Private Apartment, Hong Kong
For this new project, Luxxu pays homage to the architectural style of Hong Kong, introducing a modern and contemporary feel to the luxury oasis. Structure alone, the penthouse was imagined as a sort of paradisial landscape with sweeping city views, and then, Luxxu decorated the interiors with high-end designs that epitomised the modern notion of luxury but in a lighter yet vigorous colour scheme, especially playing on the timeless appeal of various shades of brown and neutral hues, eye-catching gold accents, and an abundance of greenery. All divisions benefit from a bright atmosphere with floor-to-ceiling windows that allow one to embrace the region’s phenomenal skyline.
As we move through the apartment, multiple Luxxu products illuminate the way. Starting in the hallway, Luxxu’s Waterfall II wall lamp illuminates the area with a unique glow courtesy of its gold-plated brass frames and crystal tubes. For the living room, every detail was thoroughly thought out to make a statement. The tray ceiling and the lighted brass walls immediately set the tone whereas the Shard suspension by Luxxu becomes a lighting installation in its own right.
In the dining room, the Burj chandelier offers a more opulent nature while becoming an ode to the modern age. In the bathroom, besides plenty of natural lighting, this space also benefits from the harmonious and architectural allure of the Pharo lighting fixtures.
What better way to boost your creativity than to work to the sight of the most magnificent mountain views. Luxxu took this concept and designed a highly simulative interior with floor-to-ceiling windows in the office. Here, the Tycho rectangular suspension was selected as the main luminaire, while the Waterfall technical wall lamp and the Tycho table lamp back up its stately layout.
Specifying Bespoke Lighting
As part of the LiGHT 22 talks programme, Specifying Bespoke Lighting looked at how popular bespoke lighting services are becoming? What kind of projects call for it? What are some of the complexities and processes involved? Featuring some of the leading designers in bespoke lighting, this talk aimed to answer all of these questions and more.
Panellists included: Simon Shuck of Inspired by Design; Darren Orrow of Into; Mark Sutton Vane of Sutton Vane Associates; Matt Burns of Unibox.
Venini appoints new Art Director
(Italy) - Architect and designer Marco Piva has taken up the role of Art Director at Venini with the aim of redefining the company’s product-focused creative path, starting from the study of its historic and cultural archival heritage.
The Milanese designer is particularly interested in the ability of an object to intercept the aesthetic and functional “expectations” of users and, consequently, in the reaction that such an object is able to elicit in them. Bringing this attitude into play, he will work on enhancing the brand’s allure, interpreting it and capturing the attention of the brand’s enthusiasts and collectors. With his long-standing experience and professionalism, Piva will also devote particular attention and energy to engaging and developing the brand in the luxury contract world with hotels, restaurants and exclusive residences with the opportunity of hosting Venini products and installations.
A traveller even before becoming a designer, Piva is an innovator dedicated to creating unique design solutions characterised by style freedom, functionality and emotion. Studio Marco Piva, with major offices in Milan and Shanghai, has carried out important projects in Italy and abroad such as the prestigious Excelsior Hotel Gallia in Milan, the Pantheon Iconic Hotel in Rome, Palazzo Nani in Venice and the Port Palace in Montecarlo, in addition to multiple projects in Asia such as the FengTai Financial Center in Beijing, the Culture and Art Center Design of Yuhang and the Tonino Lamborghini Towers complex in Chengdu, which will be inaugurated in the spring of 2023.
Piva says proudly about his new role as art director of the Furnace: “It is a great satisfaction to be a part of a prestigious company of the calibre of Venini, rooted in Murano’s traditional art of glassmaking but with a keen eye to the future. The brand has collaborated with artists and designers such as Carlo Scarpa and Gio Ponti, who have made the history of design in the last century, and it is a privilege for me to work to contribute to its ongoing success.”
