“O” by Artemide

“O”

ELEMENTAL

Alejandro Aravena, Gonzalo Arteaga, Juan Cerda, Victor Oddó, Diego Torres

The more the planet becomes urban, the more we appreciate the value of natural spaces. The cities with the highest quality of life are those that were visionary enough to keep portions of untouched nature within their foot print and transform them into public spaces. Forest than can become parks, rivers that can become pools, hills that can become viewpoints or beaches that can become promenade measure the capacity of a city to provide the right environment for their citizens.

The problem is that the forces that govern nature and modern urban life, even if guided by good will, tend to pull in opposite directions. If we want to access a hill, we erode its slopes with roads. If we want to prevent a river’s flooding, we alter its basin’s permeability. If we want to illuminate it to make it safe, we invade it with posts and cable.

One of the strongest intrusions in the natural order (and yet one of that remains almost unnoticed) is the disappearance of darkness in our cities. In the attempt to make parks safe, we not only invade them with posts and cables. But we alter forever the circadian rhythm that is crucial for the existence of species, both animal and vegetal.

Our project for Artemide is an attempt to reconcile the needs of the natural and the urban environment. Our strategy is twofold: on one hand is to design a light for the public space that when not in use can be as imperceptible as possible; light without a lamp. On the other hand is to take advantage of different types of sensors so that light appears just when needed, light only on demand.

For “O” we envision a series of discs that interfere as little as possible an existing landscape, but that when activated by people’s motion, they illuminate the adjacent space for only a limited amount of time. Darkness and Disappearance will be the contribution of “O” to nature and public spaces.

““O” is an attempt to reconcile the needs of the natural and the urban

environment. Darkness and disappearance will be the contribution of “O”

to natureand public spaces.”

ALEJANDRO ARAVENA

MATERIALS

Extruded and calendered aluminium ring, silicone diffuser, die-cast aluminium base

COLOURS

painted black

DIMENSIONS

Ring ø900, floor version base 150mm x 463mm

TOTAL POWER

46W