alvar aalto lightings exhibition at grand-hornu

Light designer Arnout Meijer has joined the roster of Victor Hunt Designart Dealer, a Brussels-based design gallery. Meijer is known for his innovative approach to light, which he treats as a sculptural medium rather than merely a source of illumination. His work explores the interplay between light, perception, and the viewer's position in space. The exhibition, titled 'One Point Perspective,' showcases eight new light sculptures, including floor lamps and wall-hanging pieces, all minimally presented as bare panels of glass. Meijer's creations are characterized by their simple geometric constructions, featuring arrangements of LED points. The patterns produced by these LEDs are dynamic, shifting and distorting as observers move around them. This optical phenomenon is central to his artistic vision, where the LED points serve not only as light sources but also as elements that define and depict intangible objects on the optical surface of the sculptures. The exhibition's title, 'One Point Perspective,' underscores this focus on how perspective influences the perception of his light installations. His ongoing research delves into the relationship between reality and illusion, often challenging conventional notions of sight. Meijer believes that optical illusions are not mere deceptions but fundamental aspects that shape human visual perception. By manipulating light and perspective, he aims to reveal the inherent subjectivity of vision and how our spatial relationship to an object can dramatically alter its perceived form and depth. The bare environment of the exhibition space is intentionally designed to enhance the impact of these illuminated patterns, allowing the viewer to fully immerse themselves in the transformative qualities of each piece. The collection represents an evolution of Meijer's continuous exploration into how light can be sculpted and how human perception interacts with these luminous forms. His designs encourage viewers to engage actively with the artworks, experiencing the profound changes in geometric patterns and depth as they shift their vantage point. Each lamp essentially encapsulates a shape of light that is fluid and dependent on the viewer's position, transforming from a clear geometrical pattern when viewed head-on to a distorted, depth-accelerated form when seen from an angle. This nuanced approach to light design offers a fresh perspective on how art can manipulate our visual understanding of space and form. #ArnoutMeijer #VictorHuntDesignartDealer #LightSculptures #LightingDesign #OpticalIllusion #PerceptionArt #ContemporaryDesign #Exhibition #BrusselsDesign

The importance of a well-conceived lighting plan in home design is often underestimated, frequently being an afterthought rather than an integral part of the initial concept. Good lighting significantly contributes to an inhabitant's well-being, optimizes functionality, and elevates the overall aesthetic of a room, transforming an ordinary space into something remarkable through strategic fixture selection and placement. This principle was vividly demonstrated at the recent WOW!house design exhibit held at the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour in London, England. The exhibition featured 22 unique rooms, each crafted by leading interior designers, where lighting often took center stage. The WOW!house exhibition, open to the public for a month in June to support the United in Design charity, was not a traditional house but an innovative installation. It comprised a series of exterior and interior spaces within the atrium of the Design Centre. These spaces were diverse, ranging from entries, kitchens, dens, bars, and dining areas to libraries, bathrooms, bedrooms, and outdoor courtyards, all brimming with originality and creative design solutions. Across most of these spectacular settings, lighting played a prominent role in defining the ambiance and functionality. One of the most striking examples was the grand entry of the installation, which featured an dramatic leaf chandelier by Cox London. Victoria Davar, founder of Maison Artefact, specifically requested a five-meter ceiling height to ensure the fixture was not only accommodated but also given pride of place, asserting its visual dominance upon entry. Davar emphasized that this height aligns with classical design principles. Her design philosophy for the entry embraced a blend of classical and modern elements, where the chandelier was framed against a traditional-surround fireplace. This approach allowed each element to balance the other, creating a dialogue between the old and the new. Davar intentionally utilized negative space, leaving the wall above the fireplace blank, to allow the chandelier to stand out as a sculptural piece without visual interruption, fostering a sense of airiness. Another innovative approach was seen in the courtyard room designed by Emma Sims-Hilditch. This multi-functional space, envisioned to support various aspects of country living such as a boot room, dog wash station, and gardening area, integrated classical elements of heritage country homes with modern touches. Sims-Hilditch positioned an oversized Charles Edwards lantern as a focal point above an island, drawing inspiration from classical English country house lanterns. The lantern received a contemporary update through its coloration, painted in Farrow & Ball's Lulworth Blue. Wall lights, inspired by carriage lanterns, and pendant lights with fabric shades in corner spaces were strategically placed to layer the lighting, ensuring both functionality and comfort. Sims-Hilditch underscored the importance of soft lighting and avoiding bare bulbs, opting for a layered system that included John Cullen Lighting for downlights and Soane Britain for wall lights. The bathroom designed by 1508 London exemplified how lighting can transform a functional space into a luxurious retreat. The design studio incorporated an advanced lighting system by John Cullen Lighting and Lutron, offering three distinct illumination programs: Ritual, Revitalizing, and Revery. Paris Albert, an associate at 1508 London, explained that “Ritual” supports daily cleansing routines, “Revitalizing” enhances vanities and showers for rejuvenation, and “Revery” creates a dreamlike state for relaxation. These options, accessible at the touch of a button, elevated the bathroom experience from mere utility to a restorative escape. Interior decorator and antiques dealer Daniel Slowik presented his morning room design, emphasizing subtle, layered lighting rather than bright, centralized fixtures or intrusive task lighting. He advocated for side lights, often converting decorative vases or antique items like Arts & Crafts candlesticks into lamps, to create ambient illumination. Slowik aimed for a subdued, not overlit, atmosphere, focusing on objects that also serve as beautiful design elements. While generally disliking overt task lighting, he integrated a brass floor lamp discreetly next to a reading chair, chosen for its distressed appearance that conveyed a sense of history and permanence. The unifying theme across all these designs is the necessity for lighting to be an intrinsic component of the overall design strategy. A thoughtful approach to illumination enhances comfort and functionality, highlights the aesthetic, and can dramatically transform a room into a unique and spectacular environment. #HomeDesign #InteriorDesign #LightingSolutions #WOWHouse #DesignExhibition #ArchitecturalLighting #DecorativeLighting #SmartLighting

