DESIGNRO » light

Trap the light and let it glow

Iulia Constantin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:52:53 +0000

Remember the times when you were little, you thought and wish you could capture light in the palms of your hands. Well, Gionata Gatto and Mike Thompson, two young designers graduates from Eindhoven Design Academy, grew up and made their wish come true. They came up with an ingenious idea, and so they invented a distinct energy saving lamp: the Trap Light.

Trap Light proposes a radical new approach to lighting design. The lamp makes use of the high-quality Murano glass and it utilizes photoluminescent pigments to capture escaping light, this way converting waste energy back into visible light.

“It becomes both shade and light source, emitting, absorbing, and re-emitting light. 30 minutes ‘charge’ of recycled light from a traditional incandescent or LED light bulb provides up to 8 hours of ambient lighting.”

The designers want to illustrate the fact that, by combining traditional production methods with some fresh modern ideas and a drop of creativity, they can create “a new lightning experience whilst making the most of energy”.

Finally, when the lights are off and ambient darkness occurs, let Trap do its magic and freely glow.

Trap Light Save Energy
Gionata Gatto
Mike Thompson

Turn on the light: it’s Magika!

Iulia Constantin — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:25:54 +0000

Sometimes, people may prejudge the worth or value of someone’s work. Don’t judge a book by its cover. It would be the best phrase applied for Kirsti Taiviola’s fascinating lamps.
During this year’s Milan design week, Kirsti exposed a new series of wall lamps entitled Magika, which combine steel and hand-blown glass. At a glimpse, the lamp turned off presents a simple glass ball which rests on a steel frame that can be turned freely in all directions. But the real magic reveals when you push the ON button: amazing kaleidoscopic floral patterns project on the wall.

The designs by Kirsti Taiviola have a detailed and sophisticated touch. The optics and the liquid nature of glass are the main sources of inspiration in her designs.

“Transparency and optics are the most inspiring qualities of glass material. I enjoy working with clear glass because it has a fascinating illusion of immateriality in it. When working with glass I merely work with light as the shape of an object forms out of reflections and refractions on the object’s surface. The biggest challenge was trying not to repeat the reflection patterns.”

“Although there is a pre-mould used in the manufacturing process, it’s hard to control the exact texture on the glass surface. When the texture changes a little, the projection changes more. I had to study which type of mold to use and how to control the glass blowing process so that it’s possible to create exactly the right texture on the glass surface every time.”

Taiviola always wants to develop a selection of different textures that would add variety to the projected patterns. When talking about previous projects based on the same technique, Aarre and Illusia are two other masterpieces of the Swedish designer.

Kirsti Taiviola graduated from The University of Art and Design Helsinki in 2001. Before starting her company SULA design in 2004 she has worked with glass as a freelance designer, craftsman and a research assistant. Currently, she is also a lecturer, teaching at The University of Art and Design in Helsinki.

Kirsti Taiviola
SULA

Established&Sons 2011 novelties presentation in Milan

Mihai Gurei — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 08:06:04 +0000

Here are some fresh snapshots from the british brand Established&Sons show at Versace Theatre in Milan:

Mammoth rug and Meteor Pouf by Klaus Haapaniemi & Mia Wallenius

Volcano rug by Klaus Haapaniemi & Mia Wallenius

Cape sofa and armchair by Konstantin Grcic

Quilt “The Thing” By Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec

Revolver bar stool by Leon Ransmeier

Soft Rocker by Committee

Folio storage by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec

Mesh small tables by Klaus & Carpenter

Zig Zag rug by Sebastian Wrong

A-Bench by Felix de Pass

Balance table lamps by Nathalie Dewez

Corner Light by Peter Bristol

Super Conic lamp by Matali Crasset

Glaze table lamps by Anders Ruhwald

Topp table lamp by Hallgeir Homstvedt Design

Hay Bale stool by Richard Woods and Sebastian Wrong

New pieces from the Estd accessories collection.

The exhibition runs until Sunday April 17th at Versace Theatre in Milan, 7, Piazza Vetra.

Established&Sons

Tom Dixon launches Multiplex in Milan

Iulia Constantin — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 13:17:54 +0000

Based upon his spirit of innovation and enlarging multiple dimensions of his creativity and efficiency, Tom Dixon created Multiplex, a new environment trade show and exhibition concept for this year’s edition of Salone. Comprehending a pop-up viewing theatre, a broadcasting centre, a restaurant, a shop and a gallery, Multiplex is the place where the visitors will be able to explore the multifaceted world of Tom Dixon. A clear departure from the traditional exhibition booths typical during the Milan Design Week, where the convention is to show single prototypes, Dixon’s aim is to create up to six working environments, all in full use. Visitors experience a trail of sensations created through 6 hyper real environments, like a Science Lab, a Hotel Lobby or a Viewing Theatre, each section exploring various ideas of luminosity and technology. Coming in handy, a Broadcast Centre will update information daily from all over the fair onto a giant wall of projections.
New products such as the following are going to be officially launched at Milan Design Week 2011. Tower is one of them, and comes as an extension to the Etch range of acid etched brass panel products. Made by employing a hi-tech process used to produce electronic products, this lamp includes circuit boards. The method allows for intricate patterns to be cut directly onto the metal.

