Ron Arad is the quintessential designer whose work is far more famous than others – as is the case with the vast majority of leading designers internationally. Born in Tel Aviv, Israel in 1951, he studied at the Jerusalem School of Art, later at the British Architectural Union College, and has lived in London since the 80s.
In the field of industrial design, Ron Arad is internationally known for its pioneering experimental furniture. His constant experimentation with the possibilities of materials such as steel, aluminium or polyamide, as well as his radical reinvention of the form and structure of furniture, have put him at the forefront of contemporary design. In addition to his own atelier's limited edition pieces, Ron Arad has also designed furniture for many internationally renowned companies, especially Italian brands, such as Kartell, Vitra, Cassina, Alessi, Magis, Moroso, Fiam, Driade, Cappellini and WMF, among others.
Seeing a multidisciplinary and subversive poetics in Ron Arad, the Italian lighting brand Lodes approached him with a creative challenge: to design a recognizable object using borosilicate glass. Borosilicate glass is a material with a low coefficient of expansion, in other words, it is more resistant to thermal shock than any other ordinary glass, so it is widely used in laboratory instruments, high-end lamps, and other scenarios. Its melting point is much higher than that of ordinary glass, making it more difficult to make. For the first time, this internationally renowned artist, architect, and industrial designer talked about extending the field of creation to lamps and lanterns, and perfectly completed this "proposition writing".
However, the production challenge is clearly not a problem for a long-established lamp factory with a history of more than 70 years – it can even be said that they are happy with the challenge. Founded in the 50s, Lodes has grown from a glass lamp factory in Venice to one of Europe's leading designers and manufacturers of decorative lighting, with a presence in 90 markets worldwide. In 2022, the company's turnover increased by 13% to 22 million euros and is expected to continue to grow in 2023. In recent years, Lodes has also become more and more known to consumers in the Chinese market.
For Lodes' "propositional writing", Ron Arad chose an elongated truncated cone as the prototype of the lamp, with a light source placed in the middle. How to light up this cone in a different way?After a lot of conversations with the designers, Lodes found an innovative design path – using Printed Circuit Board (PCB) technology to bring the product to life. In this way, the flexible PCB was encapsulated in a transparent pyrex (editor's note: a registered trademark of high-quality borosilicate glass developed by Corning) glass cone, which finally defined the shape of the hollow cone. The lamp was therefore named "Cono di Luce", which literally translates to "Cone of Light". The word "cono" is the Italian word for everything that is in life – and you use it when you walk into an Italian gelato parlor and want to order an ice cream cone.
The lamp has a double shape when it is turned on and off, making it very recognizable. In Ron Arad's eyes, this is a design project that is easy to read at a glance: using the light transmission of the material and the moiré pattern created by the overlapping lines, once lit up the Cono di Luce, it reveals a highly decorative side given by the weave of light, shadow and superimposed light and shadow, showing off Lodes' mastery of manufacturing technology. Thanks to the company's solution-oriented R&D approach, this innovative solution brings to the market a new product with the highest level of rationality and high luminous efficiency.
It is Lodes' mission to create solutions for different environments and lighting needs for different users. Thanks to its many years of experience, the company has struck a balance between technological innovation and Italian design, combining traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology. Cono Di Luce also follows the same idea, matching different needs and environments, offering two styles of table lamps and chandeliers and three color options of gold, silver and red, and the brushstrokes signed by designer Ron Arad himself can be found on the bezel of the PCB, which perfectly reflects the brand mission and values of Lodes. The chandelier is available in 45 cm and 60 cm sizes, while the table lamp is available in a 50 cm height with a touch dimmer switch. With a strong personality, the Cono di Luce is perfect for repeating in clusters over some counters, kitchen islands, and dining tables – whether it's a family home, a communal reception space, or a dining establishment.
This Cono Di Luce will be available from January 2024. Gold precious, red fashionable, gray understated, from superior decoration to satisfying functionality, Lodes brings new aesthetic expectations to consumers' daily lives.