New theme for 100% Design 2016
(UK) – 100% Design is Back at Olympia, London from September 21-24 with a new theme: experience.
The show spans dedicated sections, features a series of special installations and a talks programme.
Talks with 100% Design: The Design Museum on Loan
This year’s talks with 100% Design will be curated by the Design Museum as part of their ‘on loan’ campaign: bringing the museum out in to the world and the design community. The talks will feature agenda-setting discussions exploring trends in the contemporary practice and the future of design, as well as giving a glimpse of what to expect from the new museum when it opens in Kensington on November 24 2016.
100% Interiors: Mineheart
Eccentric interiors brand Mineheart return to 100% Design for 2016 with new launches including a new Trio edition of the King Edison.
Design London
A new showcase in interiors, contributing to London’s reputation as the design capital of the world, Design London will spotlight the best in design manufacturing, with each company chosen to complement one another.
The Darkroom
The Darkroom at 100% Design is a curated showcase for architects and designers looking to specify architectural lighting. Positioned in a darkroom environment, find the latest in LED based luminaires, energy efficient lighting and innovative lighting solutions.
Lasvit creates glass art installation
(US) – Lasvit and architectural firm Rockwell Group create glass art installation for New York City building.
Combining traditional Bohemian glass making with innovative design and technology, Lasvit and Rockwell Group have created a light and design experience at the Sky building, developed by The Moinian Group in New York City.
Located at the nexus of two dynamic neighborhoods, Sky is a luxurious 71-story tower with public spaces, amenities and residences designed by Rockwell Group.
Lasvit was commissioned to create a custom-made lighting installation for the building’s lobby. Called ‘Gravity,’ the installation created by Lasvit in-house designer Ludmila Zilkova together with Rockwell Group, is inspired by the physical phenomena of gravity. Weighing approximately 1543 lbs and with a height of 8 ft, the structure is composed of glass cells, sorted and linked to create one entire structure whose shape appears weighted by gravity.
Zilkova commented on the design inspiration: “Most stories begin with the desire to create something familiar, omnipresent and indispensable…. Gravity, which was created for Sky, is inspired and influenced by one of these forces.” As any organism consists of many similar cells, this sculpture is similarly built from hundreds of glass ‘cells’ linked together at varying angles and spacing to create a unified whole. Each one is unique, hand-blown, which seem to be identical but reveal unique traits.
The impact of the lighting installation is heightened by the caliber of the surrounding art in Sky’s lobby, where two ‘Infinity Nets’ paintings by Yayoi Kusama were chosen by Joseph Moinian to complement the central Lasvit piece. Meticulous attention to creating a uniquely curated luxury experience prevails throughout the Sky building.
Prandina's Effimera wins
(Italy) – Prandina’s Effimera has been awarded best modern decorative lamp of 2016 at the Venetian Smart Lighting Award ceremony.
The event organised by Luce in Veneto took place on May 19. During the gala dinner, the jury, composed of lighting designer and influential personalities from the lighting world, awarded the candidate products following an evaluation of both the aesthetic aspects and functionality.
Tom Dixon’s American adventure
(US) – Tom Dixon set to open two new US showrooms.
Following the success of an inaugural Tom Dixon showroom in New York City this past year, the British product design brand will upscale its commitment to the United States via bi-coastal expansion. The brand will open two new locations; its first retail presence in Los Angeles, California, and a larger-scale showroom on Howard Street in New York’s SoHo neighbourhood.
In a landscape dominated by professional showrooms and multi-brand retailing chains, Tom Dixon chooses to evade the status quo and offer to the US intriguing retail concepts that will bring to life the Tom Dixon experience and offer consumers a new way to interact with the brand. The Los Angeles store will be open on June 23 followed by New York on July 5.
Located in Platform, Culver City’s new 30,000 sq ft indoor-outdoor urban oasis, designed and illuminated by Tom Dixon, the brand’s first LA store will fuse fashion, food and furnishing retail. Tom Dixon has fostered a collaboration with multi-city fashion boutique CURVE - founded by Nevena Borissova - alongside real estate developer The Runyon Group, to provide a more engaging and active way of showcasing goods.
