ronan + erwan bouroullec: lampalumina

‘lampalumina’

‘lampalumina’, designed by ronan & erwan bouroullec for bitossi, is a delicate lamp
collection born from their interest in ceramica alumina, a highly technical ceramic with
subtle qualities. the project started from the dialog between two companies of the same
family: industrie bitossi, an international group engaged in the production of technical
ceramics and bitossi ceramiche, a company with an immense historical know-how in the
ceramic field.

during industrie bitossi’s forty years of ceramic manufacturing, ceramica alumina was essentially
employed in the industrial ceramic field for grinding and firing purposes and within the aerospace
industry. used in sheets or in blocks, the material was rarely applied to designs with free forms
that required precision. with the three lighting objects in the collection for bitossi ceramiche,
the softness of the material is revealed through its white surface that offers a velvet-like tactile
sensation. this unexpected combination grants those small lighting objects an added dimension,
which is further highlighted by the thinness of the finishing.

‘lampalumina’

using this material for domestic purposes also raises the question of the use of ceramics
in applications other than crockery or architectural elements. as the design is the result
of a long research process and numerous experiments, the first collection will remain
a limited edition product but will, however, open the path for further developments.

‘lampalumina’ will be featured at microrealities during the 2010 milan design week.

‘lampalumina’

‘lampalumina’