This article provides an overview of the "Hanging Around" exhibit, a permanent collection of modern and contemporary lighting at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, as observed during a visit on a Sunday. The exhibit features several notable works by prominent designers, with a particular focus on the innovative creations of German designer Ingo Maurer. The collection showcases a variety of lighting designs, from functional pieces to artistic installations, highlighting the evolution and creativity within contemporary lighting. Among the highlights from the exhibition is the Lüster Chandelier, a two-dimensional LED chandelier designed by Ingo Maurer. This piece exemplifies a playful and unconventional approach to traditional chandelier design, utilizing modern LED technology to create a flat, illuminated form that reinterprets a classic lighting fixture. Its innovative use of light and form makes it a standout piece in the collection. Another significant work by Ingo Maurer featured in the exhibit is the 2003 lamp titled “Wo bist du, Edison?” (meaning “Where Are You, Edison?”). This hanging pendant lamp incorporates a 360-degree holographic image of a light bulb projected onto a transparent cylindrical shade. The actual light source, a halogen light, is concealed above the shade, positioned within a socket shaped to resemble Thomas Edison’s profile. This design ingeniously combines historical reference with advanced holographic technology to create a visually striking and thought-provoking lighting experience, albeit challenging to capture accurately in photographs. The Tears of The Fisherman light sculpture, also by Ingo Maurer, is another favored piece. This sculpture was conceived after Maurer's trip to Venice, where he was inspired by the way sunlight interacted with water droplets suspended from fishermen’s nets. The artwork translates this natural phenomenon into an artistic light installation, embodying fluidity and reflection through its design. This piece further underscores Maurer's ability to draw inspiration from everyday observations and transform them into unique and captivating lighting. Beyond Ingo Maurer's contributions, the exhibit includes works from other renowned designers such as Ross Lovegrove, George Nelson, Marcel Wanders, Rody Graumans, and Poul Henningsen, indicating a diverse representation of influential figures in modern lighting design. These designers collectively showcase a broad spectrum of styles and innovations in contemporary lighting, from functional lamps to sculptural forms. The article also mentions an untitled light sculpture from 1992 by Felix Gonzalez-Torres, encountered during the visitor's departure. This particular piece is described as a "waterfall of endless light bulbs," where each bulb appears to power the next. This installation creates a sense of continuous light and energy, suggesting themes of interconnectedness and infinity through its simple yet profound arrangement of light sources. The inclusion of this work emphasizes the artistic and conceptual dimensions of light within the museum's collection. #ArtExhibition #LightingDesign #ContemporaryArt #IngoMaurer #MuseumVisit #DesignInnovation #PhiladelphiaMuseumOfArt #ModernLighting #FelixGonzalezTorres

Dana Harel, a San Francisco-based Israeli designer, has launched her inaugural lighting collection under her studio, White Dirt. Harel's career trajectory showcases a diverse artistic exploration, starting with architecture and extending into ceramics and line art before her current venture into luminaires. The new collection, dubbed "Ora," comprises three tented table lamps—Ora I, II, and III—and a suspended, trapeze-like floor lamp, Ora IV. These pieces draw inspiration from Harel’s existing body of work, particularly her vases and vessels, which inform their hand-carved sculptural aesthetic. The lamps are crafted using a combination of gypsum cement, muslin, and brass, materials that contribute to their unique visual and tactile qualities. The design intentionally evokes the imagery of draped wedding gowns, suggesting moments of concealed intimacy and exploring the delicate balance between revealing and hiding forms. This interplay of materials and forms allows the collection to convey a sense of fluidity and softness, a departure from more rigid sculptural traditions. Harel describes the process of working with fabric—folding, pleating, and draping—as a refreshing experience, contrasting with her previous work that often involved tools like chisels and hammers. This shift towards softer, more pliable materials allowed her to experiment with light in a new way, focusing on how textiles interact with illumination to create ambiance and shape. The collection's design ethos embraces a certain spontaneity, reflecting Harel’s approach to her creative process. Each piece in the Ora collection stands as a testament to her evolving artistic language and her ability to translate diverse inspirations into functional art. A notable and unconventional source of inspiration for Harel was a scene from the HBO series *Succession*, where characters Tom Wambsgans and Cousin Greg consume a rare delicacy with napkins tented over their heads. This seemingly obscure reference underscores Harel's willingness to draw from unexpected cultural moments, transforming them into artistic concepts. The designer interprets this act of "masking shame" or "heightening pleasure" as a metaphor for the lamps' ability to create intimate, almost cloistered, environments through their draped forms. The sculptural swagger of the lamps is deeply rooted in these varied influences, bridging architectural precision with textile softness and cultural anecdotes. The collection as a whole is an exploration of form, light, and material, reflecting Harel's multidisciplinary background and her continuous quest for new creative expressions. #DanaHarel #LightingCollection #SculpturalLighting #InteriorDesign #WhiteDirtStudio #ProductDesign #TextileArt #ContemporaryDesign