Tom Dixon will occupy a four-story building on Howard St. in SoHo, an area currently in the midst of a Renaissance and revitalization that has become an epicentre for likeminded food, hospitality, fashion and interiors ventures. The space will allow Tom Dixon to showcase their latest wares and innovations in addition to offering spaces for the passing consumer, professional contract and wholesale business and a basement space for interior designers that will be chock full of material samples, prototypes and decorative items on a consistently rotating schedule. The space will be a living representation of the Tom Dixon mission, to manufacture products that are tough enough for the professional market and attractive enough for the home. The raw and unfinished interiors of the showroom will provide a fittingly theatrical backdrop for the forward-looking British brand’s futuristic lamps, heavyweight furniture and extraordinary accessories.
Marley Coffee, Korea
With the Bob Marley legacy at the heart of the Marley Coffee café in Seoul, Korea, LG Display's OLED panel butterflies add a glittering sense of unity to Yang Ripol Design Studio's interior.
A coffee shop unlike any other in Seoul, Korea, London-based Yang Ripol Design Studio was approached to design the interior concept as well as the brand identity to mark the opening of the first franchise of the Marley Coffee One Love café. Owned by Rohan Marley, the son of reggae legend Bob Marley, the coffee shop is a producer and distributor of cult coffee Blue Mountain Jamaican. Marley infuses the company with his father’s philosophy of unity and strives to inspire and improve the world through its coffee and various charities.
Yang Ripol Design Studio was responsible for the rebranding of Marley Coffee for Korea, as well as the ready to drink packaging and the interior design of the Korean franchises. Yang Ripol Creative Director Claudio Ripol told darc: “The coffee shop franchise market in Seoul in very competitive and populated and we knew we had to come up with a special atmosphere which would have personality but also be an oasis of calm in this very busy city.”
The concept was born from the idea of the circle as a representation of unity, celebrating the Jamaican spirit. It serves as one space where people from different backgrounds come together to enjoy products from all over the world, connecting across social and cultural boundaries and promoting understanding. The circle as well as the indigenous meaning of Jamaica as the “land of wood and water”, became the basis for the undulating table which meanders through the whole space. “The table brings together different customers for a taste of the famous Jamaican beans as well as food and wine, a looping shared table embodying the core message of one love,” said Ripol. This table is made in brass and glints with the interior illumination to reinforce its fluidity. The brass shifts organically in height so as to be used as a table, bench or to allow people to pass through.
Working with London and Paris based lighting consultant Min Sang Cho, the illumination which reflects the line of the pathway of the table and chairs introduces 240 LG Display OLED light panels adding a natural yet modern vibe to the café. Two OLED panels were placed together to form an OLED butterfly, with eight of the butterflies attached together as a luminaire. Brass planks were hung from the ceiling with fifteen sets of butterfly luminaires fixed onto the planks.
LG Display Manager Sebastian Suh commented: “Cho has been involved in a number of attempts to bring OLEDs into the design of several projects. The team knew what OLEDs could do in a café environment. It gives a very comfortable and pleasant ambience for the overall café once you’re inside. When walking past, it looks like a bunch of stars so they give the café an identity even for someone just passing by. There is really no other café like that in Seoul.”
Also featuring an interactive element, Suh explained how each set of Butterfly luminaires is connected to a sensor, making the OLED panels flicker when movement is detected: “Once you sit down, you can touch the sensors and they blink, indicating that seat is taken. During that time, you can go up and order your drinks. That was a real fun factor.”
LG Display’s OLED panels generate no glare, eliminating the tiresome factor of flickering lights. This flickering is reflected in the brass table, with the OLED technology allowing the light to feel organic and relaxing. This feature brings the lighting design deeper into the design of the café as a working business and place of human motion, making it more than just a means of illumination. It plays a vital part in the workings of the café and how people interact with each other in a busy space while maintaining a decorative element.
With such a vast number of coffee shops in Korea, Marley Coffee stands out from the rest with its innovative OLED lighting solutions that evoke feelings of unity and social experience. Suh said: “I think it was a really unique project. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a shop implement something like this that is also a franchise at the same time. There is a lot of interest in OLED these days and I hope people can see the real benefits beyond the form factor. The light itself has a different feel to it, not to mention its importance in issues such as lighting pollution. I hope that anyone who looks at this project can take that forward.”
From its cult coffee to its lighting, Marley Coffee holds true to its intention to unite and spread love between people and nature. The use of LG Display’s light panels to create butterflies is a creative display of attention to nature in both form and function, resulting in a space where people can enjoy the legacy Bob Marley left behind.
