Euroluce back for 2015
(Italy) - The 54th edition of the Salone del Mobile will open its doors from 14 -19 April at the Rho Milan Fairgrounds in Milan, Italy.
With over 2,000 exhibitors, more than 200,000 m2 of exhibition space and thousands of products making their market debut, the Salone del Mobile is a truly international event attracting more than 300,000 visitors from over 160 countries.
Open to operators each day from 9.30am to 6.30pm, along with the general public on the Saturday and Sunday, the Salone Internazionale del Mobile will be split into three style categories: Classic, Modern, and Design.
The International Furnishing Accessories Exhibition and SaloneSatellite, will be flanked by the biennial Euroluce / International Lighting Exhibition in Pavilions 9-11 and 13-15. Euroluce will showcase the very latest in outdoor, indoor, industrial, event / show, special use and hospital lighting solutions, lighting systems, light sources and illumination technology software and consulting.
To mark the 2015 International Year of Light proclaimed by UNESCO, architect Attilio Stocchi has conceived “FAVILLA. To every light a voice” for the city of Milan – an installation / event telling the story of and exploring the essence of light.
The darc #10 issue (March/April) will be distributed throughout the week and will feature a Euroluce product preview. To make sure you’re included please contact John-Paul on jp.etchells@mondiale.co.uk
darc awards launch party success
(UK) - mondo*arc and darc magazines, in collaboration with Light Collective, launched their new international lighting design awards at their darc night event in London on February 5th.
darc night, the launch party for the darc awards, took place on February 5th at Dilston Grove in Southwark Park, Bermondsey, London and featured a special lighting scheme by Light Collective using fittings from the darc awards commercial partners. A Dark Source animation and exhibition by Kerem Asfuroglu of Speirs + Major also featured. Over 150 designers and partners attended the event.
Paul James, awards director and publishing editor of mondo*arc and darc, gave a presentation explaining the awards programme and darc night concept.
“With our database of over 1,000 international lighting design practices, as well as interior designers and architects, there is a unique opportunity for every practice to get involved in the awards process,” commented James. “We intend to make the darc awards the most accessible and global awards programme ever. After the shortlists have been chosen by an expert panel of international lighting designers, each of the 1,000+ lighting design practices and their designers will be invited to vote on their favourite projects via our specially developed website. Using the model developed by the Oscars where all members vote on the work of their peers, the darc awards will give every designer a vote, making this the only truly peer-to-peer lighting design awards in the world.”
Each award will be split into low and high budgets, thus allowing the smaller projects a chance to compete and not just given a token ‘Special Projects’ award.
Martin Lupton and Sharon Stammers of Light Collective are excited by the prospect of a pluralistic awards event: “Having been involved in many lighting awards programs over many years, this is a great opportunity to build on all of those experiences and try to create a different version of celebrating the best of lighting design where the judging is in the hands of everybody. Helping to shape darc night in collaboration with mondo*arc and darc has given us a chance to create an awards ceremony that is by the people, for the people – it’s the Oscars of lighting design!”
All the projects and the companies who have submitted them will be present on the website so that, over time, www.darcawards.com will become a comprehensive online lighting design resource that can be used by designers and clients alike for inspiration.
There will also be product categories (two architectural and one decorative) that will follow the same philosophy resulting in a comprehensive online database of products.
Following the voting process the awards ceremony will take place as part of darc night in September 2015. This will be an atmospheric party in a unique venue in London. Imagine light art, street food, lighting installations… this breaks all the awards rules and will be unlike any other awards ceremony to date.
Each commercial partner will be able to show off the capabilities of their product via a series of light installations from collaborations with lighting designers.
Currently the manufacturer partners consist of Lucent, Megaman, Innermost, LSE Lighting, KKDC, Concord, L&L Luce&Light and Reggiani. A maximum of twelve partners will be involved in order to create a dozen inspiration spaces at the specially selected venue in London next September.
darc night will be part of the IYL2015 (International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies 2015 ) related activities program and will be promoted by the L-RO (Lighting-Related Organizations) to raise awareness for the lighting design profession and showcase the importance and beauty of light.
Moooi founders regain 100% control
(The Netherlands) - Moooi founders Marcel Wanders and Casper Vissers repurchase the remaining stake from B&B Italia, making them full owners of Moooi.
Since its launch in 2001, Wanders has been Moooi’s Art Director and Vissers CEO. Moooi and B&B Italia has been a partner since 2006. When B&B Italia acquired a 50% stake in Moooi during this eight-year collaboration, Moooi grew from six million euro revenue in 2006 to 23 million euro in 2014, with Giorgio Busnelli, Chairman of B&B Italia, Paola Centemero, CFO of B&B Italia, and all B&B Italia team members having a key role in Moooi's growth.
Moooi’s growth gained huge attention in the international design field, becoming a recognised luxury furniture and lighting brand, exporting now to 69 countries with potential for further expansion and acceleration. A growing milestone has been achieved despite a challenging design market over the past two years.
In addition to having conquered the European market, the US market has grown significantly. In May 2015. Moooi will open its first Showroom & Brand Store in New York, to which will follow a London Brand Store at the beginning of 2017.
Holloways of Ludlow to showcase Delight in Light finalists
(UK) - ‘Holloways of Ludlow’ will mark its 30th anniversary in March 2015 with five finalist lighting designs from ‘Delight in Light’ 2014.
A national student competition organised by Lighting Industry Association, the finalist designs will be displayed in the window of Holloways of Ludlow’s contemporary showroom, located at 115 Shepherds Bush Road, and will be profiled on the Holloways of Ludlow website.
