Beatle Lindsay-Fynn
Founding Partner and Managing Director of Palladian, a London-based architecture and interior design practice, gives his opinion on maximising wellbeing in residential lighting.
Wellbeing has been a key driver right across design for a number of years and probably nowhere more so than in the workplace, where employers met the challenges of Covid-19 and post-pandemic hybrid working by evolving worker-first interiors, complete with breakouts, garden centre levels of planting, quiet rooms and ultra-flexible, mission-oriented environments. In the residential sphere, however, where we operate, wellbeing can often be taken for granted. It’s as if the home, representing ‘the authentic self’, is a pre-designated locus for refuge and relaxation and therefore self-evidently a place where we feel ‘well’.
We oppose this passive attitude for many reasons, but not least because home interiors are something of a wellbeing battleground right now. Many recent advances in home technology - particularly wireless and Bluetooth - generate electromagnetic frequencies, which are absolutely not conducive to wellbeing. Equally, many sustainable advances, including triple-glazed, energy-saving windows, are in danger of having a negative impact too, by cutting out the sun’s most energy-giving lightwaves, especially in the morning. Then, there’s the flickering problem with many low-energy sustainable lamps, especially cheap LEDs and fluorescents. Even if our eyes can’t see the flickers, our brains can, and the repeated pulsing can have a woeful impact on our nervous systems. Electronic drivers and dimming modules in the home need to be carefully monitored for the same reason. Having a house hard-wired with on/off switches or using a hard-wired control system - as long as properly evaluated - can be a better wellbeing solution, however much against the contemporary grain.
Ensuring our homes have enough light of both the right temperature and lux/intensity levels, while prioritising health, sustainability, and people’s technological needs, is a complex ambition, necessitating informed strategies and careful thinking to find a pathway through.
At the start of a residential renovation or new interior design project, lighting designers are usually briefed to design a scheme with specifications that meet a particular budget or aesthetic, while providing appropriate washes, colours, and levels of light and taking into consideration a home’s architectural or interiors layout. Clients without lighting designers are often simply trying to generate enough artificial light within a budget, with less consideration of other factors. In both instances, the wellbeing of a home’s occupants may be of lesser consideration - if considered at all.
A home is many things, from a social space to a quiet space and a place for eating, working, and playing. Most importantly, home is where we sleep - a vital restorative action for our bodies, minds and souls. A wellbeing-first residential lighting scheme needs to take on board home-owners’ personality types, neurodiversity typology, any health issues and particular personal circumstances alongside the design brief, budget and current lighting product availability. The ideal end result is a series of personalised lighting solutions for each family or occupier’s requirements, in much the same way people currently seek out personalised healthcare, nutrition or exercise programmes.
Light will always be the single most important element within the built environment, fundamentally driving the rhythm of life. Lighting design needs to prepare our bodies for sleep and wake us in the morning, working directly with our circadian rhythm. Regulating our exposure to different light sources throughout the day is key to promoting our overall mental and physical health and performance.
Artificial light remains a great gift, particularly for those living in darker, North European climates, enabling increased functional and leisure time over the course of a day, but the season, the orientation of each building and even each room’s geometry all have to be considered, in line with the natural course of daylight, when assessing artificial lighting needs. You might organise your bedrooms to be facing east, for example, or your living spaces to face south and west, while, to provide the best level of daylighting, the visible light transmittance of glazing should be high, with windows kept open as much as possible to absorb full spectrum light. Solar heat gain should be considered and kept low over the summer too, however, making rooflights something of a pay-off between additional light ingress and solar gain implications.
Those with a higher budget can choose lighting control systems based on astronomical clocks, linked to light sources that change temperature in accordance with natural light, but the principles for lower budgets are the same. Residential lighting basically needs to incorporate thought-out layering, featuring different light source typologies, including white task lighting above head level to mimic the rising sun - though the latter should only be viable from a biophilic perspective for a short period. Lighting should then mirror the move to warm white and finally amber hues as the day goes on, via wall and floor lights, reflecting both the colour and the position of the sun.
We also need to be wary of lighting that looks yellow but is in fact white, as is often the case with LEDs, while overhead grids should be avoided, full-stop. It’s certainly worth spending money on the highest-possible quality LEDS, while anyone exposed to too much blue light via laptops, tablets and phones in the bedroom would do well either to change habits or counter the subsequent block to their melatonin levels, causing a reduction in sleep quality, by investing in special blue-light-blocking glasses.