Notan Office, a local Brussels studio, completed a 140-square-meter rooftop extension named Lincoln for a penthouse apartment in a residential area. The extension, largely invisible from street level due to its setback design, adds two new living areas with floor-to-ceiling windows and terraces on both the front and rear facades, while the existing top floor was converted into a private bedroom. The design ingeniously integrates existing structural elements—a circulation core and two ventilation shafts—into the new layout, transforming them from potential obstacles into primary functional 'cores' that dictate the apartment's spatial organization. A key feature of the extension is a distinctive fireplace, constructed from concrete and ceramic blocks, which wraps around one corner of the central stairwell block. This fireplace is inspired by the chimneys designed by Finnish modernist architect Alvar Aalto. The design incorporates raw, honest materials like construction blocks and concrete to create an industrial, urban aesthetic, balanced by a color palette of warm orange and cool greys. The architect, Frédéric Karam, intended to evoke an organic and rough sensation, emphasizing an artisanal quality that embraces textures, imperfections, and an element of uncontrolled final result. The layout promotes fluid movement through the apartment. A corridor encircles the central block, connecting four corner rooms. The kitchen and dining areas are positioned towards the street-facing facade, while a secondary living space and loggia are located at the rear. Bathrooms and utility spaces are discreetly placed to the sides. Karam highlights the project's fluid addition of spaces, each with unique characteristics and unexpected interrelationships, fostering a continuous sense of discovery and varying spatial relations. A section of the roof over the circulation area is tilted upwards to incorporate a window, drawing morning light into the front facade. Full-height glazing across the facades provides expansive views of the city and allows ample natural light to penetrate the interiors. Sliding doors in the front offer direct access from the kitchen to a terrace that spans the length of the apartment. A second outdoor area is a covered balcony within the loggia at the rear, creating unobstructed sightlines through the entire building. The main living areas are painted white, with distinct textures defining each zone. Plywood is extensively used in the kitchen for a floor-to-ceiling unit with a built-in bar and a floating work surface. The outdoor spaces, including the loggia and front terrace, are unified by matching wooden planks and steel fiber-cement cladding. Karam expresses his current preference for the kitchen space, noting its contradictory role as both a core and a transitional element that effectively connects the dining and living areas. The design also integrates various space-saving storage solutions, such as shelves built into the circulation core and above the loggia entrance. The kitchen's two core units are highly functional, concealing appliances like the fridge, oven, and dishwasher, along with extensive storage, and a floating countertop houses a stove and drawers. Notan Office, led by Frédéric Karam, operates through temporary partnerships and is active across Switzerland, Belgium, France, and Lebanon. #ResidentialExtensions #NotanOffice #ResidentialArchitecture #Plywood #Concrete #Brussels #Extensions #Belgium #AlvarAalto

Katelyn Aslett, a textile artist, has established a distinctive niche in the design world by crafting bespoke lighting installations made from hand-felted wool. Her work caters to both commercial and residential environments, appealing particularly to clients seeking unique, decadent, and artistic elements for their spaces. Aslett's designs have garnered attention from boutique hotels and other venues that prioritize an intimate and character-rich ambiance. She emphasizes the organic and natural qualities of hand-felted wool, highlighting its ability to impart a special atmosphere and texture to large rooms, while also serving as an effective sound diffuser. Each of Aslett's creations possesses a unique character, marked by subtle intricacies and variations in tone. These lights can be customized in various forms and shapes to seamlessly integrate into diverse innovative design concepts. The soft structures of her lamps are suspended from custom-made aluminum frames, which can be tailored to specific project requirements. A notable example of her craftsmanship is a recent commission for a banqueting room, where she produced fourteen large chandeliers. For the same project, Aslett also constructed a fourteen-meter backlit bar entirely from wool, demonstrating her ability to work with the material in unexpected ways. The light filtering through the wool fibers produces a surprisingly warm and inviting effect. Aslett's professional journey began in textile art, but her creative scope has since expanded to encompass fashion, interior design, corporate fabric design, and large-scale installations. Regardless of the application, her design philosophy consistently revolves around the interplay of color and texture. She applies her aesthetic principles uniformly, whether she is designing textiles for fashion, private interiors, or expansive commercial settings. Her overarching goal is to create works that are inspiring, uplifting, and possess a strong artistic integrity, ultimately enhancing the quality of life in the spaces they inhabit. Aslett's innovative approach to lighting design, utilizing a unique and natural material, positions her as a distinctive voice in contemporary design. #KatelynAslett #LightingInstallations #HandFeltedWool #BespokeDesign #TextileArt #InteriorDesign #CommercialDesign #ResidentialDesign #Designex

