A new lighting experience

At the heart of Lodes' new outdoor collection is a versatile design that perfectly complements both natural landscapes and architectural surroundings. The focus is therefore not only on function, but also on atmosphere and experience. Rethinking standards and meeting the current needs of architects for optimal outdoor lighting with an open mind is the goal Lodes has set for its new range. Aesthetics, functionality, innovation, durability and design as architectural lighting elements are therefore the cornerstones of the outdoor collection, which aims to optimise the experience of public spaces. The result is glare-free light that increases visual comfort without compromising efficiency or performance and enhances the well-being of users.

While camera optics and objects served as formal inspiration for the ‘Focus’ projector, ‘Kinno’ is reminiscent of a mushroom growing upwards, “Reed” stretches upwards like reeds, and ‘Chelsie’ is an elegant ground floodlight that creates sophisticated lighting effects and is also avaible as a compact step light. For the ‘Stitch’ lantern, metal and fabric are woven together to form a decorative pattern. The lights were created by estudi{H}ac, Lodes’ in-house design team, and Patrick Norguet, who has made a particular mark with three designs.

Lodes has broken new ground with the designs for outdoor areas – what was particularly important to you with "Focus", "Kinno" and "Chelsie" for this debut?

Patrick Norguet: Light is what this collaboration is all about. For me, the design comes second to the work on the lighting. When lodes asked me to work on this project, my first thought was to imagine light sources that would enhance our outdoor spaces without adding polluting objects, which during the day modify our passageways. Kinno, for example, is a product that diffuses a soft light to sublimate the plant world, and by day it also integrates with the plant world. I love the right objects, and calm, elegant and its vulgarities, I can make the parallels with people elsewhere.

The small lighting architectures offer a great deal of creative freedom. What did you focus on in order to turn the luminaires into creative tools for landscape designers and architects?

Patrick Norguet: Lighting is first and foremost solar-generated, and it was by polarising this sunlight that mankind invented tools to illuminate their environment, starting with the mastery of fire. In my creative approach, I've tried to work on the notion of tools. Tools that meet functional needs to provide lighting in a way that is qualitative, sometimes poetic and precise. Small luminous architectures offer great creative freedom. This collection of tools allows architects and clients to compose and, in turn, create and set the scene for their projects, thanks to a set of tools designed for this purpose.

In your opinion, what is the general challenge in the development of outdoor luminaires at the moment?

Patrick Norguet: As with many other issues, our society and the rest of us live in extreme comfort. Sometimes a loss of meaning and, above all, devoid of sensation and emotion. So energy consumption, the solution and all its equally political subjects. But many dipocrises because business and ego are the current values. I'd just advise you to walk through the forest at night in the light of the moon, and you'll understand the poetry of light.

The colour palette of the Lodes outdoor collection offers harmonious combinations and numerous possibilities for combining the models with each other. In addition, the luminaires consist of modular elements that are repairable, interchangeable and recyclable. With ‘Lodes Outdoor’, the company, founded in 1950, has significantly expanded its design horizons: "Our approach to outdoor lighting is innovative and unconventional, offering solutions that are both functional and decorative", says Massimiliano Tosetto, Managing Director of Lodes. (am)