GIA Equation rebrands as Equation
(UK) – Lighting design practice GIA Equation has undergone a full rebrand, changing its name to Equation.
The new name aims to reflect the fact that the studio is an independently run company from GIA, and has been for a number of years. Financially and operationally, it is unchanged and will continue to be a powerful brand, dedicated to delivering design excellence with a client-focused service.
The rebranded Equation has also launched a new website, which showcases the firm’s UK and international portfolio, covering almost every built environment sector, including commercial, residential, retail, hospitality, urban regeneration and masterplanning.
Maida Hot, Equation Managing Director, said: “From a single statement interior feature to an extensive exterior lighting scheme for a large development site, we give each project the same level of care and attention, starting from first principles, to produce designs that have maximum impact. Our thought process is firmly focused on what drives our client – it makes every project an exciting journey.”
Recolight analysis shows high recycling rate in luminaires
(UK) – Recolight has commissioned a detailed analysis to assess the recyclability if waste luminaires. The results show that more than 83% of a typical batch of luminaires can be recycled.
To perform the analysis, Recolight contractec SWEEEP Kuusakoski, based in Sittingbourne in Kent, to treat a mixed sample of three tonnes of luminaires to establish the recycling and recovery rate of materials through their recycling process.
Recolight CEO Nigel Harvey, said: “It was encouraging to learn that 83% of material recovered from our sample of three tonnes could be recycled. But it is disappointing that more than 14%, the plastic content, didn’t make the grade and was sent for waste to energy; a process that produces carbon emissions.
“It is however pleasing to note that only 2% went to landfill because it was neither recyclable nor could be used to create energy.”
With the bulk of material used for waste to energy being plastic, Recolight is calling for more incentives for manufacturers to include a proportion of plastic from recycled sources. The company would also like to see more manufacturers using plastic derived from recycling in the manufacture of new fittings in preference to using new plastic.
Silhouette Awards launched to shine light on rising stars
(Worldwide) – Archifos and Parrot PR and Marketing have launched the Silhouette Awards – a new awards programme designed to shine a light on emerging talent within the lighting industry.
Focused on providing support to young professionals, the Silhouette Awards will provide a platform to showcase young industry talent, offering much-deserved recognition and publicity for their achievements to date, followed by six months of mentorship with a senior lighting professional.
The newly launched awards have garnered significant industry support, with supporters including [d]arc media, apdi, Designers Mind, IALD, Lightecture, Skills Army and the SLL, while sponsors to date include Delta Light, Filix Lighting, formalighting and Vode Lighting.
The goal for the awards is to find the industry’s rising stars, who have the vision and ambition to steer and lead the industry in the coming years. Shortlisted nominees will be invited to an interview led by an expert panel of judge mentors, comprising senior influential lighting designers who are on the lookout to nurture young talent and help other likeminded individuals benefit from their own personal experiences.
The panel of judge mentors comprises a dynamic group of senior lighting professionals from across the world, all aligned with the vision of giving back to the industry. The line-up of mentors includes: Melissa Mak, Marcus Steffen, Suzan Tillotson, David Gilbey, Dario Nunez Salazar, Monica Luz Lobo, Linus Lopez, Beata Denton, Fernando Mazzetti, Sam Koerbel, Lara Elbaz, Anna Sbokou, Rouzana Kopti, Ruth Kelly Waskett, Martin Klassen, Star Davis, Michael Grubb, Marci Song, Jonathan Rush and Victor Palacio.
Eve Gaut, Founder of Parrot PR and Marketing, commented: “We felt there was a real gap in the market in rewarding and supporting the latest talent in our industry through something more than a conventional awards programme. Asa mentor, I feel strongly that young people should be supported, and given the opportunity to rise and excel further, so the Silhouette Awards seemed the perfect project for Parrot and Archifos to collaborate on. We have a shared passion to nurture young people, and to give back to the industry that we love so much. We feel confident the Silhouette Awards will deliver just that.”
Katia Kolovea, Founder of Archifos, added: “Having been recognised for my commitment to the industry at a young age, I strongly believe that there needs to be a platform for the rising stars of today – one that goes beyond a trophy and offers continued support.
