Couture / Maiori 2017
If poetry were encircled with a halo of particles,
it would look like the Lampe Couture. Designed
by Normal Studio, this voluminous light is the latest
lighting creation from Jean-François Dingjian
and Eloi Chafaï. It is also the first diffused light model
to enter the solar light range manufactured
by Maiori. The Lampe Couture is directly inspired
by age-old paper lanterns. This contemporary
version derives its magic from craft-made, traditional
Asian lanterns that Normal Studio has reworked
in a style all of its own.
Focusing on the assemblage of simple, repetitive
geometric shapes, the duo then began their search
for a high-performance fabric. Weather resistant
and light diffusing, the textile also needed to
highlight the stitches that literally structure this
solar object. Designed by French manufacturer
Ferrari, Batyline fabric was selected for the quality
of its tight mesh that produces a graceful diffused
light. The material's suitability for folding also
enabled the use of ultrasound soldering. Building
on the know-how of these two leading manufacturers,
Normal Studio created the Lampe Couture.
Beyond its sophisticated aesthetic, the Lampe
Couture is also a distillation of technology. Powered
by solar energy, it is equipped with a unique module
produced by Maiori, which integrates both photovoltaic
panels and LEDs. This device stores solar
energy via a battery A and releases it as day turns
to evening C ; equipped with a detector, it is even
capable of switching on automatically at nightfallB .