New category and deadline for darc awards/architectural
(UK) - Entries have been coming in thick and fast for the 2016 darc awards; the world's only peer-to-peer international lighting design awards.
As we like to pride ourselves on breaking conventions, we’ve decided to add a new category to this years awards which means we’ve also extended the deadline for all submissions.
The awards are split into 6 categories. Project categories each have Low and High budgets. The product (Kit) category is split into Interior, Exterior and Technology products.
The new Best Creative Lighting Event category is for event organisers to enter. All temporary events or collection of installations where the main medium of expression is light, are eligible.
As part of entering the darc awards, your entry will be displayed on www.darcawards.com and your company qualifies to be part of the darc directory, a comprehensive online lighting design resource that can be used by designers and clients alike for inspiration.
Once the entries have been shortlisted by a panel of international lighting designers, it’s over to the lighting design community!
As the first ever lighting design awards to use a peer-you-peer voting system, the inaugural event last year definitely 'shifted the paradigm'. Every independent architectural lighting designer and light artist is eligible to vote online for their favourite lighting schemes. What's more, any lighting designer who does vote is eligible for a free ticket to darc night, the darc awards ceremony in London on 15th September.
Due to the addition of the new Creative Lighting Event category the submission deadline for all entries has been extended.
DEADLINE FOR ALL ENTRIES IS JUNE 17th.
So there’s still time to get involved.
Feel free to follow us on Twitter for all the latest information and a sneak peak at the latest entries.
Moooi opens London showroom
(UK) - Moooi’s collection shines bright in new store and showroom in Fitzrovia, London.
The showroom and brand store occupies the ground floor space of the Moray House building. The characteristic interior presents a celebration of Moooi’s signature designs and lifestyle ideas in the context of the brand’s evolution. “A complete Moooi world in the heart of London,” commented Moooi CEO Robin Bevers. “This Moooi showroom and brand store represents a very important step in the international growth and evolution of the brand.”
The lighting collection on display includes a special edition of the graceful Lolita lamp (2008), developed for the London opening in a new shade of London Rose. More recent design such as Container Bodhi (2014), the futuristic Statistocrat lamps (2015) and Moooi’s newest dancing star Coppelia (2014) will also be showcased.
The store is creatively luxurious with an eccentric touch, provocative and poetic at the same time, described by Moooi as a Rebellious Harmony. Inventive and pragmatic, this reflects the brand’s philosophy that people are intrinsically drawn to beauty, and are on the lookout for original ideas.
Moooi envisions the brand store to become a focal point for architects, designers and design lovers to gather ideas, and compel clients and passers-by to enter the new store to discuss interior aspirations.
Plumen launches on Crowdcube
(UK) - Plumen crowdfunds to raise investment for lights that improve health.
With more than 50% of its target raised by its fans in the first 24 hours, Plumen’s first ever equity raise on Crowdcube opens to the wider public today. This gives customers, fans and investors the opportunity to own a piece of the business as it gears up for the pole position in the efficient and smart lighting sector at this pivotal point for the industry. Its goal is to reach £500K, which will facilitate the launch and distribution of exciting new products and the creation of a new designer smart lighting category. This second generation of smart, ‘responsive’ lighting will change how people experience light, creating intelligent bulbs that can improve their wellbeing without harming the planet.
Conceived in 2007, and first launched to global acclaim in 2010, Plumen is renowned for reinventing energy-saving lighting, using design and beauty to inspire adoption of sustainable lighting technology. Now found in an estimated 130,000+ homes worldwide and celebrated for its iconic design in the permanent collections of MoMA, the Design Museum and the V&A, amongst others, the brand is scaling up:
- Diversifying its range to include a product line of affordable filament LEDs at one end, and the more luxurious 003 set to launch in September at the other end of the Plumen range;
- Challenging the smart lighting category by bringing Plumen’s unique approach in design to the smartest lighting technology available on the market today, courtesy of a new partnership with world leaders, Stack Lighting
The money raised will bring these products to market by 2017 and continue to support Plumen’s expansion in the US.
