Organic illumination
The co- founder of Vancouver lighting company Bocci discusses the creation of one of their recent projects
Q Bocci created a “living” chandelier at the recent Chelsea Flower Show in London. Explain what that was and how it worked.
A The installation consists of numerous large glass spheres named the 38 series, which contain many smaller milk white cavities. The cavities are either lit internally, emitting a soft glow, or used as planters. Some of the small white planters appear to escape from the confines of the larger clear glass sphere, a kind of pollen cloud surrounding the chandelier. The installation has an organic, shifting quality. The blend of plants and light, suspended by copper tubing seem to create a type of floating interior landscape. Q Where do you see the “living” chandelier working in a residential application? A It could work in any room that has a lot of sunlight, but perhaps the strongest application would be in locations that are transitions between indoor and outdoor space. We have recently installed the 38 along the ceiling of a restaurant on East Hastings that has a lot of light coming into the space. Q How many collections does Bocci have? A There are currently eight product collections. Our first product, developed in 2005 was the 14 series cast glass pendant which has recently been given a wet rating allowing for it to also be used outside. The 57 series is our most recent design, and is a globular light fixture with a variety of air bubbles in each piece producing forms that swell in completely unique ways.
Q How are the installations of Bocci lights imagined for homeowners or designers? Some are in groupings and other individual. Is it more a question of budget than just a design esthetic?
A One of our ideas is that a chandelier need not be a central, sculptural focus for a room, but rather an ambient composition within it. Thus, the selection of how many pieces becomes an exercise in balance, something akin to a Kandinsky painting or a Zen garden plan. Q How many designers are involved in product development? A There are four of us at Bocci that work on product development. We are based in Kitsilano in the old Mitchell Press building. My architecture and design practice and the glass blowing atelier are also housed in the same building. Q Why are the collections numbered instead of given names? A We number the pieces in the chronological order that they were conceived. There is a kind of built- in self reflection implicit in this cataloguing system, allowing us to become more aware of our own interests and intentions when we observe the collection portfolio. Q Does Bocci create other products besides lights? A We have a power outlet called 22, and a bench called 25. Next year we may launch a chair. Q What is your design background? A I graduated from the University of Waterloo School of Architecture and spent a lot of time working for various architects before starting both bocci, which you know about, but also OAO ( standing for omer arbel office), a multidisciplinary design studio in which we design everything from objects to buildings. Q Are there new projects on the horizon? A Always! Stay tuned.