Alison Smith, BA (Hons) Decorative Arts graduate from Nottingham Trent University was one of the final four designers with her ‘Geometric Pendants’ range, designed for bespoke city interiors. Inspired by the concept of perspective from exterior architecture and how structure and form play an important role through city buildings, they are ideally displayed as a cluster of five to make one focal piece in public spaces, eliciting connotations of beauty, power and strength.
Becky Creed, Contemporary Crafts graduate from Falmouth University handmade her ‘Turned Paper Lighting’ collection of lighting solutions made from paper and cardboard. Becky used hundreds of sheets of recycled and hand dyed paper, layered and laminated to make a solid material that could be shaped and turned into pendant lights or lamp bases. Becky’s use of recycled materials replaces what would commonly be wood, metal, plastic or ceramic in the lighting industry.
Kate Caven, BA (Hons) Product Design Student from Edinburgh Napier University designed ‘Fortryllet’, a mood light made from sand blasted acrylic components arranged in a 360º traditional lamp form. ‘Fortryllet’ provides the user with a positive experience through the use of colours and the hidden story seen within the eight scenes that are linked together with three easy to assemble clips.
Andrea Vargas, an MA Art and Design Practice Student from Bucks New University, will present her ‘Corde’ chandelier. The sustainable design, a play on the traditional chandelier, is made from an upcycled climbing rope that has been cut and had wire inserted in it before being hardened to the desired chandelier-inspired shape, and features five LED bulbs.
Finally, Oliver Hammond, a BA Furniture and Product Design student from Nottingham Trent University will display his table lamp design ‘Mantis’, using a tie-off system on the cord to provide variable angles of light dependent on the task or atmosphere. Inspired by modern architecture, the Mantis lamp has a textured surface with a contrasting walnut and brass structure.
‘Metamorphis’ Hermes installation premieres
(USA) - Bespoke holiday window installations for Hermes Madison and Hermes Men, New York created by Melbourne designer Christopher Boots.
Co-located on opposite sides of Madison Avenue, New York, the two locations are home to ‘Metamorphis’, an installation, which is the result of a 12-month collaboration between the designer and retail brand.
One of the ‘Metamorphis’ windows includes three Boots designed Sugar Bomb crystal pendants in Quartz crystal with LED light source hanging adjacent to three diamond ring pendants in Quartz crystal, iron, carbon polymer and LED light source. The display also includes a silk scarf draped through the smallest of the pendant rings, and a china plate, urn and terrine placed around the rings, all Hermes.
Another of the windows features two large crystallised ORP pendants, also designed by Boots, with a wintery ‘ice’ and crystal backdrop. In the foreground, cones display luxury Hermes accessories.
Across the doorway, a window features a set of three circles; the outermost is Boots’ Prometheus III pendant in quartz crystal, copper, zinc and iron with LED light source. The inner two circles are Hermes enamelled napkin rings in blue and gold colours.
Chelsom strengthens management
(UK) - Chelsom has appointed Andrew Fitton as Business Development Manager.
With a strong background in sales spanning more than 20 years, Fitton has significant industry experience having spent the last ten years working in the contract interior market. His career to date has provided him with a thorough understanding of the demands of the interior contract market specifically coupled with a thorough understanding of the specification process.
Fitton brings with him extensive knowledge of the key industry players along with an impressive track record of identifying, securing and developing emerging new business opportunities and sectors.
Sales Director, Philip Macaulay said: “We have been very diligent in our search for the right person to join the Chelsom team. Andrew not only has a wealth of valuable experience in the contract industry but he understands the Chelsom ethos and all that we are looking to achieve from both a business and brand perspective."
Rocky
This custom made pendant fitting with black fabric and inner gold shade is dressed with hundreds of randomly arranged real rock crystals on fisher lines. This bespoke piece, featured at Sleep Event 2014 at the Business Design Centre in London, was once again developed by Lights of Vienna together with Maria Vafiadis and her skilled team from MKV Design in London.
Cargo
Echoing the legendary steam liner funnels, Cargo collection is characterised by the purity of its forms and its elegance. Like a sculpture, this chandelier is halfway between the industrial spirit and the graphic design of the Art Deco movement. Cargo was introduced at Sleep Event 2014 at the Business Design Centre in London and is available in several sizes and in different ranges.
Kashima
Bathroom highlights from Astro include the Kashima, which was introduced at Sleep Event 2014 at London's Business Design Centre, and Axios wall lights and the Vancouver downlight, which are all IP44. Astro has also created the Enna reading light in various options and the retro Joel Grande wall light. A host of new wall lights, pendants, markers and downlights have also been developed.
Ice Cubes
This series, displayed at Sleep Event 2014 at London's Business Design Centre, constitutes a meticulous composition of handmade crystal glass cubes. The simple, versatile modularity was conceived and developed by Areen Design. To articulate their vision, Preciosa Crystal Glass was chosen for its outstanding optical and aesthetic qualities.
Moulds
Moulds, displayed at Sleep Event 2014 in London's Business Design Centre, is a collection of suspended lights, showcasing Czech crystal at its most resilient. The series captures the moment when molten glass resists its expected shape and freely escapes from the mould as an amorphous bubble.
Bolle by Giopato&Coombes
Designersblock in Clerkenwell, provided a UK debut for the new Bolle lamp, by the Anglo-Italian design team Giopato&Coombes. The piece is inspired by the lightness of soap bubbles as a metaphor for the emptiness of light, made from hand blown glass. An illuminating brass light source is suspended between the spheres, giving light to not only the space but the bubbles’ curved surfaces.