Once the optics of how these elements are approached during the design stages are aligned with the occupier’s wellbeing, any contradictions with technology and sustainability are by no means insurmountable and can create an enjoyable journey whose outcomes profoundly impact a home’s inhabitants. Further technological advances should continue to be assessed from a wellbeing perspective, so that the key role lighting plays in protecting our wellbeing at home – exactly where we need it most – is always recognised, prioritised and enabled.
Paola Navone
During Milan Design Week, Italian lighting brand Lodes presented Oblò, a collection of glass pendants designed by Paola Navone that take inspiration from the seaside.
Lodes’ latest collection, Oblò, is the inaugural collaboration with Otto Studio’s Paola Navone. Oblò presents an aesthetic departure from Lodes’ existing portfolio; it is both a high-performance pendant and a sculptural piece of design that presents themes of fluidity and water.
“Oblò is a delightful family of lamps that touches on the essence of the sea,” says Navone. “The glass diffuser, with its soft, rounded shapes, is suspended by a knotted cable, appearing to float in the air like a buoy. There’s a touch of surprise: the knotted cable houses an invisible LED source that illuminates the diffuser. Thus, only the glass is visible, akin to peering through a porthole. The diffuser comes in three different shapes and five finishes, three of which are hues reminiscent of the sea’s transparency. Where a single lamp serves as a playful focal point, a multitude of lamps make up a thousand different installations.
“Water is my natural element, the sea has a relaxing, almost hypnotic effect on me. It stirs feelings of delight, peace, fluidity, movement... and it always makes me wonder how to connect these elements within design.”
Oblò is a modest sized lamp that comes in three sizes and with an intense luminosity, which is diffused through the glass globe that is available in various finishes including: Silk White, Clear, Glossy Smoke, Iridescent, Azure Steel.
It features a hook, comprising a metal core coated with semi-transparent silicone. A white fabric cable, featuring a grey rubberised terminal, is tied to the hook, delicately supporting the diffuser. The knot and cable possess both aesthetic and functional significance: envisioned by the designer to resemble naval ropes knotted to sea buoys, infusing the product with a whimsical and playful spirit. Simultaneously, the fabric cable conceals the electric wiring, which, through the knot, threads into the hook, discreetly powering the LED. This gives the appearance of the Oblò floating like a buoy in the air.
Speaking of her collaboration with Lodes, Navone says: “There is a special alchemy behind each of our projects at Otto. It can come from meeting a person, a company, discovering a place or a beautiful tradition. This time we were enchanted and inspired by Lodes’ technical expertise and high-quality materials.
“We enjoyed recalling the simple, friendly, and universal shapes of buoys. Lodes’ expertise and technology made it possible to realise these forms using Pyrex, a highly evocative material, that was modelled and formed into soft, rounded shapes.
“The idea was to create a weightless, almost imperceptible bubble and the main challenge was to make the light source invisible. Using Lodes’ know how, we developed a hidden LED source inside the hook that lights the glass diffuser.
“The diffuser comes in three different shapes and five finishes - demonstrating the versatility of Pyrex glass in lighting design while simultaneously evoking images of the sea and the elements that float in the water. Additionally, the fabric cable conceals the electric wiring, which, through the knot, threads into the hook, mysteriously powering the LED.
“We really like the knotted cable that supports the lamp like a naval rope tied to a sea buoy, and at the same time powers the LED source that lights up the diffuser. It adds that element of surprise that is always present in our designs.”
Reflecting on the new collaboration, Lodes Managing Director Massimiliano Tosetto comments: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Paola Navone – Otto Studio on this new lamp, furthering Lodes’ portfolio to seamlessly integrate with a wide range of environments. The flexibility inherent in Oblò, in terms of compositions and finishes, was vividly articulated by the designer through a stunning colourful installation during Milan Design Week, hosted at Lodes’ Milan showroom.”
www.otto.fish
www.lodes.com
Copper Club
Renowned for its edgy interiors and creative branding, Run For the Hills studio, has transformed a cherished local landmark in Guildford, UK into a lavish three-floor multi-faceted club house. darc talks to co-founder and interior designer of Run For the Hills, Anna Burles, as she offers insights on the design and the necessity of decorative lighting.
The collaboration between Run For the Hills and Copper Club began after the client stumbled upon some of studio’s portfolio in a magazine. Recognising the studio’s unparalleled fusion of interior and graphic planning offered everything the client needed from interior planning, bespoke art designs, and unique branding to boot. From there the brief was clear - to create a guest-experience with technical design, operational pointers, and detailed brand storytelling.