Aljoud Lootah
Taking inspiration from Arabic motifs, origami and multiplying patterns to produce interesting, geometric shapes in her furniture designs, Aljoud Lootah tells darc how designing gives her a sense of freedom and accomplishment.
A multidisciplinary designer based in Dubai, UAE, Aljoud Lootah explores the realms of product design and personalised corporate gifts. With a keen interest in the idea of contrast in form and function, she composes her creations by mixing traditional silhouettes and concepts with modern elements.
Patterns, folds and geometric shapes are at the heart of her inspiration. Her creative drive comes from a passion for detail, aesthetics and experimental approaches to materials and techniques. As a product designer, she has been involved in projects that distinctly interpret Emirati culture, traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design. Along the way, Lootah continuously produces bespoke objects for government ogranisations and private companies, and has been involved in various retail and residential interior projects.
Having studied Applied Media Studies at college, majoring in Graphic Design, Lootah’s passion for creating things started during her time at university. “I’m a very visual person,” she tells darc, “I remember things based on their logos or packaging, not names! The idea of developing patterns, motifs and later on producing them, invigorated me.”
Upon graduating Lootah founded her first company Niftee, which focused on bespoke corporate gifts as well as fashion accessories. Then, in 2013 she joined the Design Road Professional program, an initiative by Tashkeel & Dubai Culture and established her fondness of working with her hands, feeling materials and experimenting.
“I had a change of heart and felt product design is where I really found myself,” she continues. “I took a break for a year after that and focused on rebranding and getting on the product design track. Niftee was a stepping-stone but ultimately Aljoud Lootah Design Studio is where I envisioned myself. Research and time helped me produce my first full series of limited edition furniture items in 2015.”
Discussing Lootah’s influences, Arabic motifs, origami and multiplying patterns continue to influence her work in one way or another. In her latest work Double Square, Lootah explains her decision to explore marble and experiment with how it can be used in her design: “I worked on a trial and error basis, which is a learning curve in itself! I’m often involved in projects that interpret the Emirati culture and traditional crafts but develop them in modern concepts. I find the elements of Emirati culture very inspiring with their patterns, materials and textures.”
It was “the fear of being attached to a nine-to-five job, working with people and creating,” that inspired Lootah to set up on her own and as a result continues to work aimlessly to avoid it. For four years she worked as Head of Social Media at a government entity, which she tells darc, she enjoyed but still had the desire to work on her personal brand at the same time. “Eventually I felt the need to quit my job and focus entirely on the studio,” she says. “I feel a sense of freedom and accomplishment that I will continue to fight and keep.”
Working with various product types, for Lootah it is lighting that provides the most challenges when it comes to design, but is something she “absolutely loves working on. Combining the right form or structure with the suitable light creates a magical piece,” she says.
Having produced Oru Lamp ast part of the Oru Series, which comprises four pieces - table lamp, chair, decorative mirror and cabinet with an exposed shelving unit and inspired by the art of Origami - she feels it is one of her strongest products to date.
“The idea behind the designs is to show that folding a flat, two-dimensional sheet can create aesthetically appealing functional three-dimensional forms,” she says. “I work with geometry, patterns and shapes a lot and believe this is my signature style – it has been incorporated within my work, creating brand recognition. I absolutely love working with new materials or mixing materials together with almost every project / collection I work on, as this challenge makes me grow as a designer; it also adds an element of surprise.”
For Lootah, the most rewarding part of being a product designer is seeing her products in homes, spaces and various interiors after they’ve been acquired, with all the hard work and long hours spent in production paying off. “Having two of my Oru Series’ products acquired by the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia, as part of their permanent contemporary collection,” she also considers one of the most significant moments in her career.
Looking ahead, for Lootah there is a lot to be excited about, with a move to her new studio space and new products launched at the recent Design Days Dubai show, which included the Double Square floor lamp, part of the Double Square collection of geometric furniture. The collection depicts a recurring Arabesque eight-pointed star motif when viewed from the top. The motif, which consists of two squares, one rotated 45º with respect to the other, is the starting point of a variety of Arabesque patterns, and through it, different combinations can be generated.
“I am blessed to be in a country where I am propelled forward with the support of the government, society and my peers,” she says, “it is invigorating and exciting.”
Astro moves to new headquarters
(UK) – Astro's new Harlow headquarters feature 86,000 sqft of office and manufacturing space.
