The designers who have been chosen to discuss further in this report are Ludovica and Roberto Palomba who are architects and designers who founded Palomba Serafini associati in 1994, based in Milan. Since 2003, Roberto Palomba has been a professor at the polytechnic of Milan, industrial design department. They collaborate with the most prestigious design brands all over the world and the majority of their products designed since 1994 are still in production. Palomba Serafini associati deals primarily with architecture, interiors, industrial design, exhibit design and graphic design. Their success is shown through their numerous awards such as Compasso D’Oro, Red Dot Award, Design Plus Award, Product Innovation Award, German Design Awrd, Elle Decoration International Design Award attest to their work. Their philosophy is to create objects that interact in an immediate way with the people who choose them, creating an intimate, significant and long-lasting relationship, as testified by the durability of their designs. 

Some examples of their projects are the Pinanoalto sofa 2012 and Lama lounge chair 2006 for Zanotta. Both showing reduced and sleek forms, which is one aesthetic aspect that drew me to choosing to research these designers further. 

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“Our goal is to design free projects, able to interact in an evident and immediate way with people who choose them. Our success is measured by the amount of persons worldwide who have chosen to share their lives intimately with our products.” Roberto

Another project specifically to recent lighting designs is their project for Foscarini. The Rituals designed in 2013 is a glass pendant that has been inspired by washi paper lanterns. The pendant has grooves on the exterior which intensifies and modulates the light as well as adding texture. Visually interesting with the tactile surface, quoting Roberto “Design is not sculpture. I think about how people touch, use and enjoy each object”.

The task lamp I have selected to discuss and research further is the Arrival designed for Artemide. 

“An organic synthesis of imaginary spaceships – a cross between liana and architecture – in short, an organic graphic light of alien forms that are constructed with different modules to generate wholly unexpected scenarios where light and the illuminated object become one.” Palomba e Serafini

Arrival is complete family series consisting of; table lamp, floor lamp and ceiling pendant. The design is fluid with flowing lines which creates an appealing delicate aspect. The table lamp consists of three curved branches from a central joint on a flat circular base. The soft, organic shape is split equally by the solid structure on the outside and a light diffusing surface on the inside. This results in a seamless discreet blend of surfaces that produces a soft diffused light. This is what is intriguing about this particular somewhat simpler design, which in turn makes it more complicated to achieve the delicate aesthetic. The materials used in production of the Arrival is aluminum and silicone. In terms of sustainability Aluminum is a material in the consumer and industrial waste that can pay for its own recycling making it a material that is profitable in terms of economics.

Ergonomic lighting also has to be considered, ideally we want want to prevent conditions such as; blurred vision, headaches, neck pain and itchy eyes. Poor lighting can also contribute to low productivity and high error rates, and a reduction in mental alertness, which all need to be considered with task lighting. 

Some points to note going forward with this project are;

• Not too bright or too dim
• Soft yelloe light are easier on the eyes
• Placement of the light within the task lamp
• Think about other possible light sources
• Can it be modified depending on time of day