Located on the cobbled streets in Guildford’s high street this beloved building was once a tailor’s shop known as Burton’s. Now the building is open for locals to use, offering a member’s club mentality where guests can settle all day for work and play but without membership fees and exclusivity. It features expansive crittal style windows framed with a soft blue façade and hand painted gold signage inspired by its former life as Burton’s tailors.
The client was a huge fan of heritage features and its history as a popular tailor shop; hence the new logo displays a tape measure wrapped elegantly around fabric scissors. However, the building’s most recent incarnation as a sport retailer meant most of these architectural details had been ripped out. Despite its unfortunate dismantle of the original features, this gave Run For the Hills a complete blank canvas to work with. Restoring the heritage features were predictably difficult yet crucial to the design scheme, some of which included coverings and moldings, a statement staircase and a glass lift bringing a sense of its history outside and in.
Like any interior design, decorative lighting has a vital role in creating an essential atmosphere. With The Townhouse spanning across three floors and four zones of function (dining, drinking, working, and socialising), lighting is key to creating a seamless transition between each zone and has a quintessential role in enhancing the ambience with both its stunning appearance and ways of distributing light. Burles says: “Decorative lighting is incredibly important in all of our interior design projects and The Townhouse was no different. Even with the most amazing FF&E furnishing scheme and materials palette, a space feels naked without decorative lighting. Beautiful wall lights, mood enhancing table lamps (both wired and portable), and statement floor lights not only look stunning, but fulfil an essential role in creating atmosphere. A scheme isn’t complete without exciting decorative lighting and getting the balance right between architectural and decorative is key to the best interiors. Too much architectural lighting can feel clinical and too technical and guests can ‘feel’ the fittings and dominance. Not enough architectural lighting can be disappointing too as decorative lighting alone can’t create some of the effects needed to highlight beautiful finishes, furnishings, and joineries. The two really are co-dependent.”
Burles adds: “Our decorative lighting choices were designed to enhance the overall style of the space, using a suite of different-sized wall lights in antique brass, bronze, and iron finishes, some featuring glass, others woven shades. Lots of the fittings feature prismatic and reeded glass details, which create a lovely atmospheric glow and reflections around the fitting. Other choices have very targeted light where the light source is not visible, designed to do a different job of drawing the eye to the object the light fitting is highlighting (whether that’s a piece of art or highlight furniture). Overall, it is a curated mix of creatively sourced lights, from a mix of retailers we know and love, including some lovely vintage fittings from Pure White Lines, Murano chandeliers and Italian style Murano wall lights injecting a shot of glamour and sparkle.”
The ground floor represents a classic Coppa Club design with a vintage inspired timber cafe-bar and a laid-back cosy workspace, in a relaxed and stylish interior. Tonal textured walls layered with curated gallery art are illuminated by E2 Contract Lighting’s bronze picture lights, which set the scene on the ground floor for a fresh and inviting all day atmosphere. Designed to combine the best elements of both a workspace and a café/bar, lighting needs to ensure guests are comfortable whatever their needs. The rear ‘snug’ lounge isn’t flooded in natural light, so is lit softly by floor lamps and architectural lighting to spotlight the soft seating where guests can listen to the crackle of the fireplace. The lighting from low level table lamps and architectural lighting creates a natural flow between café-bar and workspace.
The journey continues in the brass framed elevator that gently transcends past the hand painted mural designed by Run For the Hills graphics and art team. The mural flows and changes from the ground floor’s neutral tones to a deeper and more lively mix of blue accents atmospherically lit with soft pink Murano wall lights by Pure White Lines acting as guides to the middle floor.
Now in the brasserie, the private dining space offers a homely and relaxed feeling for an all-day dining experience serving breakfast to late night dinners. Furnishings such as open banquette seating with contrasting rugs are highlighted by a central antique style chandelier also by Pure White Lines. Wall lights from E2 Contract Lighting add warm rays of light along with more bronze picture lights spotlighting the curated gallery art. The central stone fireplace is framed by a warm timber-stained bookcase with subtle vintage detailing, retro wallpaper with Soho House light fixtures placed cleverly around the bookcase. The nature of this space is designed to be homely and inspired by the glow of a fire therefore ambient lighting dotted around the space helps enhance the friendly and comforting atmosphere.
Burles says: “Some of the zones within the multi-floor venue, were developed during the design process - with the middle floor becoming more focused as a brasserie restaurant, with a different mood, function, and vibe from the informal ground floor. Still buzzy, but not a place for laptops, a space for food and drink to be celebrated across the table with friends, family, and colleagues.”