Silvia Damiani, President of Venini, has said: “I’m really excited about this new collaboration. Not only does Marco Piva have extraordinary creative experience, but he has also taken part in prestigious projects on an international scale. His figure is important on the Italian and foreign cultural scene. Marco Piva will project Venini towards an even more cosmopolitan dimension.”
BDNY puts a spotlight on thought-provoking design
(USA) - The conference for the boutique hospitality and lifestyle industry gathered nearly 13,000 designers, architects, brand executives, hoteliers, developers, purchasers, manufacturers, and other professionals from 47 countries at the Javits Center on November 13-14 to experience new products, engaging conversations, and strategic networking events.
BDNY returned strongly with a sold-out Kickoff Party on November 12 and continued with a noticeable increase in attendance. In comparison to 2021, that equated to a 65% increase in overall attendance, a 61% increase in qualified buyers, a 47% increase in exhibitors, as well as record-breaking gains in onsite registration over the past two shows—up 737% over 2021 and up 247% over 2019.
“It was an incredible few days in New York—from kicking off with a sold-out Platinum Circle Gala to seeing so many excited faces representing a who’s who of the industry on the show floor to ending with a packed house at the Gold Key Awards,” says Stacy Shoemaker Rauen, editor in chief of Hospitality Design magazine and SVP, Design Group at Emerald. “I think everyone walked away invigorated and inspired—I know I did.”
“The positive response we received from our exhibitors, attendees, and design partners has proven that business is back and better than ever this year. We are looking forward to continuing to expand our exposure and to deliver smart and targeted programming for the hospitality design community in 2023,” states Kevin Gaffney, Group Vice President, Emerald Design Group.
Thousands of industry professionals explored new products from nearly 600 exhibitors and learned about the latest trends and issues in hospitality from sessions covering innovation in design, wellness and mindfulness, navigating inclusivity, and the future of hospitality. While sustainability in design has always been important, it became more central in both products and projects at this year's BDNY. At the ReWild by Westin Designed Space, the environment was top of mind with abundant greenery and features like The Well, which contained a plastic-free source of water for visitors. At the booths, an emphasis on eco-friendly was pervasive from the recyclability of iSiMAR’s aluminium outdoor furniture to a line of textiles from Valley Forge Fabrics created from reclaimed and repurposed ocean plastic. Other trends that appeared throughout the exhibitor booths included a focus on 1970s-themed shapes and colours and curved silhouettes among chairs, sofas, and more.
Highlights of this year’s BDNY included the debut of its four signature Designed Spaces. Created by major interior and architecture teams, and hospitality companies, the spaces rely on products from BDNY exhibitors and sponsors as sources for inspiration, design, and concept. This year’s Designed Spaces included Revive by Element designed by The Society; ReWild by Westin designed by the EoA; Better-Verse by DLR Group; and Posta by WorldHotels Crafted Collection designed by EDG. In addition to presenting impressive designs, these spaces featured pop-up talks and food and drink throughout the two days.
BDNY Meet, a platform for targeted connections between exhibitors and attendees, continued to serve as an important matchmaking tool both prior to and onsite at the trade fair. More than 3,000 attendees and exhibitors engaged with BDNY Meet by visiting matched profiles and sending meeting requests.
Spanning 14 categories for hospitality interiors, the Best of BDNY 2022 Product Design Competition and BDNY Best Exhibit Competition celebrate designers and manufacturers of products that demonstrate aesthetic progress, functionality, and innovation. This year’s Best Exhibit Competition winners were Mexa Diseño (Small), CM Hospitality (Medium), and Opiary (Large). Opiary also won the Best in Show award, and Arteriors won the Lighting category.
Preceding BDNY, the 33rd Annual Platinum Circle Awards Gala, hosted by Hospitality Design magazine, took place on Friday, November 11 at Gotham Hall in New York, where seven hospitality leaders were honoured for their lifetime achievements: Ronnie Bray and Elisa Whaler, Bray Whaler; Ken Fulk, Ken Fulk Inc.; Neil Jacobs, Six Senses; Sheila Johnson, Salamander Hotels & Resorts; and Barbara Parker and Miriam Torres, Parker-Torres Design.