This article highlights recent notable design openings and exhibitions, showcasing a variety of styles and inspirations. One featured location is Leonessa, a new rooftop bar on the 16th floor of the Conrad New York Downtown. Designed by Islyn Studio, Leonessa draws heavily from the Italian Amalfi Coast, incorporating potted citrus trees, geometric patterns, and a color palette of sea-green, rose, and ocher. The design aims to evoke the feeling of a private seaside garden, with specific attention paid to selecting wind, rain, freeze, and thaw-proof furniture that maintains an alfresco coastal ambiance. The bar features retro prints, including works by Pietro Fornasetti and custom Dedar cushions. Another significant opening is Paloma Wool's first permanent store in Soho, located on Broome Street. After eight years of temporary pop-ups, the Spanish brand now has a dedicated space designed by artist Max Milà Serra in collaboration with designer-welder Mark Malecki. The store features sculptural clothing racks made from raw stainless steel and sanded acrylic sheets, which serve as both installations and functional fixtures. Welded steel and natural wood furnishings, including minimalist wood platforms with plexiglass boxes and suspended metal shelves, display accessories and clothing. The two large sculptural steel fixtures with translucent acrylic sheets, along with the curved, untreated timber shell of the changing rooms, create a distinctive and enveloping atmosphere. Tiny, modular, aerospace-inspired lights by Serra illuminate the 3,000-square-foot space without overpowering it. The article also covers the joint store of jewelry designer Caitlin Mociun and her husband, furniture and lighting designer Tammer Hijazi, founders of Bower Studios. Their new retail space on Driggs Avenue, which previously housed Mociun's solo store for eight years, now combines both brands. The redesign moved away from an all-white aesthetic, incorporating desaturated gem tones, varied textures, and a vintage Italian sensibility. Features include chocolate carpeting, green walls, ribbed-glass bricks, walnut wood furniture, and Maharam textile chairs. Custom details, such as an encased wood-and-metal bookshelf, replicate motifs from Bower Studios' new collection. A glass-brick wall extends through the space, creating distinct areas for client consultations and waiting. An olive-green wall houses a beveled-glass walnut case showcasing Mociun's jewelry. Furthermore, the "Gathered" exhibition in a Chinatown apartment is discussed. This show, a collaboration between the online platform Erria and Lyle Gallery, features objects from 32 artists and designers exploring the theme of 'home.' Notable pieces include Jihyun Kim's squishy ceramic inspired by a Korean grandmother's salt jar, Kritika Manchanda's holographic organza dinner napkin crafted from flattened bloomers, and Didi NG Wing Yin's wood vase with a pleated texture resembling an Issey Miyake top. Sophie Collé contributes a Memphis-inspired dollhouse-clock. Finally, the "Jewel Box" exhibition at Allen Street Gallery, the storefront space of Leroy Street Studio, is highlighted. This exhibition focuses on wall sconces as works of art, featuring a diverse range of materials and techniques from both established and emerging artists. Exhibitors include French stainless-steel pioneer Maria Pergay, material experimenters Chen Chen and Kai Williams, and emerging talent like Elana Shvalbe. Specific pieces mentioned are Katie Stout’s gold-glazed porcelain ceramic tusk, Lebanese architect Zein Daouk’s ceramic sconce inspired by a shiitake mushroom, and Max Ingrand’s oblong-shaped frosted glass lights from 1956, resembling jewels clasped in brass hardware. #DesignEdit #StoreDesign #InteriorDesign #AmalfiCoast #PalomaWool #BowerStudios #LyleGallery #AllenStreetGallery #Exhibition #LightingDesign

The traveling exhibition platform Object & Thing is currently showcasing its latest iteration, 'A Summer Arrangement: Object & Thing at LongHouse,' at LongHouse in East Hampton. LongHouse is the former home and sculpture garden of the renowned textile designer John Lenor Larsen. The exhibition, co-curated by Object & Thing founder Abby Bangser and LongHouse curator-at-large Glenn Adamson, and featuring installation design by Colin King, runs until September 3, 2023. It occupies the summer living room, gallery, and guest level of the residence. The exhibition is inspired by Larsen's philosophy of integrating art into everyday living spaces, believing it makes art more relevant than in a traditional museum setting. Larsen, influenced by the 7th-century Shinto shrine at Ise, Japan, collaborated with architect Charles Forberg to complete LongHouse in 1992. As an avid collector, Larsen filled his home with a diverse array of objects from around the world, arranging them alongside simple, local items, creating a unique and personal aesthetic. Following his passing in 2020, LongHouse was bequeathed as a public space, encouraging artistic collaboration and organic evolution. 'A Summer Arrangement' adopts Larsen's non-hierarchical approach to objects, presenting a collection of contemporary art and design pieces, including several site-specific commissions. The featured works are crafted from materials that Larsen himself frequently utilized and collected, such as ceramic, fiber, glass, metal, and wood. The exhibition includes works by textile artist Megumi Shauna Arai, sculptures by Wyatt Kahn and Alma Allen, and ceramics by Frances Palmer. These contemporary pieces are displayed alongside Larsen’s personal collection of Wharton Esherick furniture, notably a dining table that was showcased at the 1939 World’s Fair, adding historical depth and context to the evocative setting. Glenn Adamson notes that Larsen was a master of subtle arrangement, constantly recontextualizing the objects in his collection. He states that this project continues Larsen's practice by exploring what the designer might be interested in collecting and displaying if he were still alive today. The exhibition serves as a tribute to Larsen's enduring legacy and his innovative approach to design and art display. Admission to LongHouse is $20, with discounts for seniors and guests with disabilities, and complimentary entry for children, students, veterans, and active personnel. #LongHouse #ObjectAndThing #Exhibition #JohnLenorLarsen #DesignExhibition #EastHampton #ContemporaryArt #TextileDesign #ArtAndDesign