Available in 3 types of chandelier – wide, long and round with multiple bulbs and as an individual pendant, Bulb is another piece of Dixon’s work up to be launched in April. Made from mould blown glass, the quick start T5 bulb is an efficient oversized light bulb designed in reaction to the phasing-out of the incandescent bulb and the unattractive aesthetic of most CFL replacements. Both the bulb and the specially designed fitting are unique to Tom Dixon. The E27 fitting also allows the bulb to be used in any standard lamp.

Inspired by the sculptural simplicity of brass cooking pots and traditional water vessels on the subcontinent, the hand beaten brass Beat light is now available in a white gloss lacquered exterior, with white braided pendant cord and ceiling rose.

Besides the new lighting designs, Dixon will also bring to Milan some smart and efficient new furniture items, like a range of versatile and provocative chairs: Fan, Scoop, Cast and Peg are their friendly names and they present cool and attractive designs with very soft outlines.

Roll, another fresh product signed by Dixon, is an adaptable and functional café / bistro table. It presents a sand cast iron base, a metal stem and either a laminate top with extruded rubber bumper or bleeched birch top. The rolling wheel on the cast iron base enables even a single waiter to reconfigure the tables with minimal fuss and assistance.

This year, Salone Internazionale del Mobile from Milan is celebrating half century of existence. 50 years looking exclusively to the future, through a joined-up project that, along with the usual exhibition involves the City of Milan, providing an opportunity for reflection on design, on the world of industry that has made it all possible, on creativity and on culture.

Tom Dixon’s British design and manufacturing company of lighting and furniture was established in 2002. With a commitment to innovation and a mission to revive the British furniture industry, the brand is inspired by our nation’s unique heritage. Tom Dixon launches new collections annually with products sold more than 60 countries.

Tom Dixon
Salone Internazionale del Mobile

No Early Birds by Per Söderberg

Iulia Constantin — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:44:17 +0000

If you get easily confused when hearing the name of ‘No Early Birds’, we assure you this is no newly discovery of an animal species but a new furniture manufacturer established by the Swedish architect Per Söderberg and recently presented at the Stockholm Furniture Fair .

Holding a Master in design from the Domus Academy in Milan and running his own architecture firm in Stockholm for 14 years, Per states that No Early Birds is an overall result of all the places he has visited, interesting new faces he has met, and all the design and architecture he has experienced in his trips around the world.
The main reason for Per’s creation was to develop personal and responsible products that are caring, inspiring and emotional. The philosophy behind this furniture collection is to make conscious design, locally produced from natural Swedish materials with excellent manufacturing skills and high quality materials. This collection is seen as a basic yet strongly architectural formal language, with elegant and well thought through functional details. All these details, materials and surface treatments are chosen with great concern to environment, origin and sustainability, all the while being elegant and tactile. The materials are rich in contrast: vegetable-tanned Tärnsjö leather, waxed pine plywood, powder coated metal and brass.
This ‘emotional, uncompromising and honest’ collection is based on an ingenious cross leg inspired by a bird’s leg. With the leg as starting point, Per has created a range of stools, chairs, tables, benches, a shelving system, and also an elegant box to tuck away your belongings. The logo is inspired by the word “NO” as in the first word of the name, but also as a reaction to the uninspired traditional furniture industry.

‘Being both the designer and the producer, I have a unique perspective on how my design decisions affect the final product. I never feel that I have to compromise, since every decision is made from a holistic approach. Having a direct contact with the consumer has been very instructive and given me a humble approach.’

The iconic and architectural cross-leg structure is the main feature of the “No Early Birds”collection. Now it has been developed and stretched out to serve as the base for these fresh products.

The high stool is ideal for the kitchen island. You sit comfortably with both feet on the ground. The triangular seat in vegetable-tanned Tärnsjö leather is made to last.
The low stool and footstool use the same leather. The products came about when the artist was looking for an extremely low stool to sit cross-legged on. Unable to find it, he came up with the idea to stretch out the cross-leg structure. The result is an elegant clash between the powder coated metal and Tärnsjö leather.