Setting the British lighting manufacturer up for its next stage of growth, the Astro Building is purpose-built to bring its distinct design language from Harlow into the world. With the design and prototyping department, photographic studio, showroom, warehousing and despatch all under one roof, the growing team now enjoy an interior that reflects and nurtures the company’s design led approach and brand values.
In less than twenty years, Astro has moved from home-based start up to a £20 million concern doing business with some 70 countries around the world. Its founders John Fearon and James Bassant, chairman and design director respectively, remain at the heart of the business.
Astro has achieved consistent growth since its beginning, and its new facility will help continue on this path.
darc awards / architectural shortlist jury announced
(UK) – Nine lighting design experts begin shortlist process ahead of July’s public vote.
The shortlist judging panel for the darc awards has been announced and will begin work on choosing their favourite projects to go forward to the public vote this week.
This year’s jury includes: IALD President and Founder of Ideas En Luz Victor Palacio, Award winning lighting designer and Associate Director of National Theatre Paule Constable, Light Artist: the chips of Kimchi & Chips (darc award 2015 winner) Elliot Woods, Co-founder of LDP and ex-IALD President Andre Tammes, Design Director of ASA Lighting Design (darc award 2015 winner) Thanh Tran, ex-Associate Lighting Designer at BDP and Secretary of Society of Light & Lighting Brendan Keely, Co-founder of Anoche (darc award 2015 winner) Jordi Ballesta, Lighting Designer at BERLUX and Educator at Lighting Design Academy Ellen Goulmy and Principal of Spectrum Design and Associates (Asia) Christopher Mok.
Once the jury have chosen their shortlists for the project categories, the voting is then opened up to all independent architectural lighting designers and light artists from July 4th until August 4th making this the only peer-to-peer lighting design awards in the world.It is vital that if you are thinking about entering the darc awards you do so as soon as possible. There is still time to enter but you only have a few days.
Product categories go straight to the public vote so that lighting designers can genuinely vote for their favourite products from the last twelve months.
Votes will be cast on the darc awards website, www.darcawards.com, from July 4th with the awards event, darc night, taking place in London on September 15th.
All independent lighting designers that vote will be able to attend darc night free of charge (manufacturers will be subject to a charge) turning the traditional awards ceremony protocol on its head. The awards evening will be completely different with free streetfood and drinks all night, lighting installations by lighting designers who have teamed up with the manufacturer partners, and a completely different format for presenting the evening.
Remember: public voting does not start until July 4th.
Project entries are being accepted until June 20th. Product entries are being accepted until July 4th as they are not shortlisted.
www.darcawards.com/architectural
PLDC 2017 to be held in Paris
(France) – The Professional Lighting Design Convention, PLDC 2017, will be held in Paris from November 1-4 2017.
With a modernised conference format, PLDC 2017 will take place at the Palais des Congres, a modern convention centre that claims to be the largest in Europe.
The PLDC remains a four-track conference, but the structure has been amended slightly so that the audience will only have to select between three papers at the same time instead of four. The research track has been split into two and will feature 20-minute papers on research findings form independent researchers and designers plus cutting-edge R&D input.
In preparation for the convention in Paris, and to give the Professional Lighting Design community the opportunity to meet a regular basis in the run-up to PLDC, a series of warm-up events will be held around the world. These will include evening events, breakfast meetings, film screenings, museum visits and much more.
Warm-up events are open to the entire lighting design community and lighting enthusiasts who are new to the market, and are designed to provide a networking platform with a back-up educational or cultural programme.
Warm-up events in preparation
Paris: July 7, 2016
The event will be in close collaboration with PLDC partner ACE, the French lighting designers’ association. ACE will be hosting the warm-up together with iGuzzini. As indication of the quality that PLDC conference papers offer, the evening will include a keynote presentation given by the enthusiastic international lighting designer Emrah Baki Ulas, who has given papers at former PLDC events.
Wismar: October 2016
At the close of the Light Symposium, the Events Team and partners will be inviting the seminar attendees to an evening event and cult party.
Dubai: October 2016
On the occasion of Light Middle East, the VIA Events team and partners will be organising a PLD-interactive seminar.
Vienna: November 2016
An advanced practical workshop on museum lighting, headed by Francesco Iannone and Serena Tellini, will be held in one of the world’s most famous museums in Vienna.
London: February 2017
Round III of The Challenge: A two-day conference.