Ross Hansen's ongoing series of ethereal lighting fixtures redefines assumptions about design and function by blending natural inspiration with innovative materials. The Los Angeles-based artist and designer crafts unique sculptural floor lamps from a combination of hemp, bio-resin, and aluminum. These creations evoke natural forms such as marigolds, prairie clover, and milk thistle, drawing on Hansen's background in landscape design and his appreciation for organic textures and shapes found in nature. The lamps are characterized by their otherworldly appearance, reminiscent of larger-than-life fungi or microscopic organisms. This effect is achieved through Hansen's meticulous process: strips of cloth are enrobed in a plant-based resin to provide rigidity, and the illuminated bulbs are diffused within the fabric, creating a soft, glowing light that emphasizes the sculptural qualities of the pieces. The use of bio-resin highlights a commitment to sustainable practices while contributing to the unique aesthetic and structural integrity of each lamp. His recent exhibition, titled *Of Human Feelings*, at Volume Gallery showcased these distinct creations. The installation featured clusters of these lights, transforming the gallery space into an immersive environment that blurred the lines between art, design, and natural phenomena. The exhibition highlighted the interplay of light and material, inviting viewers to reconsider the functional and aesthetic potential of lighting fixtures. Hansen's work challenges traditional notions of what a lamp can be, transforming it from a mere functional object into a captivating art piece. The organic shapes and glowing diffusion of light contribute to an atmosphere that is both serene and thought-provoking. His innovative approach to materials and form demonstrates a unique vision that bridges the gap between art and industrial design, creating pieces that are both visually stunning and conceptually rich. The artist's designs will also be featured at the upcoming Felix Art Fair in Los Angeles, providing another opportunity for a broader audience to experience these imaginative lighting sculptures. Through his creations, Hansen continues to explore themes of nature, art, and human perception, offering a fresh perspective on contemporary design and the potential of unconventional materials. #RossHansen #SculpturalLamps #BioResin #HempArt #LightingDesign #ArtExhibition #VolumeGallery #FelixArtFair #OrganicForms

The 'Dancing Leaves' lighting installation, designed by glass specialist Luděk Hroch for the Czech brand Lasvit, is featured in Dezeen Showroom. This piece is crafted to emulate the delicate movement of leaves swaying in the wind. The initial concept for 'Dancing Leaves' emerged in 2014 during a project for the Peninsula Paris Hotel, where Hroch developed a glass sculpture that conveyed the fluidity of leaves as they are carried by the wind, floating and eventually drifting away. Lasvit emphasizes that while nature's movements are inherently elusive, glass offers a medium to bridge the gap between these natural dynamics and advanced design principles. Each component of the 'Dancing Leaves' installation is a testament to meticulous craftsmanship, comprising dozens of glass elements that have been individually refined and hand-sculpted by master glassmakers. This installation is part of Lasvit's residential Icons series, which reintroduces some of the brand's most popular signature designs with fresh variations. Within this new Icons collection, 'Dancing Leaves' sculptures are presented in a selection of configurations, including round, oval, and conical shapes, catering to diverse aesthetic preferences and interior design schemes. The available finishes for the glass leaves include clear, dark amber, light amber, and a distinctive soda finish, which incorporates tiny bubbles suspended within the glass to add texture and visual interest. Beyond the standard Icons range, clients have the option to custom-order the 'Dancing Leaves' installation. This bespoke service allows for tailor-made designs, offering a wide array of colors and shapes to precisely match individual user requirements and specific project needs, ensuring that each installation is unique and harmonizes with its intended environment. The piece is a blend of artistic expression and skilled glasswork, aiming to bring a natural, dynamic element into contemporary interiors through the medium of light and glass. #DancingLeaves #LightingInstallation #LudekHroch #Lasvit #GlassArt #HomeDecoration #InteriorLighting #CustomDesign #LuxuryLighting

This article highlights the innovative use of an aluminum ceiling system by Durlum in the expanded entrance area of a museum, which is part of a larger memorial complex. The museum, located beneath an archway, recently underwent an expansion designed by James Carpenter Design Associates and Cooper Robertson. The core of this renovation involved the integration of a custom-designed ceiling solution provided by Durlum. The new entrance, designed to guide visitors from an adjacent park into the subterranean museum space, features a ceiling that plays a crucial role in shaping the visitor experience. The design emphasizes a smooth flow of movement, which is visually reinforced by the ceiling's unique structure. The suspended ceiling comprises oblong panels crafted from highly reflective aluminum. These panels are backed with fleece, contributing to both the aesthetic and potentially acoustic properties of the space. The subtle curvature of these panels, along with their gradual narrowing towards the rear, creates an optical effect that enhances the sense of progression into the museum. Adding another layer to this sophisticated design, special suspended aluminum pipes form the outer layer of the ceiling. These pipes, approximately 76 mm in diameter, are extruded and finished with a signal white powder coating. Their arrangement is deliberate, running transversely to the main walking direction of visitors. This orientation, combined with the reflective nature of the ceiling panels, ensures that light within these tubes is effectively reflected downwards. The result is an environment immersed in diffuse light, contributing to a soft and inviting atmosphere within the museum's entrance foyer. This bespoke ceiling solution by Durlum demonstrates a blend of functional design and aesthetic appeal, specifically tailored to complement the architectural vision of the museum expansion and enhance the visitor's journey. #Durlum #AluminumCeiling #MuseumDesign #InteriorConstruction #ArchitecturalLighting #CustomDesign #ReflectiveSurfaces #DiffusedLighting

