Header: Courtesy of Maytoni
Spirito is a transparent lamp designed by Alexey Danilin for Maytoni, having recently been crowned winner in the “Decorative Accent Lamps” category at the LIT Awards. It is part of a wider series that includes two table-lamp sizes, a single pendant and a horizontal pendant, all of which are available in white, black and gold.
Spiritualist references
The design started with an image: a glass ball used in fortune-telling and spiritualist rituals. Danilin took that reference and turned it into the basis of the collection, with the name linked to the writings of Allan Kardek. While the lamp still looks like any of its ordinary cousins in form, the designer simplified its top into a spherical glass shape.
Light traveling upwards
Instead of placing the light inside a typical shade, the designer added it to the bottom of the lamp. From there, light travels upward through the glass, lighting the top section from within. The gradient finish softens that glow, so the lamp does not look like an incandescent, rounded object. There is also a second, softer reflection lower down, which gives the lamp’s glow a layered appearance.
The stars of the collection: the table lamps
The table lamp versions are, perhaps, where the light effect becomes most apparent. Both versions use touch control built into the power cord, with a short tap switching the lamp on or off and a long press dimming it. The larger model measures 420 mm in height and 260 mm in diameter, with 18 W, 820 lm, 3000 K, CRI 80, a 120° beam angle and an IP20 rating. The smaller version is 280 mm high and 180 mm in diameter, using 13 W at 3000 K.
The horizontal pendant applies the same design in a suspended format, with a lift system for height adjustment and a touch control having been added to the metal frame.
The main challenge
The lamp looks simple, but the light inside it had to be carefully worked out. Enough light needs to travel upward for the upper glass to glow properly, but not so much that the softer reflection below disappears. That balance comes from the way the output and the glass diffusion were worked out, with LED fixtures having helped keep the lamp compact.
Sustainability care
The lamp was designed so its parts fit into each other when packed, which, sustainably speaking, helps keep the box smaller, uses less packaging and cuts down on transport resources. The lamp also uses high-quality LEDs, which can be simply replaced whenever needed. After the warranty period is over, the brand can replace the LED board for a fee. Furthermore, in production, defective glass parts are reused in the bases of other models instead of being thrown away.
Project Information:
Prize: Winner in Decorative Accent Lamps at the LIT Awards
Lighting Design Company: Maytoni
Lead Designer: Alexey Danilin
Completion Date: April 2024
