In the end, most designers of lights just set out to create a pretty light. It may be unusual, or it may follow a trend (ballsonsticks®, rings…).
But Davide Groppi starts with a problem – a requirement that needs to be filled (often identified by a project that he is working on). He then solves it, whilst demonstrating his unique understand of minimalism – leavened with wit.
His 2018 introductions illustrate this. Whilst easy to comprehend when you are standing in front of them, some of these new pieces do need explaining if all you have is images to go on!
Endless is a case in point
It is not a light!!! No, it is a solution to a practical problem we all can face. It is a power cable, as flat as a piece of paper. This means that it can go under lining/wallpaper, or be painted in, to take power from where it is available to where you want it. You can now add wall lights without any BWIC! Note that it will be solid black or white: the image above is of the backside, to show where the connections would be made. The current it carries is 24V DC 10A
It can be combined with Meridiana (Sundial), like this:
Meridiana projects out from the wall (the other end suspended by the thinnest wire) like the gnomon of a sundial. By combining it with Endless, and not painting the latter in or covering it, it becomes the shadow cast by the gnomon. In this case, the power supply would be near the floor where sockets are usually placed, but the wall light is placed much higher up.
Cartesio does something similar for pendants.
You may want the pendant to be located away from where the power outlet in the ceiling is. Cartesio makes this possible: the power cable runs at an angle and the luminaire is suspended (like Meridiana) from a near invisible wire. It has four LEDs pointing downwards and also one LED pointing upwards (switched separately) to provide ambient light. The underside – the side you see – is a mirror, which means it fits in anywhere.
The wafer-thin disc idea can also be seen in the Calvino table light:
It is so minimal – just the two crisp circles (connected by a brass rod) that are as thin as thin, and seems weightless, yet Calvino casts useful light where you want it, depending upon how you tilt the top disc, with no glare. The top is mirrored, so you get the effect of an eclipse, the Moon’s rôle being played by the (reflection of the) interior of the room. So cool!
Set horizontally, it acts as a table centre:
There are more good and unusual new things from Davide – Clip, Bugia and Quaderno – so do look through the brochure, which can be downloaded by clicking here.
And I hope that you agree that this is a very important collection, whether from the point of view of functionality, or of design.
More importantly, it demonstrates that our industry is not just about pretty lights. If it were, who would I, or any of us, bother? Davide Groppi has earned the respect of his peers because he reminds us what is possible.