The final floor hosts a cocktail bar and lounge, a sanctuary where guests can enjoy draft pours, premium spirits, and signature blend cocktails. Nestled in the plush lounge sofas and cocktail chairs, guests can groove to the sounds from the in-house DJ under a dark moody blue ceiling. Burles describes the development of the top floor as “organic” with the design emerging with refinements in the final lighting and FF&E scheme. The statement copper bar and arched frame is highlighted in a pool of light using a combination of decorative lights, architectural lighting, and joinery to position its centrality. Alongside the bar Run for the Hills’ talented graphics team added a dramatic touch through a hand-painted canvas layered with a vibrant glow of amber neon light, which took inspiration from the staircase mural. The mid-level, warm ambience from the lighting acted as the perfect foil to the bar’s cooler interior colour palette of vibrant pinks, icy blues, and ochre yellows. In addition, the room is adorned with a gorgeous fireplace, rich velvet curtains and glows of moody low-level lighting from brass pendants and Murano glass wall lights - adding a je ne sais quoi to the overall furnishings.
“Decorative lighting is doubly powerful within a scheme,” says Burles. “It creates both a visual focal point, adding beauty to a space and is integral to the interior design FF&E scheme, adding metallic, glass and textile, material accents as well as layers of lighting. Our brief for the lighting was to create a mid-level, warm ambience, and the architectural lighting was key to this – creating pools of light and pockets of lighting picking out beautiful design details.”
The triple threat studio established another successful project showcasing its trademark blend approach of branding, in venue graphics and art, and interiors. From captivating highlight features, layering interiors, bespoke art, joinery and atmospheric finishes, the project exudes grandeur whilst maintaining a harmonious balance, further elevated by the decorative lighting.
Burles aptly concludes: “Lighting is the icing on the cake of any design scheme. A gorgeous interior is elevated into a stunning scheme with the addition of great lighting. Carefully placed and balanced lighting creates the right lux levels and tone of ambient light, which creates the right mood and energy within a space. Flexible lighting gives the opportunity for a space to discreetly morph into different vibes across the day – something which is particularly important in an all-day venue.”
RH expands into Europe
(UK)- Furniture brand RH, marks its European expansion across three countries.
The first European out-post for American luxury furnishings brand, RH England, launched last summer. Situated in a 400-year-old landmark estate designed by British architect Sir John Soane. RH England is a celebration of history, design, food, and wine. The 73 acres site holds 60 rooms, including three dining experiences: Wine Lounge, Tea Salon, Juicery, and garden. Each space integrates RH collections with rare art, antiques, and artifacts from across the globe.
The expansion continued in November with the opening of two German galleries; RH Munich and RH Düsseldorf. Located in Old Town, RH Munich is an immersive, multi-level design destination featuring luxury home furnishings in a gallery setting. Visitors can experience inspired installations of furniture, lighting, textiles, and décor by worldwide designers along with collections from RH Interiors, Contemporary, and Modern.
RH Düsseldorf features artistic installations of home furnishings in a gallery setting. Commanding four levels, this design destination features collections from RH Interiors, Contemporary and Modern by internationally renowned designers.
On 19 March RH unveiled its Brussels studio and multi-level design destination, which features artistic installations of home furnishings modelled on a restored 18th century French baroque mansion designed by architect Henri Maquet. The gallery seamlessly integrates the brand’s Interiors, Contemporary, Modern, and Outdoor collections again with rare art, antiques, and artifacts. RH Brussels also includes the RH Interior Design Studio, for clients to collaborate with its professional designers.
Both German locations also include an interactive design atelier offering professional design services.
[d]arc thoughts programme returns to Clerkenwell
(UK) – Highly regarded talks programme takes centre stage at Clerkenwell Design Week.
Curated by the editorial team behind leading decorative lighting publication darc, the [d]arc thoughts talks programme returns to Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW) for 2024, bringing three days of lighting focused content to a wider design audience.
Taking place from 21-23 May, CDW is one of the leading design festivals in the world and features more than 600 showroom events, more than 11 curated exhibitions, striking installations, topical walks, design destinations, as well as a fringe programme and more.
Covering topics such as statement lighting; quiet luxury; and the future of hospitality design, [d]arc thoughts at CDW will also see the Green Light Alliance take a closer look at sustainable lighting – aiming to provide a ‘beginners guide’ for designers who might not work closely with lighting but are keen to learn more.
Speakers for 2024 will include lighting designers from Rock & Soar; Into Lighting; Nulty+; Michael Grubb Studio; and Equation Lighting Design, while interior designers, Dara Huang of DH Liberty and OIga Alexeeva of Black & Milk will join the panel discussion on quiet luxury.
