THE TRUE STORY
It all began on April 27, 2012, when
architect Nigel Coates, Slamp’s art
director, wrote colleague and schoolmate
Zaha Hadid, inviting her to create a lamp
for the company.
A few days later, Nigel found himself
in Hadid’s London neighbourhood to
discuss the offer in greater detail. He
wrote in his diary, “It has a monastic
atmosphere of quiet concentration. I’m
shown into a boardroom where we are
at least eight around the table, including
Zaha’s partner Patrik Schumacher, her
head of design Melodie, her contract
advisor Maha, and Zaha herself. I think,
OK, we’re getting serious.” After showing
them several catalogues to give them a
taste of Slamp’s original, romantic soul,
and explaining a bit about their approach
to manufacturing, Hadid gives Coates
her personal seal of approval.
On May 22, 2012, a few days after their
encounter, research and development
begins. As with every collaboration with
a designer, the first step was to send a
kit of Slamp’s exclusive materials, as well
as an assembled lamp to take apart. By
doing so, it’s easy to understand how
unique these technopolymers really are;
resistant and ductile, passing from a thin,
“flat” sheet to an opulent, dramatic, and
inimitable lamp.
The wait is excruciating, and a day
doesn’t go by that Slamp’s CEO doesn’t
LIGHT DEFINES
THE WORLD
AROUND US
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“
50 different
layers
shaded
edges
6
7
ask Mr. Coates, “has anything come
back?”, referring to sketches, proposals,
designs…Finally, on June 15, 2012, an
email arrives from ZHD head of designs
Melodie Lueng, the Project Manager
for the Slamp collaboration. Melodie
sends sketches of a glowing sculpture
with radial, almost Palaeolithic arms
surrounding the light source.
That’s when the back and forth between
Rome and London begins: Zaha Hadid’s
team works on perfecting the shape
and giving the lamp a revolutionary,
avant-garde soul, while Slamp works
on developing the engineering and
illumination aspects.
Only four days later, on June 19, 2012,
Melodie visits Slamp’s hub in Rome,
Italy. After touring the showroom and
production area, she moves to the
Creative Department to see some
the initial controlled-number cuts in
prototyping. They work on different
shapes over the next month.
Halfway through July, Melodie and
Coates meet in London again, in the Art
Director’s South Kensington’s studio.
She works with scissors in hand, cutting,
moving around, and stepping back to
examine with a critical eye until she
literally transforms a prototype into a
shape that satisfies her. Meanwhile, the
team in Rome continues their research
and within ten or so days, finds the best
technical method to produce the lamp.
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