For our first design for HAY, we began not with a sketch but with our hands – folding paper, assembling flat metal elements, working through a problem in three dimensions in our workshop. Canelé initial came to life as collection of handcrafted gallery objects, before finding its way into everyday life. It takes its name from the fluted French pastry from Bordeaux, sharing its distinctive vertical fluted aesthetic – modest in scale and pleasing in form.
The lamp works through a tension between opposites. A slender three-legged steel frame holds a pleated textile shade in place simply by pinching it. The shade is a single colour, but the folds create a subtle striped effect, adding depth and giving the silhouette a soft, organic quality. It appears almost to float. Translated from those original handcrafted pieces into industrial production for HAY, the design retains the quiet energy of something made with curiosity and care. Lit, it becomes a glowing sculpture – casting a warm, coloured hue.
We wanted to create a playful and lightweight lamp that would be quite versatile and and finds it place in various domestic context. It can be use as a table lamp, on the floor near a sofa, on shelves, in front of a window …
Photos © Hay et © Michele Foti