A series of Q&A sessions with interior designers Monique and Staffan Tollgard of Tollgard Design Group; Anna Burles and Chris Trotman of Run for the Hills; and Samuel Edmonds of HLW will take a closer look at project work and design trends, while Holly Hallam of DesignLSM will discuss the future of hospitality.
Alongside the talks programme, the [d]arc media team will host an informal drinks party at Clerkenwell Prison as part of the wider late-night opening on Wednesday 22 May.
Then, on Thursday 23 May – in collaboration with Women in Lighting and representatives from the ILP’s new initiative Women Lighting Professionals, Women in Office Design, and Women in Architecture, [d]arc media will host a networking brunch held in Design Fields from 11am – 12pm.
Registration and more information on the [d]arc thoughts talks programme be found at: www.clerkenwelldesignweek.com
Occhio launch new reinterpreted chandelier at Milan Design Week
(Italy) - Occhio present new chandelier, Lunanova, during Milan Design Week, equipped with latest supernova light effects of the Luna series.
Lunanova combines design and innovative technology: design chrome mirrored Luna glass spheres in various sizes and arranged concentrically on a mirrored disk. The Occhio fireball lamps float inside the spheres, providing powerful, directed light alongside Occhio’s innovative control and lighting effect possibilities to boot.
Available in three different colours, dimensions and both ceiling and suspended, Lunanova unfolds as a centrepiece for rooms with prestigious design as an interactive art installation.
Lavsit wins Fuorisalone award for Re/Creation Exhibition
(Italy) - Czech glassmaking design house, Lavsit, emerged victorious surpassing industry leaders such as Google, Zegna, Kia, and Amazon in the installation competition during Milan Design Week.
The Fuorisalone Award selects the most memorable projects showcased during Milan Design Week. More than 1000 projects presented this year with 16 making it to the shortlist chosen by an expert jury. The final decision is left to the design community, who crowned Lavsit as its winner for its creative displays and art installation, Porta.
Porta, the centrepiece of Lasvit’s exhibition, was situated at the Pilazzo Isimbardi. Designed by Lavsit’s Art Director Maxim Velcosky the installation featured 10 monumental, fused glass sculptures – with the largest measuring nearly five metres – to showcase hand craftsmanship on an industrial scale.
Velcovsky says: “I am honoured to receive this award, especially in these challenging times. Being here in Milan and experiencing the warmth of personal interactions is refreshing. In an era dominated by artificial intelligence and the expanse of the internet, I am happy the designer community appreciated the craftsmanship and innovative technology we've showcased.”
The surrounding showrooms featured in the exhibition included a new lighting design concept, Bois de Cristal, by Maria Culenova, a new collection entitled Nebula Claesson Koivisto Rune, and Jan Lecha and Henry Wieglus’ limited edition, Neverending Glory. The architecture of the show was done by Prague studio Cirque Menu.
Leon Jakimic, founder of Lasvit, adds: “Best exhibition in Milan for 2024. Out of thousands of amazing exhibitions across the whole city, where every palace, gallery, museum, and showroom become a curated exhibition. Our Art Director Maxim Velcovsky curated ours. This is a great day for Czech design and craftsmanship. I would compare it to Kolya winning an Oscar for best foreign movie in 1996, except we won this as an overall best prize, not just for ‘outside of Italy’.”
Grau - Fire
(Italy) – German-based company, Grau presents a new portable lamp fire in Milan Design Week 2024.
Named the “world’s first light player” due to its moving light compositions, users can click and dim through various settings and vibes with a motion sensor. Fire’s design encompasses a soft uncompromising light experience that channels a classic ambient table lamp.
Grau references recent scientific studies, which show that the wrong light in the evening increases the risk of mental illness by 30%. Fire offers a warm light free from blue light to enhance the production of the relaxation hormone melatonin alongside other health-promoting effects.
Equipped with ultra-fast charging, Fire charges in two hours via USB-C providing up to 50 hours of portable light and a smart LED which indicates the remaining battery.
Timon and Melchior Grau, founders of Grau, say: “Fire is the biggest milestone so far. We are launching a new kind of lighting experience and are convinced that Fire marks the start of a new era of lighting – the era of living light.”
Flos makes historic return to Pilazzo Visconti for Milan Design Week
(Italy) - Flos returns to Milan unveiling new collections in a present-meets-past installation at the Palazzo Visconti.
Set in the Baroque architecture of the 18th century building, new collections by Barber Osgerby, Formfantasma, and anniversary editions of Michael Anastassiades’ IC Lights were displayed in a three-stage journey exhibition.