Plumen Creative Director Nicolas Roope commented: “Plumen products are nothing without the love and creativity of our customers who transform them from ingredients into the amazing, inspiring installations that they’ve been sharing on social media since we launched in 2010. So it's a completely natural step for us to offer those who appreciate what we’re doing the chance to be part of our story and share in the success.”
The campaign will take place on Crowdcube with investments from as little as £10. To get involved, anyone can register on Crowdcube’s platform (with no obligation to invest), find out more and the choose how much they would like to invest.
Davide Groppi’s luminous journey to Chelsea
(UK) - Davide Groppi lights A Suffolk Retreat project at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2016.
Chosen by Chelsea Gold MEdalist Frederic Whyte, Davide Groppi designed the lighting scheme for his project, A Suffolk Retreat, sponsored by The Pro Corda Trust and built by Living Landscapes.
Inspired by the formality of Arts and Crafts gardens, A Suffolk Retreat offers a secluded space with a small summerhouse where children and young people can engage with music. The garden is inspired by the work of the Pro Corda Trust, a Suffolk-based musical and educational charity that provides ensemble training across the UK for talented young musicians. In addition, it has pioneered an innovative course for children with special education needs.
The idea behind the lighting design of this project has been focusing on creating a natural illumination that blends in with the environment and creates magical and calming atmospheres that encourage children’s creativity and passion for music. Sustainability is an important theme for Davide Groppi, in particular when it comes to illuminating outdoor area: light is dotted only where necessary in order to enhance the beauty of nature and particular features.
At intervals, ensemble music will fill the garden from the speakers of the Cicala lamp. Mirror-paneled Belladinotte and Grillo lamps blend in perfectly and mimic the bluish-green colour of the water feature. Mira spotlight is the ideal solution for the illumination of the summerhouse by creating the right setting for music rehearsals.
Davide Groppi commented: “Music is a great passion of mine since I was young and I still use my inclination towards music now when I think about new lights and lighting projects.
Landscape designer Frederic Whyte commented on the collaboration: “Working with Davide Groppi has introduced a contemporary, artisan element into our traditional Arts and Crafts design. Davide Groppi’s external lights reflect the elegance and craftsmanship of the company’s products. RHS Chelsea Flower Show is the perfect place to showcase such high-quality pieces.”
Via Lucis, Italy
During Milan Design Week 2016, Lasvit presented ‘Via Lucis’, a journey through unique and contemporary projects enhanced by the experience and skills of master glassmakers.
Taking place at the Sale Napoleoniche of Palazzo Serbelloni, where Naopleone Bonaparte resided during his stay in Milan, the presentation saw Bonaparte’s precious Bohemian crystal chandeliers carefully restored to their former glory.
The chandeliers, crafted of Bohemian crystal at the end of the 18th century, are located in the grand hall – called either the Sala Naopleonica or Sala Bonaparte – and in the smaller Sala Gian Galeazzo, with the same design but at a smaller scale. Also on show and taking inspiration from the restoration project, Lasvit worked to reinterpret the Neoclassical taste of chandeliers with a contemporary twist to produce three new chandeliers: Facet by Moritz Waldemeyet; Praha by Stanislav Libensky; and TAC/TILE by Andre Fu.
The restored chandeliers are composed of 40 various components that have more than 1,000 elements and the restoration project by Lasvit required a combination of three glassmaking techniques. These included the production and replacement of hand-cut crystal trimmings, hand-blow and cut components, as well as mould-melted and cut glass arms.
The overall aim was to sustain as many original components as possible, despite traces of age such as scratches or minor damage, to preserve the original character of the chandeliers. And so, the original crystal components of the chandeliers were dismantled and shipped to Lasvit glassworks in the Czech Republic – back to the region of Bohemia, an area with rich glassmaking traditions, where the chandeliers were likely originally made in the late 1700’s – completing a historic and creative full-circle.
“I was very excited when I entered the Palazzo Serbelloni and discovered the beautiful Bohemian chandeliers in an Italian palace,” Lasvit Founder and President Leon Jakimic said. “It was instantly clear that Lasvit and our master glassmakers could significantly contribute to the restoration of these extraordinary artefacts.
