An Interview with Christophe Mathieu

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An Interview with Christophe Mathieu

With Joana, we had the initial idea of making a cascading pendant lamp. I remember that I presented the concept on the terrace of La Carmeta restaurant, near Bover’s offices. I drew it on a piece of paper and she liked it. Until then, in the catalog of Bover this category didn’t exist.

Later, after more conversations and reflections, one thing led to another and more typologies began to emerge. We already had a form of glass that we liked and we thought it was interesting looking for more applications to complete the collection.

Drip, the other shade shape, has its own personality. We had a very extensive system already created for Drop. And here in the studio we thought why not design another glass diffuser formally, as long as the system already created doesn’t change. In this way, either use one or the other.

The light that Drop and Drip projects

It's something that I've always had in mind. I was looking for a very bright light to have translucent glass and its shape contribute to it along with its form; with its input and output. We wanted the material to be very seductive; tastyl, like candy. Both the Drop and the Drip are made of borosilicate glass because it is thinner, more delicate. Within the design, we have hidden the LED light source so the proganist is the light itself, the result of the illumination when projecting and reflecting on the materials found along the way. The light collides with the edges and is reflected on surfaces. All this enriches the object, beyond the fact of illuminating. There is a play of light, of sparkles and shadows.

It is a small lamp that offers an intimate light, illuminates the place where it is located. But at the same time it has a practical utility for those who are nearby. It works very well in hotels, in all its spaces, both in rooms and common areas.

Another thing that I always kept in mind was not only the light that the lamp emits but that which it receives from the outside.



"I always bear in mind the space where a lamp is going to be located because that is where it becomes meaningful."


The biggest challenge

The biggest challenge with Drip and Drop was to be able to fit all the pieces in the collection.
Each lamp has its own personality but at the same time it has to be consistent with the code
of the rest of the typologies, it has to be perceived as part of a family. That has been almost
the most difficult to realize, both in terms of language, production and resource optimization.

 

Objects not only have to be good, but should also look good

In my lamps I always try to put this theory into practice. You see them at a certain distance
and they have to seduce you enough to get close. Then you turn them on and you realize how
beautiful they are and the light they project. The illusion should go in crescendo. It mustn’t
disappoint.

Drop and Drip are lamps that offer security to the user, and this is so important. The objects
not only have to be good, but should also look good. When you touch them and take them, then
you realize how solid and stable they are.

Models

There are two groups: the pendant clusters, and all the others.

The cascading versions have a lot of presence and fill the space there are 7, 12, 24, 36, 48
lamps. The biggest has a diameter of 1 meter, which gives it a great visual impact. It is based
on standard measurements, but clients may customize as they want. Undoubtedly, for all this
to fit and be manufactured, the entire technical department has been essential.

On the versions with the small table, we’ve used a neoprene fabric of high quality, transmitting
comfort and muffles the sounds made when placing objects upon it.

original article published by Bover Barcelona Lights

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