It looks like the sun... but it isn't. It's a brand new type of artificial skylight called CoeLux which, for the first time, reproduces the scientific phenomenon that makes the sky appear blue. It also creates an illusion of depth to make the 'sun' appear to be far above. CoeLux, which has been shortlisted for the Light Source Innovation of the Year Award at this year's Lux Awards, was developed by Italian scientist Paolo Di Trapani.
It comes closer to recreating a sunlit sky than any lighting product we've seen.
The secret is a solid layer containing nanoparticles that produce Rayleigh scattering - the same process that occurs in the atmosphere, splitting up different wavelengths of light to make the sky appear blue. CoeLux also creates an illusion of depth to make the 'sun' appear to be far above - but the makers are tight-lipped about exactly how that's done.
The innovative skylight has been brought to the UK by Ideaworks, which specialises in technology for high-end interiors in the residential and hospitality markets. The Ideaworks team are hoping to bring (artificial) sunlight to London's new breed of 'iceberg homes' with cavernous basements, and other underground spaces that until now have lacked natural light.
But if you want to install a CoeLux skylight, you'll need to dig deep - in every sense. It requires a one-metre ceiling recess, and will set you back tens of thousands of pounds.
Initial versions don't allow dimming or control of the colour or position of the light source, although the team hope to develop dynamic versions in future.
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community conversation
Our artisans and craftsmen work at the heart of Alef to transform vision into reality. From glass blowers to leather specialists, all our craftsmen work for Alef in-house, ensuring each and every piece is unique and finished to the highest possible standards.
The roots of Alef dig deep into all origins, as our name suggests, we start our journey from the beginning, unfurling the traditional arts of the Mediterranean basin and keeping them alive in the modern age.
Alef is a place where people can wander from reverie to reverie and be transported back to those ancient civilizations that have fascinated us for centuries. We are dreamers and want others to be inspired.
Alef Gallery, transforming vision into reality…
We seek to share our journeys into the mystique and diversity of Arabic culture. We draw from this source our inspiration, mixing modern with traditional; luxuriant decadence with contemporary simplicity. The gallery’s main aim is to revive high quality handicrafts & home furnishings; to maintain the highest standards of craftsmanship in all our creations. It is our vision into reality.
From glass blowers to carpenters, all our craftsmen work for Alef in-house, ensuring each and every piece is unique and finished to the highest possible standards. Our textiles boutique has become one of our sincerest passions. Exclusive to Alef and based on traditional Coptic, Islamic and Orientalist designs, we print on all natural fibers including a wide variety of Egyptian cotton weaves, linens and velvets. Alef has also been engaged on many occasions to supply creative services for hotels, public projects, restaurants and special events.
Alef Gallery provides turnkey projects and interior design for apartments, houses, and boutique hotels in search of a historical footprint. Our team of planners, architects and interior designers, with their know how and professionalism, come up with a historically inspired formula that bonds practicality with cultural revival.
APID Industry Members
If you wish to know more about one of our products or to receive email news and updates from time to time, then please contact us. We will be happy to hear from you! http://alefgallery.com | info@alefgallery.com | T: +202 27353690
For the first time NCS participated in Index with a lecture about colour in design and colour trends, along with a stand showing the most important colour design tools.
NCS has been present for many year in the UAE through industrial paint clients. As NCS is principally a colour design solution it was important to reach out and connect with the UAE design community and schools.
Colour in design is far more important than most people realise. NCS is today the most used colour notation system in the world. It is a national colour standard in countries like Sweden, Norway, Spain and South Africa.
APID Events Partners
APID is planning future collaboration with NCS in the UAE with the planning for the first colour courses in September this year. Begining with a simple intro one-day course about the basics about colour and colour in interior design.
THIS IS HOW NCS WORKS
NCS describes the colour of any material. With numeric colour codes, so called NCS Notations, such as NCS S 1080-Y70R, any colour can be described precisely. We have defined 1950 standardised colours at every tenth step of the colour space to represent the entire colour space. Each notation's colour sample is visually identical to any other colour sample of the same notation, whether it is a standardised colour or a colour in between the 1950 standard colours.
Logic behind NCS®© – Natural Colour System®©
A notation represents a specific colour percept out of the millions of surface colours that we can see and describes the colour visually. It is not depending on limitations caused by pigments, light rays or nerve signals that have given rise to this perception. An NCS Notation®© is constructed using three properties that visually describe a colour; hue and nuance (blackness and chromaticness).
AN INTRODUCTION TO NCS DESIGN TOOLS
Great tools for great colour concepts - No one knows how to colourise your design better than you. That is why we have developed colour design tools that support you in your creative work, regardless of how you work with colours – by intuition or systematically.
COLOUR FROM IDEA TO REALITY
When colours are communicated between people or instruments, NCS - Natural Color System®© is the universal language that links them together. With a format to suit every designer, studio and use, NCS Design Tools illustrating NCS 1950 Original colours let you select precise colours and make your design process simpler, more accurate and consistent from idea to reality. Each of our practical tools feature colour accuracy on all colour samples. The intuitive design and layout of each tool means you can navigate the world of colour in seconds. Plus, each product can be used with any material, surface, texture or finish, meaning you only need to use one colour system in your studio. For more information visit ncscolour.com
The NCS Colour Design Tools are present in the APID office. Designers can come and feel and touch them. And of course if you want to order some products, you can do this through APID.
