-
Len pendant with plywood shade, R9 405 -
Black Circ LED pendant with an aluminium ring and metal base, R9 063 -
Francesco Abbate
WORDS Alma Viviers
Francesco Abbate, Managing Director of Spazio Lighting, spotlights the latest trends in lighting design.
What is trending in the lighting industry?
LEDs are all the rage in the lighting world at the moment. As a result we are seeing small yet powerful luminaires as light sources. Pendants and shades in natural materials such as wood and even cardboard have become very popular. Designs that cause interplay between light and shadows, creating a dynamic effect, are in high demand from local interior designers.
How do you source lighting for your collection?
I attend the major lighting and furniture exhibitions all over the world, including Euroluce and Salone del Mobile in Milan, Light + Building in Frankfurt and the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair. I look for products that are in line with South Africa’s eclectic design world. The local market consists predominantly of people looking for innovative designs, thus we source the latest designs from the industry.
Which designer do you think is currently doing the most innovative work in lighting design?
Kaoru Mende, an architectural lighting designer from Japan, does really amazing work. He recently completed projects for the National Gallery Singapore and the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing.
