The exquisitely designed "Cupola, and light it was" luminaire combines these very essences of meaning. Present day meets traditional.
This pendant luminaire is a hyper-realistic reproduction of the dome of Saint Peter Basilica in the Vatican Rome – the core of the Christian world, you might say, and one of the most significant churches on the globe. It was designed by Studio AMeBE from Milan/IT for the Milan Design Week. Theoretically speaking, it may well soon be possible to enjoy the glory of this incredible work of art from the comfort of your own home. Well, at least for a few proud owners. Production is to be limited to 15 pieces only, each painted by hand. Price unknown. Potential buyers will need to ensure they have a sufficiently large space in which to install the "chandelier" – the dome is made of synthetic resin, nylon and fibreglass and measures 100 by 110 centimetres.
On the inner surface of the luminaire there are miniature representations of all the scenes found in the real St. Peter's dome, and the outer surface resembles the ornate decorations on the real Basilica. The suspension wire and the power cable are run through the silver cross that tops the pendant dome. The suspended dome is illuminated inside and out. Dimmable LEDs are mounted within the rim on the outside, and an LED source installed in the oculus radiates light evenly over the painted inner surface. That this work represents the combination of traditional workmanship and modern technology is further underlined by the fact that the LED light sources can be controlled via iPhone or iPad.
Design: Studio AMeBE
Products applied: Dimmable LED sources; luminous flux up to 2000 lm