“I have a great respect and admiration for precise craftsmanship of the past masters and their Bohemian approach. We made ‘Bohemian Perfection’ our motto; bohemian refers both to the region and the proverbial creative and free-spirited approach. We continue to strive for perfection and precision, much like our predecessors. This philosophy translates into everything Lasvit produces. We are proud and honoured to have been given the opportunity to participate in a project of this importance. Thanks to the collaboration of the dedicated team of Fondazione Serbelloni and Lasvit’s skilful artisans, the chandeliers are now presented in their former glory.”
Marta Polese, head of the restoration team in Italy, added: “I have always believed in binomial Light = Life, in all its meanings. This project combines the idea of giving back these magnificent eighteenth-century chandeliers their light and shine and of restoring a new life to the essence of the famous ‘Sala Napoleonica’ of the historic Palazzo Serbelloni. ‘Let there be light!’ never felt so accurate!”
Mathias Hahn
The arts of painting and lighting design are not so dissimilar afterall...German designer Mathias Hahn talks inspiration and the bigger picture.
Born in northern Germany, currently living in London, UK, and working with Marset in Barcelona, Spain since 2010, designer Mathias Hahn has experienced three countries with three very different kinds of light. After graduating as an industrial designer at Essen University in Germany and later at the Royal College of Arts in London, he founded his London-based design studio in 2006 and is also co-founder of the OKAYstudio London design collective. Hahn’s work focuses on utility and the way typologies can adapt to everyday life in order to form meaningful objects. The understanding of materials and the observation of the cultural backdrop that relates to products, drive the approach of his work.
Hahn learned to paint with his grandmother at an early age. She was herself, a painter and Hahn initially wanted to follow in her footsteps, while also always keen on making things. He later studied product design at university, which allowed him to work directly with materials and objects, two elements that still give him a great deal of satisfaction in his current studio work. “There is something about this direct and technical aspect that really fascinates me,” said Hahn in Marset’s Reflections on Light book, which features seven designers’ thoughts on their experiences working with light.
To Hahn, working with light means adding another layer to an object, making it more complex. “From its passive state to the time when the light is turned on, a lamp becomes another thing altogether and the object itself ceases to be important,” he says. “Light determines the way we perceive things. And in turn, when you try to capture light, colour, shadows and contrast, you see that objects are different in every moment.”
Interested in what he calls the bigger picture of everyday life, cultures, people and stories, seeing these as the factors that define how people read, see and understand design, Hahn is inspired by light itself, for its elementary and essential qualities, with natural light playing a part in his inspiration for his lighting design. Particularly drawn to the light cast when the sun is very low in sky in the evening, he finds inspiration in the great colour contrasts. “I like the experience of light when I travel by train, and I keep collecting colours in my head,” he says. “With the speed, all you see is bands of colour, all created by the light of that very moment.”
Yet while observing natural light might trigger an idea, that’s as far as it goes. Hahn is not interested in recreating a phenomenon of natural light with a product; for him, natural light is best enjoyed naturally. “We need artificial light when we don’t have natural light available and it will always stay artificial. Understanding manmade light in cultural terms is what excites me.”
After the seed of an idea has been planted, Hahn’s design process begins with critical thinking in any form. The initial phase can begin by visiting a factory for example, understanding the manufacturing process, then reflecting on how it could be used or changed, or questioning an existing typology by learning how it came into place. “I am a keen observer in general,” he says. “As each of us perceives things and objects according to their own personal and cultural background, I am very interested in the context and how things correlate.”
Designing lamps is about more than functionality and formal appearance to Hahn. The interesting question is how an object fits into someone’s life; he likens the need for a new lamp design to the need to read a new book or watch a new film. If an object offers room for interpretation, and it is allowed to play a role in someone’s daily life, that is when it becomes valuable. “We all have a favourite cup or glass that we always end up grabbing without thinking about it,” he explains. “This is an intuitive use of an object because it brings us satisfaction. If things are not relevant to us, we don’t spend time with them. The incredible thing is when people create their own history with something you have designed, and it works.”
