london lights up
Swarovski and long-time partner Tord Boontje, now celebrating 15 years of collaborations, illuminated London during the 2017 London Design Festival, debuting a spectacular new series of lighting fixtures for Swarovski Crystal Palace. His collection, Luminous Reflections, launched as part of a group exhibition Design Frontiers at Somerset House, a new platform celebrating designers who are redefining the frontiers of their disciplines.
Luminous Reflections consists of three crystal lighting components - Arc, Swirl and Circle – and four lighting designs – Luminous Bough, Lustrous Aura, Shimmering Jewel and Radiant Light. The organically inspired components mimic the effects of sunlight on water and are crafted for spaces with softer, more natural illumination. With smooth, rippled surfaces, the focus lays on the clarity of crystal, producing gentle, pure light effects. These non-faceted materials are a new interpretation of crystal and provide a new direction for Swarovski whose long-standing expertise is precision cutting.
Swarovski Executive Board Member Nadja Swarovski commented, “We are delighted to work once again with our long-time collaborator, Tord Boontje, on this incredible new collection for Swarovski Crystal Palace. Its elegant, organic curves bring a fresh interpretation to the interplay of crystal and light."
Acting as a creative platform to inspire innovation, the Swarovski Crystal Palace range utilizes the emotive medium of cut crystal to produce signature interpretations of light in collaboration with visionary talents. Swarovski has partnered with revolutionary designers like Zaha Hadid, Tom Dixon, Fredrikson Stallard, Ron Arad and John Pawson to celebrate and reinterpret the rich traditions of the chandelier while striving to push crystal to new heights of fascination and form, consequently opening a new chapter in the history of lighting, art, and design.
Tord Boontje commented: “Having worked with Swarovski crystal for 15 years I understand how light and crystal work together – it can illuminate a room with bright sparkle or create dazzling glamour as jewelry. I have also gained an insight into possible innovations, what the future of crystal could be, and for the first time I have had the opportunity to change the shape of the lighting crystals. I wanted a ‘soft light’ effect; the quality of light you see in a misty or snowy landscape or on a lake as dancing light reflections. For me these chandeliers really celebrate an organic quality of light that crystal can create."
Each year Swarovski proudly builds on its established tradition of exhibiting designer collaborations during London Design Festival – one of the world’s most anticipated gatherings of cutting-edge design, innovation and creativity.