The Palazzo Visconti is where 36 years ago Flos launched its first lamp designed with its first international designer, Phillipe Starck. The installation was inspired by an archival photo taken of that evening in 1988.
Taken by Maria Mulus, the monochrome image features a gathering of prestigious architects, designers, art critics and journalists, with Phillipe Stark pictured in the centre.
Barbara Corti, Flos Chief Creative Officer, explains: “That photo is Flos’ soul: its past, its present and what it wants in the future. In those smiles you can read lightness, courage to dare, a small dose of imprudence mixed with the desire to accept the designer’s responsibilities.”
The installation’s journey starts in the entrance hall on the main floor. Visitors are welcomed by an array of Emi lamps by Erwan Bouroullec leading up the staircase. It is here a short film begins, serving as a prelude to the exhibition.
The movie plays a conversation between the five designers whose work is featured at Palazzo Visconti: Michael Anastassiades with the IC 10 Anniversary, Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby with Bellhop Glass, Andrea Trimarchi, and Simone Farresin of Formafantasma with Superwire.
Making the short film involved the five designers conversing and playing games. The film crew intended to create a situation when creative people get together, representing the value of the exchange of ideas and inspirations and celebrating it as the foundation of every design gesture.
The central hall presents an immersive installation with the three new glass lighting products. A series of mirrors divide the central space in parts, each dedicated to one of the three new products: IC 10 Anniversary, Bellhop Glass, and SuperWire consequently continuous visual to the architectural decor, unlike in 1988 where Achille Castiglioni chose to block out the décor of the Palazzo’s rooms with white canvases to display his Taraxacum 88 lamp.
Flos’ intention with the installation was to rediscover the atmosphere in Mulas photo, the effective dimensions of design, being retrospective to its historical identity while interpreting it in new ways to symbolise the company’s transformative nature.
Robert Silva, CEO of Flos, says: “There is no nostalgia in the operation. On the contrary, Flos at Palazzo Visconti represents the company’s desire to always look ahead by continuing to leverage its historical identity and interpreting it in a contemporary way.
In addition to the Palazzo Visconti exhibition, Flos also presented Golden Hour, an installation by Michael Anastassiades in celebration of the IC’s 10th anniversary. The collection presents a new gold finish and maxi versions of his iconic design.
Ten years ago, IC was born to re-propose that moment of suspension in space and time. A feature that is further underlined by the new gold finish, a material chosen as synonymous with not luxury but of timelessness and of that relationship of love and respect that well-designed objects inspire, in a natural way.
Thirdly, the Flos professional showroom will be dedicated to Out of Office, an installation dedicated to the world of the office and work, to reflect on the possibilities that lighting design and well-conceived interiors offer to stimulate interaction and the development of human relationships in everyday life.
The space was transformed into an extension of the Arquitectura-G studio (also responsible for the layout of Palazzo Visconti), and furnished with worktables, chairs, and lamps from the Workmates series by Flos Architectural, a family of professional luminaires created for the world of the office, that push the boundaries of workspace illumination to new dynamics.
January Furniture Show
For over 36 years, January Furniture Show (JFS) has been the premier destination for premium furniture, lighting and homewares. Perfectly placed in the retail calendar, visitors can source high quality pieces from over 500 UK and International brands whilst connecting with the industry at multiple networking events. From our Happy Hour Champagne Bar, the Women in Furniture Network Celebrate Success event, Show Party, Social Studio and the luxury VIP Lounge in Hall 1 (provided by Show Partner Hooker Furnishings), there’s plenty of opportunities to make valuable connections and boost business in 2025.
Visitors can explore the latest launches from top names including Hooker Furnishings, Premier Housewares, Bontempi, Crystal World, Dannells Limited, Kelston House International and more! Don’t miss out and register for your FREE badge now.
To register follow www.januaryfurnitureshow.com/register
Charlie Bark-Jones
This year, the Workspace Design Show will showcase a diverse range of lighting exhibitors, ranging from Daisalux and Luxxbox's expert emergency lighting, Stoane's bespoke, statement pieces, to Synergy Creativ, which specialises in biophilic lighting, Reon’s unique wall lights, Erco’s flexible spotlights, right the way through to Ricoman's acoustic pendants. In short, we’re delighted that this year’s event really runs the gamut of commercial lighting.
We've seen a variety of lighting trends coming through this year. The emergence of sustainability as a priority in lighting will come as a surprise to no one. This year, however, it is evident there is a newfound enthusiasm for reusing products, hence the thinking behind the talk at this year’s show 'The new aesthetic of repair and re-use in lighting design: Why we need a mindset shift’. We’ve assembled an expert panel to discuss this, including Dan Lister, Associate Director, Lighting, Arup, Ruth Kelly Waskett, Project Director, Hoare Lea, Simon Fisher, Founder & Director with F Mark and Kristina Allison, Senior Lighting Designer at Atkins Global.