Closing out the week of events, BDNY hosted the annual Gold Key Awards celebration on Monday, November 14 at Cipriani 42nd Street, where winners in 24 project categories—from fine dining restaurant and resort to suite—were announced.
The next edition of BDNY will be held at Javits Center, November 12-13, 2023.
2023 theme announced for Workspace Design Show
(UK) – Workspace Design Show returns for 2023 after its inaugural edition last year.
Workspace Design Show will take place at the Business Design Centre, London, on 27 – 28 February, and is getting ready to host a whole range of creatives from the UK’s workplace industry, with the theme of this year’s show being ‘Destination Workplace’.
Gensler will be designing the show entrance, with the theme ‘Destination Workplace Rebirth’. Becky Spenceley, Design Director at Gensler, who is leading the project, said: “It feels like there has never been a more exciting and yet equally unknown time in the future of workplace design.
“We are inspired by this synergy between a new era of workplace and a new outlook on how we can care for our planet, and how we as designers can affect that through pioneering and sustainable design. It’s about fresh perspectives to enable new ways of working and create unique and tailored destinations for people, hence the overarching theme of Rebirth.”
Over the course of the event there will be a diverse range of speakers, within an enticing talks programme, providing three talks theatres which attendees can choose from.
Refreshing, post-Covid opinions will be discussed in the Talks Lounge, curated by The Furniture Practice. In addition, attendees will be able to listen to the leading lights from architecture and design, and end-users talking about the latest trends, challenges and innovations in the workplace sector.
New to this year is the Bio Materials exhibition, designed by BIOHM, with biological systems at the heart of it’s inspiration. This will combine ideologies of the circular economy and human-centred design with future-tech, representing an exciting opportunity for visitors to discover advanced materials, that will be crucial to the future of design.
Architecture practice BDP is responsible for ‘Change by Design’ a lounge space concept for the 2023 Workspace Design Show. This will provide a discussion piece surrounding the current climate crisis, and will question the impact of workplace design on the natural environment. It represents a problem-solving approach that will demonstrate how the use of recycled, reused and bio materials in design projects can help to shape a low-carbon future.
The FIS, (Finishes & Interiors Sector) Innovation awards will also take place at the show, recognising outstanding innovation in the finishes and interiors sector across various categories. The Workspace Design Show party will also be making a welcome return.
The show will also provide visitors with the chance to explore the latest product launches that are transforming the employee experience in our workplaces, creating spaces for people to harbour creativity and enjoy working in.
Studio Indigo launches new book
(UK) - Studio Indigo celebrated its latest book publication 'Studio Indigo: Architecturally Creative Interiors' on Thursday 10 November in London's iconic Wallace Collection.
The evening brought together a milieu of the design industry including the Studio's Clients and friends who gathered within the wonderfully lit indoor courtyard. The historic 18th Century Museum provided the perfect backdrop to toast the Studio's 17 years in the industry.
Creative Director and Founder, Mike Fisher says: "I was truly humbled to see so many people coming and supporting the Studio and all that we have achieved. When I look back at the beginnings of Studio Indigo and my ambitions to have a small five-man team, and to see it has now grown into a team of 50 from such diverse backgrounds and skills it really brings a smile to my face."
CEO, James Kandutsch says: "The book launch was a tremendous success and a great opportunity to bring clients, friends and advocates together to celebrate our journey. It’s been inspiring, exhilarating, fun and taken us to places we could never have imagined! It really does take an enormous amount of effort and collaboration with many talented people involved to create the spectacular work we do. I hope readers will smile and find joy as they read through the pages of our new book.”
The new coffee-table book encapsulates 16 unique and diverse projects that explore different facets of multi-disciplinary design, form and colour. From historic homes to contemporary city townhouses to homes on the sea, the new book depicts the studio's ability to bring its experience to various industries.