If you would like to know more about our colour course in Dubai email: info@apid.ae
Natural Colour System®©
About the Molina Brothers
Hardcore IT authorities with a background in physics and engineering, nourished by many visual, artistic and technological specialties such as architectural visualization, motion graphics and design, the Molina brothers are the creative geniuses behind Nomad Inception.
They produce geometric compositions using computational design tools programmed by their own hands. These tools are in constant development in a never-ending pursuit to match the dreams and visions of the brothers, which are usually high-flying.
If there is one thing creative minds have in common is curiosity. Artists, designers, engineers, scientists, explorers… we are all moved by the same driving force. Curiosity pushed me to travel, and it was during a trip to Granada, Spain – while visiting Alhambra – that I was first exposed to the mesmerizing art of geometric patterns – a revelation that would eventually set me off in a new, incredible journey. Some time later and with no hints from my side whatsoever, a similar thing happened to my brother Luis in the most unlikely of places: Cuba! (Google Palacio del Valle – if you are curious enough)
The day we caught up with each other we were stunned to learn we had both been struck by the same lightning. There was something about this art form that kept triggering visions in the back of our minds. For some time neither of us could pinpoint what it was – until we visited Morocco. We roamed the crowded labyrinths of ancient medinas spending countless days and nights contemplating the magnificence of palaces, mosques and madrassas. Creative minds know for a fact that it takes the right question to get the best answer. Well… one of those evenings the mother of all questions jumped at us.
Islamic patterns are beautiful for many reasons as – ultimately – beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My eyes see harmony in symmetries. The hypnotic quality of the colour compositions interacting with the geometry can pull me into deep meditation in a matter of seconds. In contrast, geometric patterns are impressive for one unequivocal feature that is perceived in a similar manner by most people: their complexity and intricacy. The larger and the more complex, the more impressive they are, as is the perceived complexity that triggers the question: How did they do this? (To which most people would attach the corollary: in that day and age?)
While genuine and valid, answering those questions was actually the easy bit, although it required some serious research time. Answering the mother of all questions, on the other hand, required a lot more.
When I’m asked what brought me to Dubai, the short answer is: curiosity. Only the curious get the long answer: we came to answer the mother of all questions… how do we get to improve on fourteen centuries’ worth of geometric art?
Their gigantic non-periodic geometric compositions show such levels of intricacy and complexity that specialized production
processes are required to manufacture their design pieces.
About Nomad Inception
Nomad Inception is a UAE-based company led by an international team of designers, artists, scientists and technologists who share a passion for geometric art. Our combined experience in mathematics, computer sciences, art, design, architecture, fabrication technology and the history of Islamic patterns add up to over 250 years. We are the only company – globally – with such in-house expertise in the field.
In 2013 we set up a boutique workshop designing and manufacturing fine architectural products inspired by Arabic art. We also run a highly specialized design consultancy producing contemporary and traditional ornaments. Either working with the client directly or helping architects and designers implement iconic features of Islamic architecture, Nomad Inception offers integral design and manufacturing solutions giving a contemporary twist to decorative arts in modern architectural projects.
More recently the company has been using its wealth of experience in developing and manufacturing complex products to tackle the design and fabrication of unique architectural features, even when not directly related to Islamic art.
APID Industry Members
Bhupinder Matharu
from MOD Studio Interiors
MOD Studio Interiors is a leading luxury interior design company in Dubai & the Middle East. Founded by award-winning interior architect Robert Elliott and Senior Interior Designer Bhupinder Matharu in 2014, Mod Studio is one of the most experienced contemporary interior design firms in the Middle East.
APID spoke with Bhupinder Matharu, one of the co-founders of the company to talk design, start-up businesses and making it big in Dubai!
My passion keeps growing and so does my motivation, along with my creativity and after I started designing my own personal and my friend’s residential spaces, I am proud to start my career as Professional Interior Designer/Co- founder/Partner of MOD Studio.
I have always had an interest in renovating and organizing apartments. I found myself doing my own personal spaces (houses) in different countries and it grew from there. Interior Design is far from my career within the PRO industry, but then again with a little creativity, I can combine these industries and become a residential Interior Designer.
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I initiated my first client meeting in September 2014, and it was unbelievable! I won the 6,500 sqft residential interior design project. It was a full turnkey, design and build. Along with my partner who is an Architect, we worked on the re-designing process and materials (lighting, flooring, colors and custom joinery, ect), and ultimately delivered the space to them above and beyond what they hoped for.
Thanks to guidance and learning I have received from my full time partner in California, and the Architectural experience he himself has, I can now take notice of many more details when I enter a room. It has enabled me to become more courageous with design and redesigning schemes and in exploring and developing my creativity when asked for advice.
Knowledge bred confidence in me and with this, I enrolled myself with a very well recognised interior design institute to learn from their guidance and support, helping me further expand my horizons in creating , designing and imagining.
My dream was to love my job and make people happy in their residences and private spaces, and from the feedback I have received, I have achieved my dream. Now people come to me for advice and appreciate my thoughts and ideas, this makes me very happy.
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