1 Nod by Simon Frambach
The minimal Nod Light sent German industrial design student Simon Frambach home from the show with a Designplus Award. The intuitive design borrows inspiration from pop-up car headlights, or a nodding head, to form a task lamp with intuitive functionality. It shines brightest with the LED disc’s face looking up; as the head bows, the light dims until it switches off, no buttons or switches required.
2 Ru Ku Ku by Ingo Maurer
The whimsical figures seen in the lower image were a last-minute addition to Ingo Maurer’s Ru Ku Ku light; the German designer added them to the new lamp just weeks before the show. The dancing characters transform an otherwise minimal lamp, which balances a bulb with an egg – a recurring motif in Maurer’s work.
3 Spider by Studio Italia
This Spider can have more than eight legs – in fact the possibilities are endless. The clustered suspension lamps crawl across the ceiling, then drop down with an adjustable LED-lit orb that rotates to direct light precisely where needed. Available in chrome, gold, rose gold or matte white, the sphere’s finishes can be mixed and matched as desired.
4 Paris by Tobias Grau
One of a dozen launches from Tobias Grau, Paris can be integrated into the customizable Choice system, which allows a variety of pendants, suspension lamps and spotlights to be mounted on a single platform for a custom composition. Offering a hint of retro appeal, Paris combines aluminum with a bone china reflector that casts a gentle and glare-free light.
5 Bon Jour and Fast & Perfect by Flos
Designed by Philippe Starck, Bon Jour has been refined since it was shown as a prototype at Euroluce last year, and is now hitting the market. It can be installed using another of the brand’s newest offerings: Fast & Perfect is a clever installation accessory that simply attaches to a drill to efficiently cut holes for trim-free downlights, in round or square shapes.
6 Aurora by Nanoleaf
Toronto’s Nanoleaf provided a sneak peek at its newest LED smart bulb, set to officially launch this fall. Rather than a traditional, screw-in form, Aurora is a freestanding, colour-changing, triangular panel that can be connected to form custom patterns.
7 Feature wall concept by Philips
The “star” of Philips’ massive stand, which took up the whole of Messe Frankfurt’s Forum hall, was this twinkling wall feature, modelled after the Milky Way. A smaller version mimicked sparkling snow and both were created by the company’s research division. It gives a glimpse of what to expect from the tech brand.
8 Ameluna by Artemide and Mercedes-Benz
The luxury auto brand is looking ahead to an era when the driverless car demands a more seamless transition between the car interior and the home. Ameluna’s innovative optoelectronic system is embedded into a transparent frame and body body that allows light to be both direct and partially refracted. An RGBW spot above allows colour to be added, and the smart controls could allow a lighting scheme to follow the user from the car to the house.