With the sector’s increased focus on contributing to reducing carbon emissions, lighting designers are and must increasingly be focussed on developing sustainable methods and long term solutions, ensuring products work to achieve energy-efficiency targets. Exhibitor Stoane Lighting, for example, is launching a new division called ‘ReNew’ which has been set up for just this purpose. Its products are designed so that they can easily be disassembled, have internal components replaced, upgraded and eventually parts recycled.
Our theme for this year’s Workspace Design Show theme for 2024 is ‘Bloom’, reflecting the huge increase in biophilic design in the built environment. In design terms, biophilia seeks to integrate elements of the natural world indoors, fostering a deeper connection to the natural world. This trend is exemplified by our exhibitor Synergy Creativ, which specialises in design lighting fixtures such as living walls. In this way, it incorporates greenery to promote this connection with nature, promoting wellbeing and productivity by cultivating a serene atmosphere that visually connects inhabitants with flora and fauna. We expect to see more and more biophilia-inspired lighting in the next few years as in other areas of interiors.
Statement lighting has long been an asset in the designer’s armoury. Unique and eye-catching lighting fixtures can take centre stage to wow workers back to the office – think dramatic atriums or areas where a big impact needs to be made – for example in town hall spaces or shared kitchens. Designers often focus on creating bespoke, statement pieces that not only provide illumination but also serve as artistic elements to elevate a space. Manchester-based Ricoman Lighting has created Flow Curved Linear Lighting', which allows for countless dramatic possibilities. This system consists of straight and curved basic modules, which can be combined in different ways to create unique lighting projects. The modules can also be configured to classic circular luminaires, rounded rectangles, continuous waves or even more abstract shapes. Providing even more possibilities, single or continuous luminaires can be suspended or mounted on ceilings and walls with the light directing downwards, inwards, outwards and also twisting, making this product range ideal for larger spaces as a theatrical, suspended architectural lighting configuration.
Lighting is also becoming more experiential with dynamic lighting effects such as colour gradients, motion sensors, and interactive elements able to create engaging and immersive experiences in both commercial and residential settings where the boundaries between light and art blur. Lighting fixtures can also serve as works of art themselves of course, featuring beautiful sculptural forms, and innovative use of materials to really bring out the brilliance in an interior. Lighting is also working harder than ever before with products having the ability to provide acoustic baffling or even sprinklers or M+E systems.
Human-centric lighting is also set to continue its rise in popularity into 2024. This concept involves designing lighting systems that mimic natural light patterns to positively impact human health and well-being. This includes adjusting colour temperatures throughout the day to support Circadian rhythms to suit people’s needs. At home, this means keeping the light out when you need to sleep and ensuring you let the light in when you need to wake up and stay energised. In commercial interiors, whether that’s a workplace or other commercial environment it could mean providing a range of lighting from brighter lights to warmer tones, depending on the time of day.
This fits in nicely with the idea of personalisation in lighting, another key trend set to continue. This not only includes overhead lighting but also the use of desk lamps, allowing individuals to customise the amount of light required on their individual workstations, as well as making an attractive addition to the physical desktop.
Lighting is a key product category for us here at Workspace Design Show and we look forward to visitors exploring the thriving ecosystem of work life, including lighting up offices in a multitude of ways.
Cantabrian Maritime Museum
Architectural studio Zooco has transformed the hospitality venues inside the Cantabrian Maritime Museum, creating an elegantly simple destination that celebrates the building’s original architecture.
The Cantabrian Maritime Museum, Spain, was conceived as part of an architectural complex together with the Oceanographic Center, designed by Vicente Roig Forner and Ángel Hernández Morales and built between 1975 and 1978.
The original building consists of two square bodies connected by a canopy, with a concrete structure. The interior is distributed over three floors around a central courtyard covered by a vault of paraboloid membranes. In 2003, a renovation and extension was carried out, which included the extension of the west façade and the roof of the terrace with a pyramidal aluminium structure, thus altering the initial conception of the building.
Madrid-based architectural studio Zooco was brought on board initially to rectify issues of dampness in the roof and façade of the building. This later developed into the team designing and creating a new space of the museum on the second floor, which houses its restaurant and terrace.
When describing their involvement in the project, Miguel Crespo Picot and Javier Guzmán Benito, two of the three founders of Zooco, explained how fortunate they were that the client granted them complete freedom when it came to shaping the design of the restaurant.