In each new design, Hahn thinks about this potential by making a clearly defined proposal, which might at first lead the viewer to be interested in or attracted to it. Then the second stage is if it is used over time. “That’s when you realise that there is more to it, that it might even be better than you thought.”
Currently interested in working with light as shadow and the gradation of shadows themselves, Hahn recently presented his Theia collection for Marset at Light+Building. Theia is an elegant lamp that spins equally around the topic of shadow and light with its two faces. It can be pointed towards the user as a reading lamp, or towards an object or wall, creating a subtle effect of indirect light that immediately warms the atmosphere. This marks great developments since his first piece for Marset, the Scantling wall lamp, which the Spanish lighting manufacturers saw in a publication as a prototype and helped to launch into reality.
With major changes having taken place in artificial lighting within the past decade, Hahn doesn’t favour the old or the new, but remains true to evolution, as seen in the progress of his work with Marset.
“I appreciate the work of past designers, although I don’t follow any manifesto,” he says. “My interest lies in grasping their evolution. With regards to light, I am interested in why we are so fascinated with the incandescent bulb. Yet if I use LED technology, it is because it allows me to do what I want to do. I believe in evolution.”
Chelsom launches new collection
(UK) – Two years in the making, Chelsom's new Edition 25 collection was celebrated at London’s One Embankment on May 12.
Edition 25 encapsulates the Chelsom brand image in addition to showcasing a multitude of beautifully designed new products as well as some older classics covering contemporary and traditional styles. Approximately 40% of the range is completely new with nearly all pieces available as an LED option to accommodate the latest developments in technology and energy efficiency.
Managing Director Will Chelsom commented: “I believe our client will not only appreciate the refinements we have made to our collection in terms of even sharper product designs and higher quality levels, but also the continued changes to the Chelsom brand image. Both the catalogue and website illustrate this perfectly and have been carefully designed with our clients requirements as a priority.”
Designed with the international hospitality and marine markets at the core, Edition 25 is a truly eclectic lighting collection that harnesses and refines the latest trends in finishes and materials. The collection ranges from the retro inspired oversized Reflector floor lamp to the Nordic influence of the Stockholm table lamp, the innovative LED Revolution reading light to the assortment of hand crafted ceramic lamps and Georgian hand cut crystal chandeliers.
Managing Director Robert Chelsom said: “In all my years working within the lighting industry, never has there been a more exciting time to be designing lighting products. Triggered by the fashion cycle, interior trends are moving increasingly faster and in doing so constantly stimulate new design directions when it comes to finishes and materials, which is something we have given careful consideration to when creating our latest designs. Edition 25 has been a fantastic collection to produce, personally I think it’s our most ground breaking to date and Will and I are proud to be able to say that all products have been designed in-house to create a diverse lighting collection that truly caters for all levels of the hospitality and marine sectors.
Best of British at designjunction NYC
(US) - Haberdashery and Buster + Punch showcase latest lighting designs at designjunction / Dwell on Design.
Partnering for the first time at ArtBeam, Chelsea, designjunction and Dwell on Design, one of the largest design events in the US, brought together 20 leading European design brands and smaller cutting-edge enterprises during this year's NYCxDesign.
Haberdashery's stunning Leaf installation - featured on the cover of darc issue 15 - was the first thing to catch visitors' eye, hanging beautifully over the registration area, while Buster + Punch showcased its latest range of Hooked pendant lights, which are available in steel / brass / smoked bronze.
The show also featured an agenda-setting three-day talks programme – curated by Dwellmagazine editor-in-chief and EVP content, Amanda Dameron – where industry experts and thought leaders gathered from all sectors of the creative industries to ignite conversation and spark debate.
Sound and light unite at WantedDesign
(US) - Octavio Amado brings light and sound together at this year's WantedDesign.
A contemporary lighting design brand based in France, Octavio Amado produces custom designs suited to different architectural needs. From floor lamps, suspensions, wall and ceiling, the esthetic components are reinforced by the input of technical light in the form of LED.
At WantedDesign in Manhattan, Octavio Amado introduced its latest concept - a suspended light piece with integrated sound system, perfect for creating the right ambience in hotels, restaurants, foyers and more.