The Challenge 2016/17 edition
The new edition of The Challenge promises to discover more new talents in the upcoming 18 months. The Challenge is a talent promotion project in the form on a speaker competition in four rounds. Participants can be students or recent graduates embarking on a career as a lighting designer. The goal of the programme is to activate more students and recent graduates from more schools to interact with each other, learn from each other and from experienced professionals, and become a more accepted part of the lighting design community. So far, 20 universities have already confirmed their participation in this global competition.
Moooi opens Tokyo showroom
(Japan) – Moooi opens showroom and brand store in Tokyo’s Aoyama district.
Located in the southern area of the Aoyama neighbourhood, Minami Aoyama extends to the northern edge of Roppongi, Azabu and Hiroo. Formerly home to picturesque temples, shrines and revered samurai residences, it is now known as one of the most popular entertainment and shopping areas for young urban professionals.
Moooi’s collection takes residence near recognisable landmarks such as the Spiral Building, with its galleries, restaurants, bars and shops, not far from the exclusive Prada Aoyama and Cartier boutiques. Both international and Japanese fashion brands prosper in this neighbourhood, where unique architecture meets tradition with subtle flair.
The showroom and brand store occupies a total of 270m2 of the first and second floor at Three F 6-11-1 Minamiaoyama Minato-ku. The interior showcases Moooi’s signature furniture and lighting collection, lifestyle ideas, and a selection of the brand-new design pieces debuted at the 2016 furniture fair in Milan. An assortment of carpets and broadlooms with three-dimensional patterns add another layer of beauty and depth to the inspiring interior, complementing the overall experience.
Moooi CEO Robin Bevers comments: “We are thrilled by Moooi’s recognition and appreciation in Japan. Today we are proud to bring the Moooi brand to the next level with our esteemed partner Toyo Kitchen Style.”
The lighting collection includes acclaimed signature pieces such as Bertjan Pot’s Prop lights, transparent bubbles of effervescent light, as well as Raimond Put’s Raimond lamp, a constellation of tiny LED lights where geometry and poetry merge in a perfect sphere of light. the latest extension of Bertjan Pots Heracleum design, Heracleum Endless, crowns the Moooi space with jovial branches and ramifications of LED leaves.
www.moooi.com
designjunction2016 area guide
(UK) – from 22-25 September, designjunction will take over the entire UAL campus at King’s Cross, London, with darc as head media partner for lightjunction.
Complementing the ever transforming and industrial landscape, designjunction will create a series of striking temporary structures to house this year’s show, as well as using existing location in and around the university building. These spaces will house exhibitions from leading UK and international design brands including Brokis, Haberdashery, Northern Lighting and Vita Copenhagen to name a few.
Cubitt House: The trade destination
designjunction will build a custom, double decker structure spanning more than 2,500 sqm to house its trade exhibitors including more than 70 leading design brands and the decorative lighting specific lightjunction area. Working with Satellite Architects, a local firm who specialise in bespoke design-led projects, the two-floor pavilion will be a striking installation in its own right.
The Canopy: The retail destination
The Canopy will house the show’s luxury retail exhibitors with more than 60 luxury pop-up shows and live design demonstrations in a temporary pop-up venue. Shop from a selection of renowned design labels selling everything from home accessories to cutting-edge tech products. Situated beneath the heritage-protected wrought iron structure, expect The Canopy to have designjunction’s signature industrial aesthetic.
Granary Square
Granary Square will be transformed by ten bespoke monopoly-style red houses, showcasing headline projects and installations filled with immersive design concepts. Houzz will host a series of design clinics and activities from their custom colour Houzz green house.
The Crossing
Using the entrance of Central Saint Martins, designjunction will take over the stunning five-storey central space of the UAL, presenting a range of installations and engaging micro exhibitions, including an immersive installation from lighting brand Tala. This space will be home to registration and information services, while featuring a number of unexpected installations.
Martin Huxford The Perfect Curve
The table lamp’s unity form is left breached at the top of the lamp, as the curved sections almost meet, hinting at the vulnerability within this semi-closed monumental shape. The strong vertical planes of the hand polished silver walls are cut through the suspended horizontal angular fabric shade.
The contrasting texture and graphic shape of the shade, interlocks with, and projects either side of the minimalist structure of curved metal. The Perfect Curve Table Lamp is available in silver nickel plated brass and hand polished pure brass.
