Summer Rain, UK
A series of art installations were commissioned by Lazari Investments Ltd, shaped by dialogue between the four elements: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. The first in the series is ‘Murmuration’, birds flying through the air at The Met Building in Fitzrovia, the second is ‘Summer Rain’ in Lazari’s new Mayfair Headquarters.
Inspiration came in the form of summer rain. The radiant showers that fall while the sun is shining, each droplet catching the light and turning into a golden spark of light. In those moments, water becomes pure reflection, glittering, surprising, magical, before it fades, leaving behind a sense of calm and clarity. ‘Summer Rain’ was envisioned as a gentle, ‘golden’ rain, subtle yet memorable, bringing softness and emotion to an architectural context defined by mass and permanence of a hand-crafted stone staircase surrounding the installation. The installation is conceived as a celebration of harmony through contrast: the solid gravity of stone set against the ethereal movement of water; the permanence of architecture balanced by the transient beauty of a shower illuminated by sunlight.
The result is a bespoke chandelier designed not only to illuminate a space, but to greet visitors and create an impact on entering the building which shapes the atmosphere, an experience that feels serene, refined yet deeply evocative.
In collaboration with Venetian master glass artisans Vistosi from Murano and Operae Interiors where two thousand years of glass making refine the ability to transform molten mass into pure light. ‘Summer Rain’ took shape as a choreography of light and handblown glass. There are 250 droplets: 92 infused with gold powder and 158 trapped air bubbles. 3000K LED light sources are discretely integrated into custom brushed brass housings that illuminate each droplet with precision and subtlety. The lighting is programmed to vary in intensity, mirroring the shifting conditions of sunlight and giving the illusion of droplets falling.
The composition is formed by handcrafted glass droplets, with a mixture of silica sand, soda and limestone mixed with metallic oxides and minerals suspended at varying heights to evoke raindrops softly falling from above. Each droplet is meticulously shaped by the Venetian craftsmen and finished to catch, refract, and reflect light, producing a sparkling effect reminiscent of rain glistening in the sun. The choice of glass is essential: it gently diffuses the light and enhances the chandelier’s airy, almost weightless presence, while the organic, raindrop-like forms introduce a natural sense of fluidity. A soft, neutral palette reinforces the impression of freshness and delicacy, echoing the clean, luminous feeling of a summer shower.
When illuminated, ‘Summer Rain’ casts a gentle, dappled glow across the room, creating a tranquil interplay of light and shadow and filling the space with a quiet elegance.
‘Summer Rain’ is an artwork born from nature and hand crafted by centuries old tradition, an installation that brings the quiet wonder of a sunlit rainfall indoors, seamlessly blending technical performance, artisanal mastery, and emotional beauty.