LIGHT FANTASTIC
Italian lighting manufacturer Simes shines bright with innovative and architectural outdoor light fittings
More than visual aesthetic, outdoor lighting expert Simes aims to create emotions in architecture, landscape, private contexts and any urban space it is assigned to
Light plays an important role in our daily interaction with the environment. Whether indoors or outdoors, light reflects and deflects to illuminate a space. Light improves visibility and mobility, making daily tasks a possibility at any time of the day. Light also highlights a particular area or object, bringing attention to a point of focus. In its best form, light can be manipulated to create the illusion of space and depth. Nevertheless, light is a form of art and no other lighting brand understands this better than Simes, the foremost Italian manufacturer of architectural outdoor lighting. Founded in 1973, Simes has endeavoured to provide light for all around the building, a mantra that has fuelled its passion for creating architectural lighting solutions that deliver visual comfort. The Simes philosophy is not just about producing lighting fittings, it also aims to simultaneously evoke emotions in all contexts – whether for architecture, landscaping or urban spaces. Although Simes has since carved a name for itself in the global market, with a presence in more than 60 countries worldwide, this Italian company has never strayed from its native roots, staying true to the essence of the brand which proudly bears the ‘Made in Italy’ mark.
PRODUCTION EXCELLENCE THROUGH R&D
With the entire production cycle based in Franciacorta in the Italian region of Lombardy, Simes ensures that every phase of the production process meets the high standards of quality and design. From manufacturing and assembling to wiring and final testing, each process undergoes rigorous supervision to ensure the perfect delivery of the final product. No compromises are acceptable for Simes in terms of the quality of raw materials, components or production technologies. The high level of commitment to quality demonstrated by Simes has led to the achievement of the ISO 9001 certification in 1999.
Innovation is an integral part of Simes, as it places great importance in the research and development of its lighting solutions. The company has invested heavily into hardware and software to ensure a high degree of product engineering results in achieving quality and lighting performance excellence. Among the measures taken for quality assurance is the double painting process – a standard process in Simes for any lighting application in the outdoor environment. These treatments result in a double extra resistant surface paint to guarantee continuous superior performances and durability over time when exposed to harsh weather conditions. As a future-forward company who is always on the brink of the latest technologies, Simes has fully embraced LED technology in the last decade. With the skills and knowledge acquired through their research and development, Simes has gradually introduced LED light sources into its product collections. Today, more than 80 per cent of their full range are available in LED variations to offer better efficiency, lower energy consumption and higher reliability.
LUMINARIES OF DESIGN
With lighting solutions that strike the perfect balance between form and function, Simes integrates technology and design solutions focused on people and on the beautification of their living environment. Employing the latest softwares and the use of proper photometrics, Simes has successfully conveyed the ideas of designers into works of art. Simes’ partnership with reputable lighting designers has given rise to versatile creations which are suited for every architectural context. To date, the Simes portfolio spans 10 different segments of project applications with over 100 different product collections. The Simes design aesthetic is characterised by essential, neutral and simple shapes which can be effortlessly integrated into any project without stealing the limelight. This ‘nodesign’ approach has won critical acclaim and recognition through prestigious international design awards including if Design Award, Red Dot Design Award, Good Design Award, Muuuz International Award, and the German Design Award. And among the award-winning designs include the commercially-successful collections of Movit, Cool Square, Shape, Keen, Skill, and Concrete.
EXPRESSIONS THROUGH MATERIAL
Always pushing the envelope in terms of design and technology, Simes collaborates with a roster of international designers to present a concept of material expression by interpreting concrete, wood and aluminium through outdoor lighting. The concrete series is developed in partnership with award-winning Milan-based designer Marc Sadler in a collection named Ghost. With a light blade directly casted into the concrete, the light fitting simply disappears when it is switched off – a display of the genius infusion of architecture and light in the most natural way. For the wood series, the designer of choice is renowned architect and designer Matteo Thun, which results in three equally captivating creations under the Tailored collection: Cool Wood, Look Wood and Skill Wood. Characterised by simple shapes and primitive geometries, the range combines teak wood with minimalist lines of aluminium to convey warmth and emotion. The aluminium series consists of four products: Kube, Poster, Trim and Outline. The use of bright solids and voids highlight the thin shapes and strength of aluminium, where these lighting fixtures make the perfect addition to urban landscapes. A highlight from this series is Outline by German designer Klaus Begasse, which features minimal, simple lines and can be used as a pole, wall or floor mounted lighting fixture. At the Euroluce 2017, the International Lighting Exhibition that is held concurrently with Salone del Mobile, Simes unveiled an exciting array of lighting fittings which features the similar minimalist and simplistic design characteristics of the Simes product DNA. Among them is the extension of the Ghost range by Marc Sadler with the addition of more dimensions to suit various architectural applications. From concert halls and museums to palaces and commercial spaces to bridges and churches, Simes has footprints on some of the most magnificent architectural marvels all over the world. With the rate that this Italian company is innovating and creating cutting-edge lighting fixtures, Simes is poised to make a difference in the world of outdoor architectural lighting wherever it goes. Locally, Simes is available at Lightcraft, which is the exclusive distributor of Simes in Malaysia. For further information, visit lightcraft.com.my.