Sight is what your eyes produce. Vision is what your heart produces. The latest product from architect, designer, and CEO of Artemide, Carlotta de Bevilacqua – Somnium – brings a generous helping of both.
Somnium’s design is centred on a 30mm x 30mm optical cell that, much like a biological cell, may easily be reproduced and organised to form a seamless system. A flawless blend of elements, each cell is engineered to shape distribution, maximise efficiency, and protect from glare while embracing its material transparency to create a beautiful, authentic light perception.
Within each cell, the lens, the primary tool for gathering and directing light, is uniquely combined with an anti-glare louvre to promote increased visual comfort. By bringing these two traditionally contrasting material elements together as a single component, the louvre is no longer just an added accessory but an integral part of the optics. The brightness of the lens is transformed from an element to be concealed, nullified and counteracted; it becomes a feature to be integrated and enhanced. The result of this patented optical synthesis is not only a beautiful lit effect, but a highly efficient emission that sits perfectly within all parameters of comfort and perception, achieving a UGR<16 effortlessly through the active collaboration of the elements.
A soft, comfortable light opens up into the space with a controlled beam of 2×31°. A second indirect emission accompanies the direct emission, helping to balance the relationship of light with its surrounding environment. This indirect component has a second role within the design, bringing added structural support to the slender profile.
The construction of the optical element, crafted from a singular material, additionally embodies sustainable industrial intelligence in its design by reducing material diversity, minimising weight, and simplifying production steps.
Taking the cells and combining them into a series of beautiful slimline structures, the Somnium family is ideally placed to respond to the increasing trend for nature-inspired forms in interior design. While the sleek, smooth, clean lines of the Linear Module create the look and feel of a more traditional pendant light, the Curved Module and Stand Alone Circular offer designers the option to incorporate organic, free-flowing curves of light that add visual interest, softness and a sinuous flow to interior spaces.
Electromechanical joints disappear within the profile, allowing for a seamless combination of closed or open profiles to match the needs of different spaces.
Somnium does not disappear into the architecture, but equally it does not dominate space with its minimalist presence. And although its origins lie in a technological solution, it provides the opposite of a cold, rigid appearance, delivering a warm, sparkling glare-free effect that contributes richness to any environment.