Arteriors, in collaboration with design and architecture firm Workshop/APD, has launched a new collection of 54 lighting and decor pieces. This partnership marks Arteriors' first venture with a design and architecture firm, showcasing a distinctive minimal aesthetic that diverges from its past traditional offerings. Workshop/APD's 'crafted modern' approach is evident throughout the collection, which is designed for both residential and commercial interiors. The conceptual foundation of this collection, termed 'meaning in making,' emphasizes traditional techniques such as glazing, rolling clay, and slumping or etching glass. Andrew Kotchen, founding principal of Workshop/APD, highlights the collaborative nature of the project, which leveraged the diverse creative perspectives within his firm and the expertise of Arteriors' team and global network of craftspeople. The resulting collection aims to strip away unnecessary embellishment, focusing instead on technique, materiality, simplicity, and scale. Andrew Kline, design director and senior associate at Workshop/APD, along with product designer Ruoxi Wang, prioritized the creation of versatile pieces. This versatility allows the items to transcend various design typologies, styles, and regions. The lighting elements form the core of the collection, with each sconce and pendant designed to function effectively both as a standalone accent piece in a residential setting and in multiples or combinations within complementary styles. Matthew Berman, another founding principal of Workshop/APD, underscores the multifunctional aspect of each piece, offering designers significant flexibility to incorporate them into a wide range of projects. The collection includes various lighting fixtures such as sculptural sconces, linear chandeliers, flushmount lights, and pendants, alongside decorative items like candlesticks, trays, and mirrors. The Workshop/APD for Arteriors collection is part of Arteriors’ Spring/Summer 2021 Collection. It is available for purchase online and at Arteriors’ showrooms located in New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, and London. The collaboration aims to provide a compelling offering that combines modern design principles with handcrafted artistry. #LightingDesign #HomeDecor #ModernDesign #InteriorDesign #CollaborativeDesign #Arteriors #WorkshopAPD #HomeFurnishings #CraftedModern

This article showcases a curated selection of innovative lighting designs, originally featured in the October 2023 issue of Wallpaper* magazine, derived from highlights of Euroluce at Milan's Salone del Mobile 2023. The featured products span offerings from established brands like Lasvit, Cassina, and Flos, as well as independent studios such as Pelle and Ross Gardam. The presentation of these designs emphasizes a unique photographic approach, employing both digital and film techniques, with a particular focus on film photography to create optical contrasts and surface textures, exploring the interplay of light and shadow. Among the showcased designs is the 'Polaris' floor lamp by David Rockwell for Lasvit, part of the Constellation collection. Inspired by the celestial mural at Grand Central Terminal, this hand-crafted metal and glass lamp functions as both a dazzling focal point and a unifying element within any setting. Laurids Gallée's 'Pool 02' lamp, a limited-edition polymer resin light, explores the incorporation of traditional elements with experimental materials. This ice-blue lamp, which emits a warm yellow glow when illuminated, features a fluid shape and soft ridges that evoke the dynamic reflections of light on water. Herzog & de Meuron's 'Dreispitz' lamp, produced for Artemide, is a graphically appealing pendant available in black, silver, and a vibrant green. Originally conceived for the architects' Dreispitz project in Helsinki, this lamp can accommodate three distinct light sources that integrate into its triangular base, forming a clover-like profile. It offers various lengths and lighting options, designed for environmental sustainability through its high efficiency, optimized industrial processes, and the use of partially recycled and recyclable materials. Dirk Winkel's 'W225 Ion' lamp for Wästberg represents a deceptively simple design, the culmination of extensive research focused on creating well-being through optimal lighting. Its core innovation is a sophisticated miniature friction joint with a cordless power connection, enabling 360-degree rotation. The lamp's versatility is enhanced by a choice of arm lengths, mounting options, and two optical systems, providing illumination for wide-angle workspaces or focused reading. The 'Vestige' table lamp by Ross Gardam and Peter Kovacsy aims to evoke a sense of wonder. This brutalist-inspired sculptural form features a solid parabolic cone of cast crystal glass, created by Peter Kovacsy, emerging from a rectangular base. The design celebrates the allure and texture of glass, with bubbles within the glass creating a speckled pattern when illuminated, and is paired with a raw aluminum base and a machined conical dimmer. Bocci's '44T' table lamp distinguishes itself with its unique, irregular aluminum canopy, formed through various processes like blowing, pouring, carving, and polishing. Each lamp is individual, reflecting Bocci’s research into dendrite-like shapes. A notable feature is the use of spherical light bulbs that glow without visible electrical cables, as low-voltage electricity passes directly through the cast metal structure. The 'Channel' lamp by Pelle, known for its 'Bubble' chandelier, addresses the practical need for illuminating large table surfaces while brightening the overall room. This ceiling fixture comprises a sleek horizontal body in waxed brushed aluminum, housing four lighting components—two upward-facing and two downward-facing beams—with thin steel cables serving as power conduits. Michele Groppi’s 'Vis à Vis' table lamp for Davide Groppi is designed to seamlessly integrate into any environment. Made entirely of transparent glass, from its thin cylindrical stem to its circular canopy, it appears to float lightly and is rechargeable, allowing for mobility without visible electric cables. Finally, Philippe Malouin’s 'Bilboquet' table lamps for Flos, his first design for the brand, are based on experiments with magnetic elements. Named after a 16th-century French game, the lamp consists of two colored cylinders connected by a magnetic sphere, allowing for flexible orientation and acting as a decorative element, designed to adapt to changing lighting needs throughout the day. Jordi Canudas' 'Dipping' pendant for Marset, inspired by an experiment of dipping a switched-on light-bulb in paint, features a brilliant white hand-blown glass globe, hand-dipped multiple times to create concentric rings of color in various hues, with different layers of paint moderating light intensity. The 'Bijou' pendants by Antoni Arola for Santa & Cole and the 'Eitie' table lamp and pendant by Tobia Scarpa for Cassina offer further examples of innovative design, with 'Bijou' providing exceptional lighting and reflections, and 'Eitie' offering reconfigurable luminous strokes through unique black metal circular connectors. #LightingDesign #InteriorDesign #Euroluce #SaloneDelMobile #ProductDesign #ArchitecturalLighting #ContemporaryDesign #SustainableDesign #ArtisanCraft

