fifth year, [d]arc room hosted a special pop-up event at Design London (previously 100% Design), which received a staggering 12 and a half thousand attendees.
Recognising the capital’s profound influence over Architecture and Design specification, [d]arc room pop-up was a new and enhanced event experience underpinned by the wealth of knowledge of both [d]arc media and Media 10, organisers of Design London.
In previous editions of 100% Design, the lighting contingent was sporadically positioned throughout the exhibition. This year saw [d]arc room pop-up as an established lighting area within Design London.
The pop-up featured a highly curated selection of lighting brands providing a unique platform for suppliers and designers to meet at what was the must-attend event during London Design Festival.
Confirmed exhibitors included Seoul Semiconductor, Franklite, Delta Light, ILP, iGuzzini, John Cullen Lighting, Thorlux Lighting, Mesh, Tryka, IALD, Nichia/Formula Luci, Light LAB, RAY Lighting and SLL.
The pop-up event also showcased this year’s [d]arc awards light art installations based on the theme ‘The Spectrum’. Displayed on the Magazine Mezzanine for the duration of Design London, a [d]arc night party celebrating all this year’s awards winners was also be held on the Wednesday evening.
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.
A series of lighting talks, [d]arc thoughts, also took place on the Magazine Mezzanine. The panel discussions were a huge success, drawing large audiences each day to listen to an esteemed line-up of industry professionals discussing topics around lighting, plus a special series of Diversity in Lighting.
www.darcroom.com / www.designlondon.co.uk
SBID International Design Awards finalists for 2021 revealed
(UK) - The SBID International Design Awards finalists for 2021 have been revealed, boasting an impressive shortlist of award-worthy entries across Interior Design, Product Design and FitOut.
From the design scheme, materials used and products specified through to the final fit-out installation, the SBID Awards champion design standards across the supply chain in the design, procurement and execution of outstanding interiors. Each entry has been evaluated for its functionality, technical merit, creative delivery and ability to inspire; highlighting the value that expert interior design and specialist craftmanship can bring to businesses, homes and society as a whole – the finest examples of good design considers its ultimate impact on the health, wellbeing and lifestyle of its users and the environment.
The SBID Awards invited the creative A&D community to enter this year’s global awards programme to celebrate the incredible dexterity, creativity and mastery of the interior design profession. Providing a global stage for designers of interiors, the Awards reward the design excellence of interior designers, studios and architects, alongside the fit-out specialists, product designers, manufacturers, artisans and independent makers that bring their visions to life through superior quality, skill and innovation.
Amongst the inspiring contenders for this year, finalists for interior design categories include the likes of esteemed practices; Zaha Hadid Architects, Hirsch Bedner Associates and Hill House Interiors. With notable projects for international brands including; Harrods, the Hilton, Marriott Hotels, Coty, Bumble, and more. Across product design, the shortlisted entries exhibit some of the latest interior solutions from Fisher & Paykel, Cosentino, BORA, and Graham & Brown.
The GOLD-standard Awards programme (as accredited by the Independent Awards Standards Council) has amassed over 3,000 entries from 85 countries worldwide, with this year receiving entries from the UK, UAE, Germany and Australia, to Taiwan, Switzerland, Vietnam and South Africa. As a result, the SBID Awards has become a truly international platform for showcasing the world’s best professional design talent, with finalists in each category encompassing the scope and diversity of the design industry, spanning the commercial and residential sectors.
In addition to enhanced credibility and invaluable recognition, the Awards’ represent a unique opportunity to put designs in front of some of the biggest names and industry-leading experts across the profession.
Featuring on this year’s impressive international jury, Stella Gittins, co-founder and group director of Accouter Group of Companies says: “The SBID Awards is an opportunity for the industry’s creative community to stage their courageous minds…exploring beautiful, useful and respectful ideas which are so seemingly simple, yet intricate as a process. I am proud to represent the iconic SBID as a judge and play a part in honouring great designers with these prestigious accolades.”
To complete the final stage of the judging process, the public are invited to vote for their favourite projects on the SBID Awards website. Accounting for 30% of the results, the ultimate end-users of design have the final say in which projects or products receive a prestigious SBID Award. The public voting will close on Friday 10th September at 5pm (BST).
Offering inventive event experiences equipped with premium networking opportunities, the annual Awards culminates with a captivating ceremony in London’s latest luxury lifestyle destination, Nobu Hotel Portman Square on Friday 22nd October 2021; where the winning entries will be awarded with a bespoke crystal trophy designed exclusively by Sans Souci Glass Deco.
Astro Lighting's new SS21 collection
(UK) - British brand Astro Lighting launches its Spring/Summer 2021 collection.
Recognised for distinct quality and timeless aesthetics, British lighting designer and manufacturer Astro present a considered collection of future-proofed designs for the new season. Created with longevity in mind, the latest offering is crafted using the best possible materials and manufacturing techniques to deliver versatile lighting solutions materialised through elegant engineering and contemporary finishes.
Launched in May 2021, the new season reflects the ongoing passion of Astro’s founders James Bassant and John Fearon, for simple, high-quality British lighting that stands the test of time. It includes pieces for every type of project, from residential interiors to hotels and restaurants, grand entranceways to intimate outdoor terraces. Every product has been thoughtfully designed so it can be styled to suit any aesthetic.
A representation of the Astro design philosophy, the new collection takes inspiration from surrounding architecture and classic forms with refined engineering details.
