Aesop Doncaster, Australia

The lighting design for Iconic brand Aesop, is grounded in a concept of ‘light dancing on the darkness’. The space features a wealth of considered illumination ideas, across architectural and bespoke lighting. The showcase of the space is the incredible illuminated ceiling sculpture, featuring glass bottles intersected with angled light play.

Across the interior wall washing and spotlighting were used to creatively play with shadow across negative and positive space. All fixtures play a part, from track lighting to the petite and refined mini adjustable projector for pinpoint product display. Lighting discretion was paramount with accent-providing linear luminaires engineered into the joinery. Custom table lights add a refined brand defining touch.

Human interactivity with the sculpture was a critical part of the illumination design. When you move the light moves. Critical pillars to take into consideration when illuminating the ceiling feature were beam angle, colour temperature, intensity and position plus height.

Glass interacts with light in three main ways: reflection, refraction, and absorption. Spotlights were used to accentuate the ripple effect across the bottles. Multiple angles reduce harsh shadows but can also influence the drama. Dark glass absorbs more light and transmits less, it also celebrates surface and absence rather than glowing from within. A technique of inter-reflection was utilised so that each bottle could reflect and interplay delicately. This produced subtle secondary reflections, creating visual complexity, akin to little ghost images on neighbouring bottles, reminiscent of a dark kaleidoscope. It evokes themes of mystery, reflection, depth, and containment, as if light is being swallowed and only fragments return to the viewer.

Or one might say, light dancing on the darkness.