The inception of Hollis+Morris’ Beaufort lighting collection took flight somewhere over the Atlantic. Mischa Couvrette, the founder and lead designer, was en route from Copenhagen‘s 3daysofdesign when a conversation delved into the mesmerizing world of ice and climate change, sparking an exploration of these natural phenomena. Inspired by these ideas, the concept of these light sculptures emerged, marking the beginning of an artistic journey.
“For years, I’ve been captivated by the elegance of ice skimming over a water body, its layered gradients, shifting transparency, and the mystical world it conceals,” Couvrette explains. This fascination inspired a lighting fixture embodying that sense of hidden depth and quiet enigma.
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A Study in Lighting Collection Materials
Rather than a literal representation, the Beaufort Collection interprets these inspirations through a dance of material and light. Each piece begins with rough-sawn solid oak or walnut, crafted into a half cylinder with gentle, rounded edges. The wood is hollowed to mask the lighting technology, sculpting a chamber that modulates the fixture’s luminous escape.
The sandblasted acrylic complements this design. Its stepped shoulders and faceted surfaces blend with the carved wood, forming layered planes that produce slight shifts in depth even in darkness. Once illuminated, the acrylic transforms as light diffuses through its translucent body in soft gradients—a nod to the varying density and clarity of ice found in these sculptures.
Forms and Silhouettes of the Collection
This interplay between wood and acrylic underpins the entire collection. Hollis+Morris employs repetition, mirroring, and rotation of foundational components to alter each fixture’s silhouette and light distribution. The craftsmanship is evident in each piece’s intricate design.
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The Beaufort Sconce serves as the simplest design. The M2 Horizontal Pendant mirrors dual components, radiating light both upward and downward, available in lengths from 13 to 60 inches.
The R5 Horizontal Pendant takes repetition further, with five segments forming a circular arrangement that can suspend horizontally like an orbit or stand vertically as a compact lantern. This same configuration, placed on a surface, becomes the Beaufort Table Lamp, enhancing the concept of these artistic pieces.
From sconce to pendant to table lamp, the Beaufort Collection reimagines orientation and scale, preserving the central material tension—a fitting testament to ice formations, ever reshaping amidst the forces of time and light. The essence shines through in this dynamic interplay.
Source: design-milk.com
Frequently asked questions
What inspired the Beaufort lighting collection?
The concept of the Beaufort lighting collection was inspired by Mischa Couvrette’s fascination with the elegance of ice skimming over a water body, layered gradients, shifting transparency, and the mystical world it conceals. This inspiration came during a conversation about ice and climate change while flying over the Atlantic.
How does the Beaufort Collection interpret its inspirations?
The Beaufort Collection interprets its inspirations through a dance of material and light rather than a literal representation. Each fixture uses rough-sawn solid oak or walnut to create structures that mask lighting technology, combined with sandblasted acrylic to produce layered light gradients and shifts in depth.
What materials are used in the Beaufort lighting fixtures?
The Beaufort lighting fixtures use rough-sawn solid oak or walnut for crafting the structure and sandblasted acrylic for creating light gradients and depth shifts. These materials are combined to embody the inspiration behind the collection, echoing the characteristics of ice.