Designer Lee Broom launched his new 'Optical' lighting collection by transforming his studio's delivery van into a mobile exhibition space. This innovative concept, named 'Salone del Automobile,' involved meticulously designing the van's interior to resemble a traditional Italian palazzo. The transformation included painting the van's interior in Broom's signature grey, and adding ornate Corinthian columns, architraves, and stuccoed details, complemented by an illuminated floor. This elaborately decorated van served as a dramatic backdrop for the new monochromatic lighting fixtures. The 'Salone del Automobile' embarked on a journey from Broom's London headquarters to Milan, where it was showcased at various prominent locations during Salone del Mobile, including Brera Design District, Spazio Rossana Orlandi, ZonaTortona, San Gregorio Docet, and Ventura Lambrate. This unconventional exhibition strategy allowed the collection to reach a wider audience and provided a unique viewing experience, highlighting the pieces within an unexpected, yet grand, setting. The 'Optical' lighting collection itself features illuminated globes adorned with graphic, linear patterns. These designs are asymmetrical, creating a dynamic visual effect where their appearance shifts depending on the viewer's angle. Broom drew inspiration for this collection from his own experiences in the early 1990s, specifically recalling his use of monochrome graphics when decorating his bedroom. This personal connection to the design imbues the collection with a sense of nostalgia while maintaining a contemporary aesthetic. The collection is characterized by its stark black and white palette, which further emphasizes the graphic quality of the patterns. Each piece is designed to create an interplay of light and shadow, enhancing the 'optical' illusion and making the fixtures captivating from all perspectives. The installation within the van was carefully orchestrated to maximize this effect, presenting the lights as functional art pieces within a curated, mobile environment. This method of presentation not only served as a launch for the 'Optical' collection but also demonstrated a creative approach to exhibition design in the competitive world of furniture and lighting. By bringing the showroom directly to the audience in an artistic and memorable way, Lee Broom successfully generated significant attention and discussion around his new works, solidifying his reputation for innovative design and marketing. #LeeBroom #LightingDesign #SaloneDelMobile #ProductLaunch #ExhibitionDesign #OpticalLighting #MilanDesignWeek #InteriorDesign

Lighting designer Lindsey Adelman premiered her new installation, titled 'Show Me,' at Wright gallery on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The exhibition's opening night featured a music video, also titled 'Show Me,' which was projected in a darkened room. The video showcased a performance by a group of 16 dancers, with the music composed by Leo Madriz. Notably, the cast of the music video, including the dancers and lead vocalist Laura Young, were members of Adelman's studio or former colleagues. Young, Adelman's former director of operations, served as the lead vocalist, and the choreography demonstrated a blend of professional execution and playful enjoyment. The 'Show Me' music video intricately integrated pieces from Adelman's latest collection, which features a distinctive aesthetic. The collection includes punk-inflected jewelry, such as fringed, gold ear cuffs and leather bracelets adorned with gold quills. Gilded mirrors embellished with patterns resembling mushroom gills are also part of the new works. Additionally, luminaries reminiscent of Adelman's 'Cherry Bomb' fixtures are present, all contributing to a unique gothic sensibility infused with elements akin to 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.' These new pieces, alongside a striking five-foot-long gold candelabrum, were strategically placed to establish a dark-romantic and alluring atmosphere within the gallery space. Adelman established her studio in 2006, initially gaining recognition for her 'Branching Bubble' chandelier. Since then, her business has expanded significantly, incorporating a wider array of lighting fixtures and a diverse range of home objects. Adelman views her foray into various mediums beyond lighting as a natural evolution of her studio's creative trajectory and an opportunity to explore new avenues for enjoyment. She emphasizes that her decision to create a music video for the exhibition was not a sudden concept but rather an organic expression of her inherent interests, allowing her to integrate her personal passions with her daily professional endeavors. This approach underscores her belief in the fluidity between artistic exploration and business growth. The exhibition 'Show Me' will be open for public viewing at the Wright gallery, located at the Parke-Bernet Building, 980 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10075, until August 1st. The show provides a comprehensive look at Adelman's expanded creative vision, demonstrating her capacity to merge industrial design with artistic performance and personal expression. This presentation not only highlights her new collection but also offers insight into the collaborative and innovative spirit that defines her studio's work. #LindseyAdelman #WrightGallery #LightingDesign #ArtInstallation #MusicVideo #NewYorkArt #DesignExhibition #HomeDecor #GothicSensibility

