Noto Pendant Lamp

red dot: best of the best
red dot award: product design 2009

Dragon of light
“The dragon has nine sons. Each of them has his own duty, and each has his own likes and dislikes,” reads an old Chinese saying. It communicates the many different meanings that the image of the dragon used to play in everyday Chinese life. As in all other parts of the world, in China the dragon is a strong and prevalent symbol. Stylised and represented as a snake, the dragon has been the symbol of the overpowering strength of the Chinese Empire for centuries and in China today is still associated with notions of eternity and power. A highly subtle translation of this symbol into our modern times is presented by the design of the Noto pendant lamp. Its designer, Michele De Lucchi, has transformed the symbol of the dragon into an abstract lighting structure: in a free design interpretation he has created an expressive dragon-like sculpture of glass and light – a lamp that is highly distinctive even when switched off. It produces a pleasant, diffuse lighting atmosphere when switched on. The design concept of the pendant lamp follows a highly logical structure: the frame of the lamp consists of a steel structure, while six movable cylinders made of hand-blown opal glass form the “dragon” diffuser that seems to float in the air. This floating effect, which is central to the lamp’s appearance and presence, is facilitated through its special fixture: there is only one point where the mounting is fixed to the body of the lamp and it is hardly visible. The aim of the Noto’s design, namely to use a symbol and exemplify its meaning, is achieved in a subtle manner. A lamp turns into an ambassador presenting the traditional values of the dragon symbol – at the same time it is also an ambassador of a highly refined design.