More than 16,000 visitors attended WantedDesign in Manhattan and Brooklyn during NYCxDesign. Connecting international designers from Argentina, Mexico, Norway, France, Tunisia, New Zealand, Colombia, Poland, The Netherlands and more, with interior designers, architects, retailers and manufacturers, WantedDesign is a platform dedicated to promoting design and fostering the international creative community at large throughout the year.
Big wins for lighting at NYCxDesign Awards
(US) - The first ever NYCxDesign Awards, held in conjunction with ICFF, sees wins for Innermost, Marset, Axo Light and Harry Allen with Esque Studio.
NYCxDesign celebrates outstanding talent across major areas of design such as architecture, interiors, furnishings, lighting, and technology, and unifies the more than 500 events taking place during New York City's showcase of global design. For the first-ever awards program, honorees for both Products and Projects were named in over 30 categories and winners were revealed on May 14 during a live broadcast at MoMA.
From the world of lighting, Innermost won Best Lighting Sconce for its YOYWall fixture; Axo Light won Best Chandelier / Pendant for U-Light; Marset won Best Floor Light for Theia, and Harry Allen & Esque Studio won Best Table Light for RSUTWP.
ICFF, which closed yesterday at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York, is a leading tradeshow in the US for architecture and fine interior design, with exhibitors from more than 30 countries attending.
Also launching in Miami later in the year from 5-6 October at the Miami Beach Convention Center, ICFF will return to New York from 21-24 May for 2017.
2016 darc awards / architectural now open for entries
(UK) – Following the success of inaugural darc awards last year, darc awards 2016 / architectural is now open for lighting projects and product entries.
Officially launched at Light+Building last month, together with the official launch of BYBEAU’s Dimple that won 2015 darc awards best decorative lighting product, darc awards / architectural will take place on September 15 in London.
darc awards / decorative will take place in London in May 2017 with details to be confirmed nearer the time.
Follow @darcawards for all the latest updates and information regarding the awards.
To enter your architectural lighting projects and products go to:
www.darcawards.com/architectural
Club House, UK
Inspired by the classical beach house luxury of spending summers in the Hamptons, the Club House in Liverpool, UK, is a luxurious blend of history and design innovation.
International design company Paul Danson Imagineering (PDI) worked once again with The New World Trading Company, the pub group founded by the brains behind Living Ventures, to create Liverpool 1’s unique Club House. With bespoke lighting fixtures from Manchester-based Tyson Lighting, and inspired by its sea faring surroundings, the Club House is something quite distinctive.
The development of the project was a long journey for PDI in delivering the building that stands today, with doubts as to whether a design firm could fully develop a building that would be a strong stand alone design statement, and a destination landmark for Liverpool city. PDI CEO Paul Danson explained: “I thought about a building which had a connection to the close proximity of the site to the sea, something romantic and themed with a great history and strong story line.”
After in depth research and a look back into his library of archived holiday photographs, Danson conceptualised a beach house conversion of a house in the Hamptons in New England, US. “This was to be a great starting point,” said Danson. “As a destination I have visited and admired greatly as a very cool and beautiful place with extremely inspirational properties, I knew this was the beginning of The Club House.”
The exterior of the building takes its influences from a property that might be found on the front line of a white sandy beach. Upon entering the property, Danson wanted to maintain the feeling that it was once a residential home, preserving the grand staircase, which would once have led to bedrooms or lounge areas. Danson was also keen to preserve a femininity and elegance to the design, underpinned with strength in form through the introduction of heavy detailing doors. Surrounding panelling at dado height, and spacious rooms create the opportunity to pass through from bar to restaurant with ease, maintaining at all times the connection of the complete interior.
All the light fittings were custom designed by Danson working closely with Tyson Lighting, a company close to the PDI team. “Both companies had a mutual appreciation for eachother's work,” said Tyson Lighting’s Product Design Engineer Michael Radford. “With its “anything is possible” approach, Tyson Lighting had impressed PDI on previous projects, particularly in the Manchester bar and restaurant scene, leaving PDI safe in the knowledge that we would be the perfect team for the Club House project.”