Studio Indigo: Architecturally Creative Interiors by Mike Fisher is published by Vendome Press and is out now.
Arnhem Museum, Netherlands
Studio Modijefsky has created a new interior scheme for the Arnhem Museum in the Netherlands. darc speaks with senior designer Natalia Nikolopoulou to find out more about the studios approach.
Museum Arnhem, in The Netherlands, is home to modern, contemporary, and applied art and design, with a special focus on female artists. The public spaces were recently renovated by Studio Modijefsky, which included the entrance, café, and shop on the ground floor, plus an event space and activity room on the first floor.
The museum’s iconic dome is at the centre of it all, and Studio Modijefsky worked hard to ensure a new design language united these areas spread across the cavernous space. The design language was inspired by the building’s past and present; its origins as a gentleman’s club and the “Magic Realism” of the museum’s current collection. “While seemingly worlds apart, both these guises have escapism at their heart, from the men who used to evade everyday life to the artists creating fantastical takes on reality,” says the studio. “The new spaces designed by [us] take visitors on the same journey by playing with perspective and offering pathways into other dimensions.”
The museum’s core value: “from the heart, looking further, from now on and with quality”, is reflected in the new interiors of the building and its collections, which spread into new wings of the museum.
Senior designer on the project Natalia Nikolopoulou sat down with darc to elaborate on the museum’s new aesthetic that was completed in May 2022.
“Museum Arnhem approached Studio Modijefsky in the summer of 2020, and the initial brief was to create a design for the public spaces of the museum; main entrance, café, shop, and activity room. [They wanted] a design that represents the identity and values of Museum Arnhem, respects its surroundings, and the architecture of the building. A destination for art, culture, and nature lovers in a completely renovated building.”
One of the major challenges that the team faced when starting out on the design process was factoring in all the ideas, suggestions, and thoughts from different stakeholders. “[This] was challenging as they all had various and interesting points of view,” says Nikolopoulou. “The ability of Studio Modijefsky to combine and unite all these ideas was the turning point of this design: we overcame the challenge by translating the client’s own desires into a design that clearly speaks Modijefsky’s language.”
Using a selection of bespoke fixtures designed by Studio Modijefsky and created by Signwise, Fiction Factory, as well as some architectural pieces from Modular, a stunning aesthetic was created throughout the museum.
In the entrance, the “Magic Realism” atmosphere begins with a bespoke lightbox hanging above the reception desk, mirroring the desk’s shape. “ It’s a floating version of this piece of furniture hanging above. It’s made like a kite, with sticks that span from corner to corner, and uses the fabric that is also used for kites,” describes Nikolopoulou.
A small (by comparison) chandelier hangs in solitude hinting at its larger version that is yet to be seen on the other side of the entrance. Moving through into the dome area, visitors can enjoy an open-plan zoned space that houses the café and museum shop. Each area is distinguished by a unique identity and set of materials that are linked to different themes of the museum’s collection. Eyes are drawn to a large custom-made chandelier that makes full use of the dome’s impressive height and unites the space. Formed of illuminated curves in different shades of white that hang together in a cluster of varying heights, the chandelier’s shapes mirror the outline cupola above it and the windows above.
Nikolopoulou adds: “The chandelier is inspired by the architecture of the building. Taking the outline of the building’s dome and the outline of the windows situated in the lantern all the way to the top of the dome - we created two basic shapes, that we flipped upside down and used to compose a spatial arrangement with.
“The chandelier elements are divided into groups; each group slowly glows at its own pace.
We wanted illuminating tubes that give light in every direction so we used a system of custom LED tubes, a product we discovered through the executing party. It works really well and provides the same neon tube effect that we were aiming for. The LED tubes are a bit bigger than standard neon tubes, which works well with the proportion of the dome.
We programmed the three-tiered clusters of light to slowly pulse throughout the day.
