045
REFLOZ
REFLOZ 1983-94
Carlo Urbinati
and Alessandro Vecchiato
Refloz provides an example of the
experimental direction undertaken by
Carlo Urbinati and Alessandro Vecchiato
when they began designing standard
lamps, as well as the character of
Foscarini’s initial production: the search
for an effective fusion between the hand-
made processing of blown Murano glass
and the application of technical lighting
principles. Refloz is essentially
constituted by the fitting of two parts,
a cone-shaped support in glass cut
diagonally at the base which fits into an
ample disk shade, made of glass and
opened by hand. Positioned in the upper
section of the cone, the halogen source
uses the convex reflecting surface of the
disk as a reflector, and upon reaching the
tip of the bronze-finished brass cone,
diffuses the luminous flux towards the
inside.
In this end portion the incisions on the
surface of the cone combined with the
use of a threaded ring fasten the two
parts securely and simultaneously allow
the disk to be inclined, thus varying the
overall luminous effect. The project
develops the themes of fitting geometric
shapes together – the cone and the circle
– and the use of pure colors in vitreous
illuminating bodies. The result is an
extremely simple design, where the
chromatic treatment of light creates
emotion. The lamp was presented in
January 1983 in Frankfurt and in
September at the Euroluce in Milan.
It remained in production through 1994;
it is part of the Cooper-Hewitt National
Design Museum collection in New York.
across:
elevation-section of the articulated joint
between plate and base, Foscarini technical
division, 1983