“Receiving recognition early in my career proved to be invaluable to me and my future endeavours, and I hope the Silhouette Awards will also provide others with this opportunity to shine, build confidence and discover their professional potential with the support of their mentor. Mentorship is important for growth in all aspects of life and the mentor-mentee relationship is vital for everyone to experience.”
For more info on the Silhouette Awards and how you can get involved, contact info@silhouetteawards.com.
Lichtvision Design opens Shanghai office
(China) – Lichtvision Design has expanded its footprint into the Far East with the opening of a new office in Shanghai.
The studio has been active in the Asian market for some time, establishing its Hong Kong office almost 10 years ago. The move was described by Clemens Seipelt, Regional Director Asia, as “a logical next step to take, especially considering our ever-growing project portfolio in mainland China with around 15 active developments at this moment”.
By moving into mainland China, Lichtvision hopes to become more accessible, foster deeper relationships with its clients and consultants, and have easy and direct access to its project sites.
Seipelt continued: “Our Hong Kong office will continue to be involved in projects throughout the Greater Bay Area and Southeast Asia, while the new studio will fully concentrate on our mainland China projects.
“Shanghai will share the advantages provided by Hong Kong – cultural understanding, language, sharing a time zone and a common knowledge and experience pool between our four offices, while also benefiting from local representation and inspiration from Shanghai’s creative scene.”
With the new office, Lichtvision aims to continue pursuing its vision to drive the perception of built environments in Asia, and hopes to continue cross-cultural collaborations with its clients in China.
Articolo - Float
The Float is a signature Articolo collection, which evokes opulence and grace. It is refined lighting informed by its glamorous design cues of a bygone era. Defined by its soaring cylindrical form, it floats with presence.
Articolo - Moni
Moni is an innovative yet astute collection, its monochromatic palette softened by a gentle, fluid form that is complemented in proportion and balance. The white-dipped coloured shades add further dynamic, pairing the weightlessness of artisanal mouthblown glass with an opaque quality.
Contardi - Calypso
The Calypso collection of indoor and outdoor lamps, designed by Servomuto, is becoming one of Contardi's most highly recognisable products, thanks to a combination of patterns, bright colours and diffused light. Calypso is Servomuto Design’s reinterpretation of 1940s lampshades, with references to Caribbean stylistic features, hence its exotic name.
Now, Contardi and Servomuto have decided to add an indoor floor version to the family.
Every lampshade is made of premium waterproof and fireproof fabrics in hypoallergenic and non-toxic materials, while the stem is characterised by black lacquering of the lower part and the base. The upper part is covered in supple leather, and all the parts are unified with brass detailing.
The functional yet refined coffee table is made of green Guatemala marble, which harmonises well with the vibrant colours of the lampshades.
The new offering is available in three vibrant colour schemes — Antigua Mint, Guadaloupe Salt & Pepper, and Martinique Yellow — and is a clear statement of the importance of creating a strong link between the indoor and outdoor spaces of a modern living environment.
Ovolo - Archilume
With the stability of balance and the dynamism of Trapeze established, Archilume sought a peaceful state of being, which resulted in the creation of Ovolo. As Archilume’s first OLED technology pendant, Ovolo represents a new form in the brand’s innovative lighting collection.
Archilume’s unassuming simplicity masks the design vision that transforms energy-efficient lighting into sleek, statement-making luminaires. Inspired by nature, Ovolo is derived from a bed of river rocks - minimalist with an ultra-shallow, soft, organic form that is calm, soothing, and unencumbered.
Archilume’s inspirational departure point was a form-follows-function approach, blended with the idea of organic shape. Ovolo’s contours provided a great opportunity for the brand to work with OLED. It features a naturally diffuse human-centric OLED light source that provides soft yet bright full-spectrum illumination resulting in an artificial light that resembles daylight. The light source is ultra thin with a broad surface area, and the quality of light mirrors the formal expression of the luminaire - soft, diffused, and comfortable.
“In this unprecedented time, people are feeling reflective and looking inwards. In some ways this new design is an expression of our studio doing the same. The shape is meditative, soft, organic, and reduced to its basic essential function,” says Saleem Khattak, Owner.
Ovolo’s housing is fashioned from aircraft-grade machined aluminium and is available in several anodised finishes including champagne, black, gold, and silver.