The article highlights the significance of lighting in interior design, emphasizing its capacity to unify a room and establish ambiance, often overlooked in favor of larger furniture items. It showcases eight Hudson Valley-based businesses and artists specializing in diverse lighting solutions, aiming to provide local alternatives to urban design sources. These establishments offer a range of styles, from hand-blown glass pendants and modern-chic sconces to vintage fixtures and custom neon art. Niche Modern, located in Beacon, NY, is featured for its brightly colored, hand-blown glass pendant lighting. Founded by Jeremy Pyles and Mary Welch, the company is known for its contemporary yet deeply colored glass products, operating from a historic factory building and offering significant discounts at annual factory sales. The Culture+Commerce Project in Hudson, NY, a design consultancy, represents regional artists, including Rafael Avramovich of Work and Design. Avramovich creates "Living in Harmony" pendants using recycled metal strips of iron, steel, and brass, designing pieces that evoke emotion and blend organic-industrial aesthetics suitable for various settings. While their retail store has closed, they continue operations online and by appointment. Materia Designs, led by husband-and-wife team Matt Ensner and Megan Sommerville, integrates diverse backgrounds from choreography to landscape design into their work. They produce lighting, furniture, and home accessories, along with undertaking residential and commercial interior design projects. Their design philosophy focuses on elemental materials such as marble, parchment, porcelain, un-lacquered brass, and leather, resulting in authentic, high-quality pieces. Their operations, including a showroom, design studio, and workshop, are consolidated in a 4,500-square-foot facility in Accord. Luddite Antiques in Germantown, NY, caters to those seeking vintage lighting. This Brooklyn retail expat offers a wide array of early electric lighting, from Victorian chandeliers to Art Deco sconces and neon bar signs, alongside other antique furnishings like wooden card catalogs and 18th-century apothecary cabinets, all displayed in their tin-ceilinged showroom. Lite Brite Neon in Kingston, NY, began in 1999 as artist Matt Dilling’s studio, focusing on neon's decorative and architectural potential. It has since grown to include a team of neon artists creating everything from gallery pieces to commercial signage and restoration. The studio moved its production to a 15,000-square-foot facility in Kingston, where its 12-member fabrication team handles hundreds of projects annually, transforming client concepts into neon realities. FRG Objects & Design/Art in Hudson, NY, is founded by FR Gillette, a stylist, photographer, and interior designer. His 3,000-square-foot space serves as his home, office, and showroom, reflecting a curated aesthetic characterized by a disruptive approach to color and mixing fabrics and art. Gillette's work was showcased at Design Hudson 2018, and he recently collaborated with Italian engineer Daniele Gualeni on the "Design by Demand" lighting collection, featuring pieces produced in Italy by master craftsmen using metal, ceramic, Murano glass, and marble. Lightexture, a Troy-based design studio, creates perforated white clay spherical and egg-shaped pendant lamps. These lamps are designed to illuminate modern kitchens and dining areas by casting star-like patterns on walls and ceilings while providing warm light below. Each pendant uses an energy-efficient xenon bulb with a long lifespan. Finally, Entner Glass in Rhinebeck, NY, showcases Barry Entner’s sculptural lighting. His works, which are more artistic visions than commercial products, involve meticulously planned designs using hundreds of components to create gravity-defying glass and metal sculptures. Entner’s art has been exhibited internationally and is part of numerous private and public collections. #HudsonValley #LightingDesign #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #ArtisanLighting #VintageLighting #NeonArt #GlassArt

Alberto Caiola designed a distinctive exhibition booth for Herman Miller's retailer Van Collection at Design Shanghai 2021, China's premier showcase for international design brands, architects, and interior designers. The booth's design was inspired by Herman Miller’s brand heritage, incorporating a quote from Gilbert Rhode, the firm’s first design director, which states: 'The most important thing in the room is not the furniture – it’s the people.' This quote was prominently displayed on the back wall and served as a central theme for the exhibition. Caiola's design reflects on how the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered perceptions and functions of the home, leading to new demands for flexible living spaces. The booth ingeniously uses perspective and light to present Herman Miller's furniture as practical solutions for these evolving needs. A notable feature of the design is its unconventional lighting approach. Breaking from traditional exhibition lighting, which typically spotlights products from above, Caiola opted to illuminate the displayed furniture entirely from below using illuminated floor tiles. This technique not only visually reinforced the theme of seeing the home in a 'different light' but also subtly emphasized the central quote by drawing attention to the people interacting with the space rather than just the furniture itself. The underfoot lighting created a unique, almost ethereal atmosphere, providing visitors with an extraordinary sensory experience. An intriguing consequence of the bottom-up lighting was the absence of shadows cast by visitors as they moved through the exhibit. This cinematic and somewhat surreal effect was intended to allude to the disorienting experience of the pandemic, where the passage of time and daily routines blurred, similar to how the absence of shadows can obscure temporal cues. The design aimed to evoke the listlessness and urgency that many experienced during periods of lockdown. The booth was structured into four distinct areas, or 'rooms,' delineated by gridded partitions. These areas were configured to represent various domestic settings: a living area, a gaming space, a home office, and a dining room. The intended function of each space was communicated through a carefully selected arrangement of freestanding furniture. The gridded walls served a dual purpose, simultaneously opening up and obscuring the booth's layout. The depth of these partitions meant that visitors' views into adjacent rooms varied depending on their position and angle of observation. Similarly, the central quote on the booth’s backdrop, positioned behind one of these fiber-reinforced paneled walls, was only fully visible from specific perspectives. This design element subtly referenced a common experience during the pandemic: the fragmented glimpses into others' work-life spaces shared through video calls and the new hybrid work-from-home conditions. The entire setup, comprising freestanding pieces within a fully modular system, was intentionally designed for reusability. Both the illuminated floor tiles and the partition walls can be reconfigured to adapt to different dimensions required for future furniture fairs, underscoring a commitment to flexibility and sustainability in exhibition design. #HermanMiller #AlbertoCaiola #DesignShanghai #ExhibitionDesign #IlluminatedTiles #GriddedPanels #FlexibleLiving #PostPandemicDesign #ModularDesign