“A smaller version of the grand chandelier hangs in the entrance of the museum, which can be seen from the outside looking in. And, a second even smaller one appears when standing in the entrance area looking through a window into the dome area, right on the ceiling close to the entrance space. This one leads the visitor to the dome where the big chandelier greets you the moment you enter the space.”
In order to support this grand chandelier, a special suspension system was installed to ensure the piece hangs comfortably and safely in the centre of the dome. A high seating area, characterised by a lilac backdrop behind the bar, has mirrors to reflect all the colours and structures used in the seating area. As they are positioned higher than the dark wooden plinth, they invite visitors to look up at the reflection of the chandelier. The activity and event space on the first floor also benefit from the large chandelier that transcends this floor, enlightening it throughout at different heights and points.
Speaking of how the decorative lighting elements worked alongside the architecture, Nikolopoulou says: “The existing building served as a blank canvas upon which the design was drawn. Its architectural features are enhanced by the custom furniture that wraps around the monumental columns, delineating the perimeter of the café at the very centre of the area. A lower darker layer creates a contrast with the brightness coming through the big windows, leading the eye towards the dome where the custom chandelier lightens up the entire building.”
Reflecting on the project, Nikolopoulou concludes: “With the collection moving into the new wings of the museum, the interior of this monumental building became a work of art itself, expressing Museum Arnhem’s core values, inviting the visitors to escape reality in their new surroundings.
“A museum inspires you in a different way than a bar or a restaurant. To unite the areas spread across this cavernous expanse, we created a new design language inspired by aspects of the building’s past and present.
“If [we could have changed] anything, we would add back an initial element of the design, which was let go during the process - a large yellow mirror behind the entrance desk. This large mirror was supposed to be placed parallel to a silver mirror, creating a series of smaller and smaller reflections that appear to recede to infinity. This would have transformed the main entrance into a piece of art itself, inviting the visitor into an infinite mirror play. I hope that this feature will be eventually realised.”
Images: Maarten Willemstein
Roll & Hill launches collection with Jessica Helgerson
(USA) - Brooklyn-based lighting and furniture company Roll & Hill launches Rue Sala and Del Playa, two lighting collections designed by interior designer Jessica Helgerson.
Known for thoughtful and artful interior design that combines historic architecture with bright and playful modern details, Jessica Helgerson’s design studio is based in Portland, Oregon, with a new office in Paris.
Rue Sala and Del Playa find unity in Helgerson’s love of turned and crafted materials, but diverge to reflect her upbringing in differing milieus. Helgerson was raised in Isla Vista, California in the 70s, and the materials for Del Playa—wood and ceramic—represent the handcrafted feel of the surroundings from her childhood spent on the Del Playa Drive beach. Rue Sala, on the other hand, speaks to her summers spent in France; the use of glass and bronze suggests the flamboyance and the historical feel of furnishings and other elegant objects that caught her eye.
This is Jessica Helgerson’s first line for Roll & Hill and her first product design that reaches beyond the realm of her clients. This is also Roll & Hill’s first collaboration with an interior designer. When asked her reasons for working with Roll & Hill, Helgerson says: “Lighting is such a special, bright part of an interior, like the fancy last piece of jewellery that makes the outfit, and Roll & Hill does it better than just about anyone.”
Del Playa consists of four pieces – single-arm sconce, double-arm sconce, two-arm pendant, and four-arm pendant. Rue Sala is available as a pendant sconce, single sconce, two-arm sconce, two-arm pendant, four-arm pendant, and six-arm pendant, and each piece is available in 120v or 240v.
The pieces will be on view at the Roll & Hill showroom in New York City’s SoHo neighbourhood and will be launched in Europe on December 5 with an event at the Triode showroom in Paris.