The pendant is available with a dimmable 3W OLED light source with an output of 200lm, 3000K, 90 CRI, R9 >50. It can hang as a single element or in groups to create an inspiring lighting installation on a grand scale in dining areas, lobbies, and stairwells. The ultra-shallow form allows hanging the pendant at lower heights without compromising views, performance, or visibility.
There are also several mounting options for this luminaire: a standard 4.25-inch diameter canopy, a micro-canopy featuring a 1.5-inch diameter discreet ceiling mount, or Archilume’s signature Configurate surface-mounted canopy system. Configurate is available in three geometric shapes, which allow for unique bespoke installations in various patterns.
“Ovolo is a natural progression for us as we are passionate about incorporating new and innovative lighting technologies in our designs,” adds Khattak.
The Archilume lighting line is intended for illumination at counter and bar areas, or in clustered formations as chandeliers in hotel lobbies, entrances, lounges, and dining areas. The line is versatile and offers the option to order custom configurations to create impactful feature lighting installations.
Decorex returns for in-person event this October
(UK) - Decorex returns to Olympia this October with new product launches and collection presentations for the luxury interiors market.
Uniting the interior design community for 43 years, one of Europe’s leading high-end interior design show Decorex announces that it will return to Kensington’s Olympia London this autumn.
Returning for a four-day exhibition, Decorex will run from 10-13 October, shortly followed by a virtual event, Decorex Virtual, which will feature all exhibitors from the live show across three days from 16-18 November. With a portfolio of the best names in luxury design and interiors, Decorex brings together trade buyers and manufacturers and is the premier platform for key designers and suppliers to connect with new and familiar faces, whilst discovering and nurturing new talent and future trends.
Decorex’s carefully curated pool of high-end luxury brands will use the show as a platform to launch its new collections. Along with many other brands launching new material, Original BTC will be launching its new Pebble pendant, hand crafted in Stoke-on-Trent, and Pooky will display its product launches from over the past year, a highlight being its English Garden collection created in collaboration with Matthew Williamson.
Visitors will also be able to discover the best of contemporary craft in the UK today at Decorex favourite Future Heritage, curated by renowned applied arts and design critic and journalist, Corinne Julius. Pairing traditional craftsmanship skills with contemporary design, this year’s Future Heritage will showcase undiscovered talent working across an extensive variety of craft disciplines from blacksmithing to digital. Talent this year includes Frances Pinnock, Adam Nathaniel Furman, Kate Maestri, Anna Ray and Moritz Waldemeyer to name a few.
Each year Decorex hosts a thought-provoking talks programme with some of the biggest and brightest industry experts discussing the most pressing topics in design including Laura Hammett, Lee Broom, Ray Clarke, Nick Hornby and Suzy Hoodless plus many more. Available live at the event and then on-demand at Decorex Virtual (online from November 16-18), this year’s talks programme is set to inspire and inform.
“We can’t wait to bring the interior design community back together again in October. It’s great to see confidence returning to the market and as brands are signing up, we are working hard to make sure that this year’s Decorex is the show we’ve all been waiting for, where you can do business but also celebrate design!” Sam Fisher, Event Director.
HD Expo + Conference set to go ahead in August
(USA) - HD Expo + Conference is set to return to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas on August 24 and 25 after the cancellation of its 2020 event.
Now in its 30th year, HD Expo + Conference attendees annually come together to see the launch of innovative products and resources, and to stay on top of industry news and trends through thought-provoking conference programming curated by Hospitality Design (HD) magazine.
“After having to cancel last year’s show, and then postpone this year’s from May till August, we can’t wait to finally bring the industry we love back together for two days of education, networking, and inspiration,” says Stacy Shoemaker Rauen, editor in chief of HD magazine, and SVP, Design Group, Emerald. “We want this to be a celebration of the great design and innovation and resiliency that has continued, despite the challenges we faced over the past year.”
“We’re excited to get back to business, safely. For those who have attended in the past, yes—the show will be a bit smaller. What won’t be different is the strength of the connections made, the innovative products discovered, or the depth of insight and experiences shared. It’s going to be everything the hospitality design industry is about—community, networking, discovery, and encouragement,” added Kevin Gaffney, Group Show Director, and Vice President, Emerald.
