patricia urquiola branches out with ‘almendra’ for flos
As delicate as a tree department, Almendra by Patricia Urquiola blooms for Flos. That means ‘almond’ in Spanish, the lighting system grows into the designer’s imaginative and prescient as a module that embodies the union between nature and mechanics. Like a metaphor to the fruit, from which its identify derives, the suspended product is characterised by its two shells that act as diffusers, hooked up on to its branch-like construction. The natural but minimal practical composition of the sunshine evokes an environment of home heat because it floats over the room.
Patricia Urquiola designs the Almendra lighting system for Flos | photographs © Tommaso Sartori
all photographs courtesy of FLOS
Based in Merano, Italy in 1962, Flos is acknowledged as a number one international-level producer of top-end designer and modern lighting techniques for residential, hospitality, and business tasks. For 2022, Patricia Urquiola branches out the model’s collections with Almendra. Impressed by the almond, which is the place the product bought its Spanish identify, the design is modular, customizable and extensible, tailored for contract environments which have captured the up to date dwelling and hospitality wants.
‘The almond (almendra in Spanish) is an organism: a seed, a type of oval container that opens to launch the fruit. For Flos I considered a suspended module impressed by this small shell when it’s open: a pure presence that can be mechanical, easy and poetic,’ says the designer, Patricia Urquiola.
that means almond in Spanish, the lighting system is characterised by its two shells that act as gentle diffusers
Know-how is most useful when it’s invisible
The concept was to create a lighting system that gives a practical, environment friendly, however on the similar time light and smooth gentle: a particularly comfy emission, ‘just like the one which caresses the leaves of a tree outdoors the window of 1’s dwelling,’ explains the designer. Almendra unfolds with two shells linked by a central pin, and its simplicity hides a refined know-how. Because the thickness of the shell could be very small, the sunshine that comes out from the centrally positioned LED supply spreads evenly alongside the aspect petals. Because of the information system Edge Lighting know-how, the result’s a complete lighting consolation that may be elevated by the opportunity of positioning the shells upwards or downwards, even in the identical fixture, and thus acquiring several types of emission from the identical system.
the shells will be positioned upwards or downwards, even in the identical fixture, granting several types of gentle from the identical system
The module permits each linear compositions, excellent for illuminating giant tables, in addition to curved, natural kinds; each designed to droop as if floating. So as to add versatility to the dynamic character, the thing will be set to acquire a sequence of options with 3, 4 or 6 lights, which will be positioned downwards or upwards.
‘The module will be composed in numerous methods: it attaches on to the department, like an almond, it may be assembled to compose numerous components, vertical or horizontal; one other chance is that it winds into two or three different branches, creating a really gentle composition within the area,’ continues the designer.