My Moonsand Private Yacht, International
My Moonsand, with interior and exterior design by Bannenberg & Rowell, is a masterpiece of clean yet striking design. Lighting Design International created the lighting scheme for both the exterior and interior of the 55-metre yacht built by Lurssen, with Christian Haimes leading the team as Senior Designer.
While a clean aesthetic was key, the yacht features a courageous use of colour and texture. It was key that high-quality lighting was used to allow the bold finishes to come to life, while not distracting from the elegant design of both the exterior and interior architecture. Through the use of custom mounting plates and shallow lighting slots, all deckhead was minimised and organised to reduce visual impact.
Moonsand has been described as "truly bespoke" and this is certainly true for the lighting. A key feature of the boat is the beautiful ceiling light that sits within the salon and dining areas on the main deck. Featuring 38 stainless steel-backed hand-blown glass segments, the light by Preciosa continues the clean but highly decorative style of the boat. The almost translucent segments are lit with cool white light for a cloud-like effect against the pale blue ceiling, which provides a sense of movement and striking simplicity as you journey through the main deck.
www.lightingdesigninternational.com
Javier Robles
Designer Javier Robles founded New York-based lighting, furniture, and objects studio Lumifer in 2015 as a reaction to his continuous search for products to specify in his architecture and interior design projects. As a result, he created a studio that produces his “ever-evolving collection of contemporary work inspired by his global cultural experiences and his multidisciplinary approach to the design field”.
Robles sat down with darc to walk us through his personal design journey and dive into these cultural experiences he draws upon in his work.
“Growing up in Trujillo, a coastal city in northern Peru, has been instrumental to my identity and my work,” he kicks off with. “Since a young age, I have found inspiration in my rich cultural heritage, a blend of Spanish and Incan traditions, and the surrounding landscape; the Pacific Ocean, the desert, and the ancient archaeological sites in the foothills of the Andean mountains.
“It was while studying architecture in São Paulo, Brazil that I began integrating a strong modernist reference into my passion for history, travel and culture that helped serve as the foundation for my signature design vocabulary.”
Robles continues that his “nomadic spirit” led him through South America, New York City and then London to live and work. It was through these cities he gathered influence from multicultural and dynamic artistic hubs that he established his practices, and went on to design, develop, and build a range of cultural projects, luxury homes and collections of bespoke lighting and furniture. “Through the years, I am always brought back to my origins in Peru and Brazil, a connection that continues to strengthen my design methodology and inspiration. More than ever, I am humbled and honoured to use my cultural heritage as part of my design signature and reference in my buildings, interiors and products,” explains Robles. “My appreciation for history, culture and lifestyle and my vast experience in the interiors luxury industry, consequently gave me the foundation to establish Lumifer; a product design studio where I am able to express my appreciation for craftsmanship and uniqueness by working with the best local vendors and artisans in pursuit of the highest product quality.”
When it comes to the forms and names Robles’ designs take on, he says his greatest influences come from “science, nature, astronomy, aerospace, as well as my cultural heritage and archaeology, but a lot of my direct inspirational drive arrives through travel”.
A natural flâneur, Robles says he becomes more actively creative from “visiting galleries or museums to showrooms or vintage shops, but also by just sitting out at a café or attending a social venue and experiencing different foreign routines, languages or observing people’s moves or fashions.
“I spend quite a lot of time travelling; surrounded by aviation aesthetics, I found these moments from the solitude inside my seat quite inspiring. Looking out at the sky or the Earth down below, surrounded by a high-tech environment, removes me from reality and forces me to concentrate on my inner space and at the same time to project my visions out to the world. I tend to sketch and write a lot during flights and I found these experiences rather fruitful moments where creativity comes in full.”
Taking these sketches from an idea and concept into a completed piece takes multiple, repetitive stages of refinement. As Robles describes, it’s an “evolution of ideas and an attempt at perfection through repetition”. “Many things come together in a rather simultaneous brainstorm of ideas, inspiration, materials sourcing, technology and aesthetic references. All these influences are translated through sketches, CAD and numerous renders of the piece before a mock-up goes into production.
