For L&L Luce&Light, the material used for a lighting fixture is an important decision during a product’s development, for both aesthetic and functional reasons, and at the same time it must obviously meet design requirements. If the fixture is to be used outdoors, the selection becomes even more critical: the lamp’s characteristics must remain unchanged under all possible atmospheric conditions, such as adverse temperatures, thermal shocks or highly corrosive saline environments.
Brass is the new material that the company has chosen for the Smoothy LED family of outdoor recessed fixtures, an architectural lighting solution that features an elegant, pared-down trim with no visible screws. Alongside a 316L stainless steel trim, all six versions of Smoothy now offer the option of brass – a variant that meets many aesthetic requirements, including the most on-trend ones. And the Ginko projector, one of L&L Luce&Light’s flagship products, is now equally up to the minute: beside the classic anthracite, white, black anodized, grey and jasper green finishes, there is now the option of brass. Over time, the latter develops a protective layer, a patina, that gives it unique and fascinating nuances with a strong visual impact.
Brass is a “living” material that changes over time and is easily oxidized through exposure, its components giving rise to many unique colours and burnishes. As the years pass, brass enters into symbiosis with the other materials used in an installation, blending perfectly into its surroundings. The antique finish on L&L Luce&Light products is achieved through a galvanic bath that simulates the effect of time on brass. At the same time, it makes the appearance more uniform and ensures the natural oxidation process is slower and more constant, avoiding the classic greenish colour and pitting typical of the early stages. The oxidation can still be cleaned off the product at any time, using a special non-abrasive cleaner. This process will return the product, not to the aged look created mechanically, but to its initial state, i.e. the natural golden finish of brass.
Brass has been around since ancient times and used in the production of everyday objects. It is a metal alloy composed mainly of copper and zinc and, depending on the composition percentage of the two elements, it can take on different physical and mechanical properties, such as hardness, ductility and resistance to corrosion. This is why it lends itself to the production of objects used outdoors, even in salty environments, such as installations near the sea.
The metal thus becomes a new design choice in the world of L&L Luce&Light. It is a solution that reflects a certain eye for stylish detail and the aesthetic fascination of a timeless material, and allows you to put an unconventional stamp on your lighting project.