“Throughout the duration of the project, the integrity of the design remained unaltered, preserving its originality and functionality without undergoing any changes.”
The geometric properties of the space helped define the approach to the restaurant’s interiors. The square morphology of the restaurant’s volume is the result of four additional triangles that regularise and complete the concrete paraboloids of the original building.
“The original building had a terrace on the third floor, where the concrete structure was completely outside and functioned as the roof of the museum’s central patio. In 2003 the building was renovated and within this intervention, the paraboloids were covered with a new roof and the space between them, and the perimeter of the building was closed with glass, generating a covered space where there was previously a terrace. From the outside, the original cover can no longer be seen, and from the inside it is covered by paint or coating,” explain the two founders.
“Our intervention focused on recovering the original essence of this significant construction element. To do this, the coating and paint were removed, and the inclined green glass was replaced with vertical transparent glass. In this way, the paraboloids appear in their pure state and a perimeter terrace is recovered along the entire space.
“The geometry of the existing structure conditions the space, because its height in its lower part is impractical, so a large bench was arranged around the entire contour that allowed us to take advantage of that space and organise the distribution of the rest of the floor plan.
“We wanted the concrete paraboloids to be the absolute protagonists of the space. To do this, we looked for a floor finish that was as neutral as possible, that adapted to the existing conditions and did not compete with the main element of the project.
“To enhance the original structure, we decided to use a wooden roof that framed the perimeter of the paraboloids. The wooden slats bring warmth and friendliness to the space, while allowing us to solve all the technical needs for air conditioning, heating, and lighting, leaving them hidden. In this way we ensured that all these elements did not interfere with the dialogue of concrete and wood, which were presented as continuous and clean elements.
“This geometry became a recovered element, a vestige of the past, and the protagonist of the restaurant’s interior. Treated as an artistic element, the triangular wooden false ceilings frame it.
The museum’s location also played a key role in the design strategy for Zooco. “We could say that it influences 100%,” says Guzmán Benito. “We are at the Cantabrian Maritime Museum, a museum dedicated to the sea, which is practically on top of the water. When we are inside, the feeling is the same as when we are inside a boat, there is only water around, and that is why we used clean glass from floor to ceiling, generating a perimeter terrace as if you were on a boat.”
“The use of wood and steel for all the furniture is reminiscent of the materials used in ship building,” continues Crespo Picot. “The wood is arranged in small boards just as it is used in the hulls of boats and the furniture has slight curvatures that are reminiscent of the aerodynamic shapes of boats. Likewise, the lamps are inspired by the masts for ship sails.
“The dialogue between the concrete container in grey tones, on the one hand, and the glass envelope that allows a total visual connection with the outside, generates great spatial harmony. Everything is completed and harmonised with all the oak wood furniture and stainless steel accessories.”
The role of decorative lighting was integral to achieving the minimalist aesthetic the team were working towards for the dining area. Along with fixtures from Arkoslight, Menu and Gubi, Zooco also created a custom piece called the MMC Lamp.
“The concept behind the design of the MMC lamps stemmed from a specific necessity – the quest for a lighting solution that seamlessly emerged from the table surface, eliminating the need to suspend it from paraboloids,” explains Crespo Picot. “This innovative approach aimed to preserve the integrity of the concrete structure, ensuring a harmonious blend of functionality and aesthetics. In addressing this challenge, the lamps were meticulously crafted to not only fulfil their illuminating purpose but also to become an integral part of the architectural composition.”
Discussing the various considerations for lighting placement, Guzmán Benito says: “First, in this luminous spectrum are the suspended fixtures, gracefully poised from the ceilings adorned with wooden slats. Second, the MMC Lamps that emerge from the table, and thirdly the recessed spotlights, which are strategically placed to illuminate pairs of tables, creating intimate pockets of radiance.
“[Decorative lighting is] as important as any main element of the design. The luminaires, in their varied forms, become not merely sources of light but protagonists in the narrative of design, illuminating not just spaces but also the nuanced interplay between permanence and flexibility, aesthetics and functionality.”
When asked how this project differed to others in Zooco’s portfolio, Guzmán Benito explains that the task of rehabilitating the existing concrete structure was a point of difference for them. “This challenge added layers of complexity to the process, requiring a meticulous approach to preserve and strengthen the structural integrity while undergoing rehabilitation.
“Zooco designs everything. Our philosophy consists of approaching any type of assignment, regardless of its scale, budget, and programme, with the same attitude and creative ambition. Applying the same process searching the most appropriate and valuable solution, both from an artistic and functional point of view.”