“Timing is always rather unpredictable,” he continues. “Sometimes a design for a product can take weeks or even months, but sometimes an idea strikes in my mind and with few sketches and drawings, a new product is born. Some of my more popular pieces have even been developed as a prototype from a single sketch on a cocktail napkin.”
Progressing from the concept stage, the construction stage again takes multiple forms and generations before the final product is settled upon. Robles elaborates: “[When] working with different local artisans and vendors there is a lot of back-and-forth communication and testing at the shop to refine a concept that sometimes takes many prototyping versions until the idea is ready for final production. In this process, the designed object also evolves, and sometimes spins up to something else and can even be the genesis of a new design that is generated out of the shop while testing and playing with a particular component or material.
“That is the case with our three most popular lighting collections, where each collection was an evolution from the previous one. I believe in designing systems where components or parts can be adapted into an array of options from lighting to furniture and objects. Creating signature components allows me to play with different applications like a matrix that gives me opportunities to design different “lives” whether by changing scales, adding components or arranging the application beyond one single use.
“This exercise and rigour behind the creative process is the story behind all of my products for Lumifer.”
Turning to look more closely at the three collections mentioned above, Robles walks us through the design journeys for Navis, Helix and Stellar.
The Navis wall sconce was originally designed in 2015 using a single brass T-shape as a main axial from which the articulated shades can pivot. This design lay the foundations for more to follow.
“This design is a figurative extension of the Latin word for ship or vessel, which influenced the sleek design of this lighting collection. Propeller design and mechanics served as the naval/aeronautical aesthetic reference for the Navis fixtures. The sharp geometry of each shade is accentuated by the thin rectangular cut allowing light to emanate in multiple directions,” explains Robles.
“As with all my work, from one type, in this case, a sconce, the rest of the collection (pendant, floor and table lamp) is created using the same family of custom-cut components.
“While reviewing a production run of the Navis sconces at the metal shop, I began arranging some of the recently milled Navis T-shapes and saw that by adding each component (more elongated now) into an axial sequence and switching it 90 degrees, a new frame was created giving life to the Helix collection. Adding a new element, a hand-blown glass globe, and a new square-to-round rosette brass component gave a softer and brighter language. By the Autumn of 2016 the Helix Collection was introduced at Maison Et Object, and soon became our bestselling light and in turn a central theme of the Lumifer design DNA.”
Following on seamlessly, the design journey of the Helix collection began. “The Helix collection is designed as a system of T-shaped hand-finished brass modules. Each light point gracefully transitions to a uniquely designed rosette to house the hand-blown glass globe. Each cascading “T” module forms a subtle helix rotation; creating a mesmerising cylindrical aura that touches on the origin of the natural world.
“The result is a delicate, simple and versatile light, with seamless and beautiful details, resembling vintage 1960s Italian lights with a contemporary and industrial aesthetic that characterises the revival of luxury American design.
“One year later in 2017, I began sketching the “T” component with a more spatial arrangement rather than a linear one (as with the Helix). This lead to a double light point system, and with the addition of a concave/oval glass disc, the Stellar collection was formed. Inspired by the latest images of our universe from NASA’s deep-field telescopes, this lighting composition is based on orbiting binary stars as well as the massive galaxies they inhabit. Light beams project outwards from each glass globe and are reflected and intensified by the paired glass oval disc.”
What will the next evolution of the T-shaped structure be from Lumifer? Now borders have re-opened and travel is very much back on the cards for the world, what future inspirations will Robles collect to inspire his new pieces? We look forward to what’s coming in 2023 from the New York studio.
LiGHT 22 – inaugural show hailed massive success
(UK) – Held over two days at the Business Design Centre, the first-ever LiGHT exhibition closed its doors earlier this week to a buzz of positivity, from both visitors and exhibitors alike.
