Leading Lights
Why Italian design specialist Mondoluce sets the pace in architectural lighting.
In partnership with MONDOLUCE • Words ELIZABETH CLARKE
ABOVE: Beautifully considered lighting creates functionality and ambience in this Perth residence.
It's easy to see why Italian design remains so captivating. Its high-quality materials, craftsmanship, progressive designs and a nod to its roots create a deep sense of timelessness and artisanship, traits often overlooked in today's world.
As leading project lighting specialist Mondoluce prepares to celebrate 30 years in the business, founder Gerry De Wind says that, like traditional Italian design, technology and Mondoluce’s offerings have evolved. The company has transitioned from "look-at-me" lighting to an extensive range of Italian architectural styles for residential homes and commercial and public spaces.
“The demand for architectural lighting was more apparent with the need to apply lighting to enhance and integrate into the built environment for interior and exterior applications,” says Gerry, who works in the business alongside his daughter Andrea and son Damian. "Over the years, we have seen lighting evolve into architectural lighting solutions in terms of technology, styling and design. As a result, it has become more integrated into architecture, impacting the design and ambience of a space. Unlike decorative lighting, which serves as a focal point, architectural lighting creates atmosphere in the room. It’s not just about being a focal point; it contributes to the overall mood, enhancing colour and texture."
When Gerry first started Mondoluce, low-voltage halogen lighting was the main source of illumination, but over time LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology has become more dominant. "LED is integral to architectural lighting as it is more compact, flexible and easier to integrate into a building’s design,” says Gerry. “LED allows you to control it electronically, so you can blend colours to create different hues and alter colour temperatures from high white light to warmer tones, enhancing a space, its furnishings and objects. For example, if you have bright objects in a space, you can use bright light to elevate them or warm light to enhance their warmth. It’s magical."
Mondoluce represents prominent Italian, international and Australian lighting brands, including iGuzzini, an international leader in architectural lighting. Another flagship brand, Diomede, designs, engineers and handcrafts high-quality lighting fixtures incorporating advanced technology. Their products are especially effective in public indoor and outdoor applications.
Gerry says that the same stunning effect can be easily applied domestically. "The same design and technology are being integrated into architectural and design-savvy residential projects, whether it's recessed, concealed or integrated into cabinetry, beneath stair treads, under benches or along floorboards," he explains. "Decorative lighting often serves as a feature element over kitchen counters, but here, too, it can be architectural in style, such as long linear lights or a series of individual pendants hung over a bench."
As outdoor spaces compete with the luxury and aesthetics of interior areas, Gerry says LEDs play a significant role in all aspects of indoor and outdoor residential applications. "We see them integrated into decking areas, hidden among greenery or along pathways," he says. "Uplighting a large tree canopy makes a statement in a garden, and in pools, LED lights are often concealed under the bullnose edge to create a shimmering effect as the light skims across the water."
LED will continue to provide lighting solutions for many applications within the home with more efficient fittings, increased longevity and improved energy consumption making it even more sustainable.
"Our brands are always evolving and discovering new ways to illuminate spaces," Gerry says. "They will determine how lighting evolves for us."
The future, indeed, looks bright.
ABOVE: Elegant and minimal, the Diomede Bella is a one-of-a-kind floor lamp suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
ABOVE: Cordless and rechargeable, the iGuzzini Whisper light can be easily moved for indoor and outdoor use.
ABOVE: The ELS Circulite 400 Suspended is available with Variable Output Technology. Here, it sports a beautiful wood finish but can also be customised in an ELS standard powder coat colour or various other finishes.
ABOVE: Featuring sleek miniature styling, the ELS Iconic Inground light features a variety of optics, accessories and outputs.
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Mondoluce
23 Trade Road, Malaga
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