The cabinet ‘La Pasticceria’ is inspired by the classic Milanese pastry shops that he has seen during his student years in Italy. This cabinet is a perfect place to put all of your sweetest things in, exposed or… unexposed.

Among Per Söderberg’s former projects you’ll find the storage system Funk from Asplund, private houses, shops, restaurants and office interiors for clients such as David Design, Moschino, J.Lindeberg and Orrefors.

The whole philosophy of the brand “No Early Birds” will continue to be a hybrid of design, lifestyle and fashion, because its creator can’t make up his mind and choose only one domain to include his work in.

No Early Birds
Per Söderberg

Longo design blends craft and LED technology

Mihai Gurei — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 09:21:06 +0000

Rodrigo Vairinhos is not a uncommon name when talking about using traditional materials in a contemporary cutting edge context. His latest creation integrates a new lightning concept inside a ceramic shell that seems to float.

The lightness of the hanging system is in the same vein with the soft LED technology used inside the lamp structure. LED present many advantages over incandescent light sources including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved robustness, smaller size and faster switching. Longo (this is the name of the product) is available in plain white, white/black or my favourite, white and yellow. The lamp is released under Neo Design label. Perfect above your funky dining table.

Neo Design
Rodrigo Vairinhos

Readers Nest, new useful object by WIS Design

Nordic light

Andra Baltoiu — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:52:44 +0000

Design duo NORM use tradition as anchor and bridge it to contemporary design via functionality, minimalism and witty details. It’s how they manifest their Nordic values for Copenhagen-based new brand &Tradition.

Their Milk lamp follows local habit of working wood and glass and creates a cosy atmosphere wherever it is placed. It is the first item in a series of sensory design for the home. Makes you think of the Japanese spa in a way.

&Tradition

Light study—by Daniel Rybakken

Cosmina Dinu — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:45:07 +0000

The end of the summer is always sudden and unexpected. Is hard to let go to white T-shirts, trips to the seaside and red watermelons. You didn’t got the time to taste them fully and all you can do is swear that next year you’ll do them all more diligently. But what you miss the most are the early sunny mornings when the bright rays wake you up, filling you up with life. Light, like air and water is one of the most precious resource that we as organisms vitally depend on it.
With this thoughts in mind I got really hooked by Daniel Rybakken attempts in recreating natural light impression and all that derives out of it.
Here is his concept: “Daylight in a room gives information or signs of sometimes outside the physical room. These signs gives us a subconscious feeling that our perceived space is larger than the physical room. The contrast between outdoor and indoor decreases. When daylight in a room is removed, the feeling of space decreases, and the contrast between outdoor and indoor increases. I believe that this can result in a feeling of being enclosed for many of us, to be alone or lonely – a social block.”
Daylight in a room gives information from outside. This creates a feeling of an expanded perceived space. A sensation of freedom. But when the light is out, you no longer get this positive sensation.The room feels smaller, you feel trapped and alone.

Daniel’s first light study – Daylight comes sideways tried to create a feeling of expanded perceived space, through an illusion of natural daylight, revealing the idea of surroundings beyond the actual room, The concept has been to create a blurred, semi-transparent “window” – a recreation of daylight by creating dynamic artificial shadows of objects outside of the actual chamber.
The effect is created by individually dimming the intensity of 1100 LED’s, aranged behind a semi-transparent surface. By adding this motion, the subconscious illusion of daylight is enhanced.
Daylight comes sideways received a “Best of the Best” of the Red Dot Award: Design Concept, for the best illumination concept.

His second attemp -Subconscious effect of daylight tries to replicate the effect of having daylight indoor. The concept is to create a feeling of natural, direct sunshine. This imitation is created through projecting a light pattern giving a recognizable illusion of natural light and shadows.
The lamp has the shape of a small table where the light source is mounted underneath the tabletop. The light gives an illusion of the sun shining through a window because of the artificial shadows that are cast to the floor.“Don’t look at the table, look at the shadow on the floor beneath it.” The concept gives the illusion daylight is coming into a room by projecting light and the pattern of a shadow onto the floor (the beam comes from a projector under the table). It opens up dark, claustrophobic spaces by giving the impression there is bright daylight streaming in.

The young Norwegian designer is also preocupied by the medical curative properties of daylight, all the positive effects on humans. His most recent project Surface daylight continues the series of recreating positive sensation and the subconscious effect of having bright direct sunlight streaming into a room. Instead of projecting a light onto a surface (as with Subconscious effect of daylight), the idea was to place the light in the surface itself. The lamp is made up of two separate surfaces leaning against the wall. The light is created with LED lamps placed behind the surface.
Design Report awarded Surface Daylight for the best design at Salone Satellite 09.

Daniel Rybakken