After meeting with PDI, the Tyson Projects and Design teams were informed of the theme and layout of the Clubhouse scheme. Danson had a clear vision of the bespoke pendants he wanted to develop, and provided sketches of the large balloon pendant and two champagne glass chandeliers. The next step for Radford was to develop the sketches in CAD and present the designs to PDI for approval. “It took a real collaborative approach from the Tyson Projects, Design and Engineering teams to bring the sketches to life,” said Radford.
To add an air of decadence to the Hampton’s beach house feel, Tyson was commissioned to create a number of feature chandeliers. Two polished nickel metalwork frames were adorned with crystal decanters, drops, champagne flutes, cut glass and tinted goblets creating glamorous chandeliers appearing in the dining rooms, which added femininity to the scheme.
For the central chandelier in the Club House’s grand stairwell, Radford explained how this space allowed Tyson to really exploit the grandeur of the bespoke fitting: “The crystal chandelier was positioned centrally and with its complex array of crystal prisms, illuminates the room with refracted light, producing a brilliantly bright feature.” A cluster of nine warm white LED filament lamps were used to illuminate the internal body of the chandelier, reflecting light through the crystal drops suspended via the strings of crystal and the arrangement of decorative glasses.
The steel framework was hand formed and adorned with decorative banding sourced from America, with decorative scrolls fixed to the top of the band, which was adorned with swags of crystal buttons. The components were laser cut and finished in a high polished nickel finish to match the frame and banding.
“We used Unistrut components to fix and construct the internal frame of the ring," Radford continued. "This served to hide the wiring trails and connections but also to support the fine mesh, which served to suspend the glasses and crystal drops. It also worked to create a flat surface to arrange a display of champagne related decorative silverware to make the feature of the top to look like a serving tray.”
The chandelier presented a relatively complex manufacturing and installation process. Tyson had to wire and hide control gear efficiently and find a suitable method of suspending the champagne flutes perfectly straight – something which they could only explore during the manufacturing and installation processes rather than being able to plan for it. Radford explained: “In order to suspend the glass so they hung vertically straight, we drilled two 3mm holes in the base of each glass and threaded nickel pins through 6mm crystal beads and then through the holes and rolled the pins on the other side of the base. This gave us something to thread the nylon cord through so we could tie and suspend the glasses from these two points. Using this method each glass found its natural point to hang straight.”
Danson had also discussed his desire to hang a grand hot air balloon in one of the ceiling atriums. A rich burgundy colour fabric with decorative tassels was draped around the steel frame creating a theatrical edge to the fitting. The grand atrium with its high ceilings lent itself to an imposing feature and allowed Tyson to create the 3.2m balloon pendant.
Working in conjunction with the showstopper pieces, clear glass pendants were hung throughout to ensure the large space was kept light and airy. A second glass chandelier was used in the dining room of the building that related to the idea of an opulent home. Yet to focus on the centre pieces of the lighting scheme and Club House in general, the impact of the champagne and balloon fixtures is clear; they give the venue a sense of brand identity and not only do they illuminate the spaces but also provide a talking point for customers. “Club House stands out because the fittings really are the stars of the show. Rather than just being your typical chandeliers, they are unique pieces of art that add immense character to the scheme,” said Radford.
All the timber for the project were sourced in Ireland with the aim of creating an authentic aged feel. The interior is dressed with props and accessories sourced from all over the UK and Ireland, the variety of which enhances the Club House’s authenticity.
“I wanted all the pictures on the walls to be as if the family had simply left them hanging and the dressings had been bought off the family who previously owned the house. We feel we achieved this and we’re very excited to see what reaction the project receives,” said Danson.
In this collaborative project, PDI and Tyson created something that really stands out from its surroundings while conversing with its position by the sea. It captures luxury and comfort in the style of a high-end home and oozes excitement as a lavish beach getaway destination. It’s a bar and restaurant to spend an evening, or an afternoon, and a home away from home to return to for a lifetime.
www.pauldanson.com
www.tysonlighting.com
