Designwire Daily: from the editors of Interior Design magazine

BMW, Flos, and Paul Cocksedge Collaborate for Salone

by Sheila Kim | Thursday, April 21, 2011 | 1 Comment

Milan’s Salone del Mobile has always been a stage for major collaborations, and this year, one such project brought three design powerhouses together. Icons in their respective industries, car manufacturer BMW, lighting company Flos, and designer Paul Cocksedge recently joined forces to present Sestosenso, a lighting installation at the Flos showroom in Corso Monforte during Salone last week.

Upon entering the space, visitors encounter a seemingly blank curved white wall and hanging red and white conical lamps. The lamps beckon guests to peek inside, as if to wear the lampshades (sans the alcohol buzz and memory lapse). British designer Paul Cocksedge created a sort of supernatural illusion for those who peer in: the lamps reveal a video of the BMW 6 series coupe on the curving wall as if the sleek cars are apparitions.

The inspiration behind this installation was the car company’s launch of its 6 series, the first BMW to sport adaptive full-LED headlights. Like the headlights, the hanging lamps feature hidden LED lighting, too. Literally and metaphorically, the lamps suggest that through the lighting, one sees the car, and through the car, one understands the light.

For the event, Flos has produced a limited edition of 66 Sestosenso light sculptures, designed by Cocksedge.

Images courtesy of BMW.