Bright ideas and key trends spotted at the Euroluce lighting fair
From lighting in minimalist forms to statement-making pieces, get inspired by these bright ideas seen at this year’s Euroluce lighting fair
1 FORM: GET IN LINE
Sleek and discreet designs were the de rigueur at Euroluce this year—a variety of linear forms were seen in many of the exhibition booths at the lighting fair. From Marset comes High Line, a vertical floor lamp composed of two solid blocks of wood set on a black iron base. Designed by Barcelona designer Josep Lluís Xuclà, the sculptural High Line provides ambient illumination by gently bouncing light off the wall. On a smaller scale, Michael Anastassiades presented his very first task light, Primitive Structure. Minimalists will adore its pure form: the wire-free portable lamp is a striking combination of two anodisedaluminium pieces, with a sequence of dimmable light sources fitted at the angle where the two pieces meet. At Flos, French designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec have put a fun spin on the linear line with their Belt collection. The lighting piece consists of leather belts that can run in various linear and U-shape configurations. The rigid, linear sections consist of the LED light beams that are connected to soft, rounded elements that carry the electricity and the weight of the lamp.
2 STYLE: MODERN ASIAN
This year, designers expressed minimalism through streamlined, lantern-like lamps with a subtle Eastern influence. Take for instance, the Night bloom collection by Lladró, which revels in the beauty of a blooming flower. Designed by Marcel Wanders, the collection features porcelain lamps with three-dimensional relief patterns reminiscent of delicate origami folds. “Working with Lladró, we were able to combine its unique craft processes with our goal of bringing the past into the contemporary moment to make something exquisite and beautiful for the home,” says Wanders. Another stunning highlight is the Patera, designed by Øivind Slaatto for Louis Poulsen, now available in a new silver finish. The structure is dazzling to behold from all angles; it features an intricate structure with paper-like folds inspired by the Fibonacci sequence. Norwegian brand Northern showcased Blush, an elegant steel pendant lamp with a shape that conjures an impression of the samurai chonmages (a traditional Japanesestyle top-knot haircut). It’s available in black, rust-red or white, and works well with contemporary interior concepts. Penta presented Lit, a suspension lamp designed by long-time Penta collaborator, Italian designer Umberto Asnago. Lit appears like a torchlight that’s held upside-down—the lantern-inspired design comprises a metal structure, sandblasted glass inner shade and an outer shade of borosilicate glass in blue, violet, orange or gold.
“EACH PIECE IS AN OR ORIGINAL AND IS SPECIFIC BOTH IN SHAPE AND HEIGHT”
3 FORM: OBJETS D’ART
Lamps that look like luminous sculptures also caught our eye. These include the Mush-room lamp created by René Šulc for Lasvit. “Each piece is an original, and is specific both in shape and height,” says Šulc. Inspired by the golden rays of the sun, the Sun – light of love chandelier by Tord Boontje for Foscarini is as dazzling; its sculptural and radiant form will make an instant draw in any interior. An ideal choice for classical interiors is Aurora, a Lalique wall sconce named after the Greek goddess of dawn and designed by the brand’s late founder René Lalique. Another top pick is the Windfall Downtown collection, which feature laser-cut Swarovski crystals set within rectangular metal frames in either brushed brass, nickel, gold, chrome, or copper.
4 FORM: CIRCULAR NATURE
A holistic attitude towards lighting design has resulted in ergonomic, technologically advanced offerings that are more energy efficient, flexible and healthier on the eyes; this approach that has also contributed to the creation of rounded forms and halo-like lighting pieces. Working with global design firm IDEO, Swarovski unveiled a modern take on the chandelier with Infinite Aura, an appcontrolled lighting collection with an inner ring of Swarovski crystals that reflect light emitted from integrated LEDS. The app lets you vary light intensity and temperature to create different moods; a decorative band of crystals can be added to produce a chandelier effect even when the lamp is switched off. Harmony between humans, light, and environment has always been important to Artemide. This year, they’ve launched Ripple, a suspension system with circular structures. The components include a simple LED light ring that emits pure light, a diffuser for softer ambient lighting and a second diffuser with sound-absorbing acoustic properties. Bocci presented 74, a technologically savvy track spotlighting system designed by Vancouver and Berlin-based Israeli designer Omer Arbel. Housed within spun metal and cast glass mirrored spheres, these spotlights rely on polarised cables with magnetic attachment mechanisms to give its user full control over the trajectory of the lights. Nemo launched the stunning Ellisse pendant light by Federico Palazzari. Made from a special technology that combines extruded metal bars with large Led-lit rings, the Ellisse collection is available in five versions with single or multiple rings, as well as a floor or wall options.
5 FINISH AND FORM: CLASSICS UPDATED
There’s a good reason why some designs remain iconic. Take for instance, the popular PH Artichoke pendant from Louis Poulsen. In celebration of the late Danish design icon Poul Henningsen’s 125th birthday, the Danish brand has released an exclusive copper edition of the PH Artichoke pendant. Available in an energy saving LED version, 100 percent glare-free and comfortable on the eyes, this stunning edition will be a delightful find for collectors of Mid-century design icons. Bocci has also unveiled new editions of its key collections, including the 38 series. The 38V collection contains a verdant touch— these lighting pieces now house cavities deep enough to hold succulents or cacti within some of its spheres.
6 MATERIAL: ART OF GLASS
The storied craft of hand-blown glass continues to be celebrated, with lighting manufacturers showcasing creative ways to manipulate the material and timehonoured techniques. Venice-based brand Barovier & Toso’s newest collections celebrate its seven centuries of history. These include the Tuileries collection, which features a constellation of wall lamps made with the Rugiada technique created by Ercole Barovier in the 20th century; a honey bronze finish adds to the Art Deco look of the fan-shaped lamps. At Studio Italia Design (featured on page 46), the Jefferson collection features a vortex design translated on glass as a swirling shape inspired by the Psychedelic Sixties. Suspended from a slim, highstrength cable, the lamps can be used as a single pendant lamp or as a cluster.