The design community came out in force to support the new show, with over 3,000 visitors passing through the doors to see more than 100 high-end international lighting brands present their latest product ranges for the architectural and decorative specification market.
Show highlights included the [d]arc thoughts talks programme, in collaboration with lighting control specialist Lutron, which benefited from a steady stream of guests across the two days, keen to learn more about the hot topics in lighting.
With every talk well attended, the headline panel saw more than 250 people crowd around the stage to see Masters of Light(ing) designers Sally Storey (Lighting Design International); Mark Major (Speirs Major); and Nick Hoggett (dpa lighting consultants) take to the stage to share their knowledge and expertise with the industry.
Visitors to the show also made good use of the dedicated workspace area on the gallery level. Illuminated by table lamps from British lighting brand Tala, LiGHT Work was a beautiful, relaxing space allowing show attendees to complete office tasks, while offering dedicated wi-fi, free coffee, and charging points.
Day one closed with a late-night drinks party hosted by the organisers [d]arc media and stand parties throughout the space.
The buzz around the new lighting event continued into day two with a LiGHT networking lunch hosted in the [d]arc thoughts talks arena, allowing visiting designers and manufacturers to meet in a relaxed space, while taking in a video interview with internationally celebrated product designer Michael Anastassiades.
The show was also heavily supported by industry trade bodies and organisations including: SLL; IALD; ILP; LIA; BIID; SBID; Women in Lighting, along with industry media organisations: ICON; On Office; Archiproducts; DeZeen; NLA; World Architecture News; and STIR.
Delighted with the success of the first year, [d]arc media Managing Director, Paul James said: “The show has been a resounding success with the design community coming out in force to support this first year. LiGHT 22 caters to the ever-growing design sector in London and further afield and is a new offering for lighting design built on [d]arc media’s knowledge and experience of the lighting specification market that spans more than 20 years.
“We have had nothing but positive feedback from exhibiting brands and visitors alike and I am really looking forward to what next year’s show will bring.”
Free to attend, dates for next year’s show are confirmed as 21 & 22 November 2023.
Images: James Gifford-Mead
FOAID Mumbai celebrates art, architecture and design
(India) – Held on 7-8 October, the 9th edition of FOAID (Festival of Architecture and Interior Designing) Mumbai brought together the biggest stalwarts of the Indian design fraternity for an array of stories, design journeys and discussions in a confluence of art, architecture, and design.
With numerous presentations by Rizvi Hassan – Winner, Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2022, Dipen Gada, George Seemon of Stapati, and an engaging discussion on the topic ‘Reclaiming Public Spaces in India: Strategies & Projects’ with esteemed panel members including Naresh V Narasimhan (Moderator), Habeeb Khan, Hiten Sethi, Rinka D’Monte, Biju Kuriakose, Arjun Malik, Salil Ranadive, Vivek Gupta, Zameer Basrai, Mansi Sahu, the conference invited architects and designers from across the country.
Partnered with Classic Marble Company, the Design Manthan conference was seen as an avenue through which to witness the multiplicity of voices, and to discuss thought-provoking ideas through panel discussions, presentations, talks and debates, bringing together some of the most creative minds of the architecture and design fraternity.
In the Design Arena was an exhibit of more than 200 inspirational works, comprising built and ongoing projects, the collective display highlighting major architectural projects of the design world.
Elsewhere, the Creative Minds Next was a progressive platform, intended to award senior, experienced design professionals in ongoing projects, while the Merino Architecture Ideas was an annual, national competition crafted to recognise the excellent works of next-gen designers.
FOAID also hosted Expressions, an art installation competition, with an exhibition showcasing remarkable art pieces made by students on the theme ‘Scale in Architecture’.
Over the years, FOAID has proved to be a splendid platform for expressing and exchanging thoughts in the field of design, and engaging with the design community.
Following FOAID Mumbai, the New Delhi edition will be held at the NSIC Grounds, Okhla New Delhi on 25-27 November.