HD Expo + Conference will debut several new activations, serve as the launch event for hundreds of product manufacturers, and feature a robust lineup of industry veterans, thought leaders, and ones to watch in nearly 30 conference sessions. HD Park, inspired by the industry’s many immersive outdoor experiences, will host all CEU-accredited conference sessions with brand updates and deep dives into new hybrid concepts, while talks at the DesignWell Pavilion will explore the ever-evolving wellness industry in a desert oasis-inspired space crafted by BHDM Design.
The adventure will continue from 2019 for Hilton and HD’s The Box design competition, where the winning indoor-outdoor concept by Urban Robot Associates will be previewed in a VR-led installation until the full concept is realised in 2022. And finally, the HD Social Hub will return with an elegant design by 21c Museum Hotels and feature intimate in-depth conversations throughout the day on wide-ranging and top-of-mind subjects from the business of design to a purchaser roundtable.
Featured conversations include tennis star and founder of V Starr Interiors at the DesignWell Pavilion. The most recent guest editor of HD, she will dive into the importance of wellness and community, sharing her goals and ideals that help transcend barriers. Todd-Avery Lenahan, president and chief creative officer of Wynn Design + Development, and Steve Wilson, founder, 21c Museum Hotels, will headline the Social Hub, diving into the new chapter for Wynn, and the art of design, respectively.
Slamp lights up Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games
(Japan) - On 23 July 2021, the doors of Casa Italia Tokyo, Hospitality House of the Italian team’s athletes, were officially opened at the elegant “The Kihinkan - Takanawa Manor House”, in the Minato district, roughly 10-kilometers from the Olympic Village.
After the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro 2016, the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang 2018 and the Ski World Championships in Cortina 2021, Slamp is once again selected to illuminate the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games. Alongside Ethimo’s furnishings, Edra’s seats, Bonotto’s textiles, and many others, our collections Nuvem by Miguel Arruda, Clizia Mama non Mama by Adriano Rachele and Lafleur by Marc Sadler were chosen.
The concept that drives the Tokyo 2020 edition is Mirabilia: a quote of the famous Wonder-Rooms where, between 1500 and 1700, collectors gathered pieces of art (artificialia) and natural objects (naturalia) keeping them together and showing them without making any difference or hierarchy between them. All objects were called mirabilia, in other words wonderful things. Casa Italia thus becomes the universe that collects, preserves and exposes the “wonderful”, with a contemporary language capable of enhancing nature, traditions, art, the craftsmanship and know-how that make our country famous in the world.
Lighting Design International announce new promotions
(UK) – Lighting Design International (LDI) has announced the promotion of Ben Ferris and Charlotte Svenson to Associates.
Sally Storey, Founding Director of LDI, said of the promotions: “I am excited to share the wonderful news of the new promotions within LDI. Ben and Charlotte have demonstrated their expertise and knowledge over many years and many completed projects. I am extremely proud of the design team and what we have achieved in these challenging times. We are all looking forward to new, exciting adventures in light.”
Ferris joined LDI in 2008, having gained experience in product design and custom lighting design and manufacture. His experience and dedicated approach to creative design across a broad range of projects, including private residential, retail, yachts and hospitality, have brought success in a number of awards, including the IALD Radiance Award in 2019.
“After a challenging year, I’m looking forward to the opportunities my new role will bring,” he said. “With everything beginning to return to normal, it’s an exciting period at LDI, adding additional motivation to continue working with our fantastic and talented team, providing the best in creative lighting design.”
Svenson studied Product Design ad Central Saint Martins, learning hands-on skills for design and technology. This hands-on approach and creative skill have led to her working on several iconic projects, including the Lanesborough Club & Spa London, The Edwardian Manchester, The Savoy, and Claridge’s. Her portfolio also includes private residences and villas around the world. Svenson also has extensive experience working on superyachts, with 11 completed and two more completing this year.
She added: “It has been great to be a part of the LDI family over the last 13 years. I have had the privilege of working with some of the most creative minds in the industry and am thankful to those who have taught and inspired me along the way. I look forward to my new role and working with others to help shape LDI’s future.”
Further moves have also been made within LDI, with Tim Gurl, Cashel Brown and Christian Haimes promoted to Senior Designers.
www.lightingdesigninternational.com
