luminaire celebrates anniversary. 1:1 piero lissoni exhibition.

For the past five years I’ve attended terrific installations created and presented by Luminaire: Miami in December during Design Miami at the Luminaire Lab and in June during Neocon at the Chicago showroom. 2014 was a very special year because the first showroom in Miami was 40 years old and Chicago 25. Luminaire founder Nasir Kassamali needed something / someone special to help celebrate the occasion. He invited long-time friend and collaborator Italian designer Piero Lissoni to lend a hand. 1:1 Piero Lissoni exhibition will be on display until 10 July 2014.

275 attended a lecture at the Chicago Museum of Contemporary art. Lissoni presents what he does best and few can claim – his range of mastery in product design, interior design and architecture. Here are a few comments I remember – ‘I was born six hours late and Alessi asks me to design a watch, insane!’; ‘Even with traditional material, you can do anything’; ‘If you design without decoration, it’s enough to be both precise and uncomfortable’; ‘It’s possible to do something only if somebody helps you’. His 60-minute presentation and self-deprecating demeanor conveys his playfulness and allows for 15 minutes of ‘what was I thinking?’ such as the lamp he was asked to design that elicited no light – very controversial with client – [ Once (in the blue) for Flos ]

over 550 attend a reception at luminaire and a book signing

A discerning and passionate visual coffee table book containing brief-thru-execution case studies including concept sketches and material resources.

exhibit on third floor

exhibit on third floor

one of three floors of showroom curated for 40th-25th anniversary