When Sid Lee Architecture was hired to overhaul the common elements of Montreal’s Vogue Hotel (a Curio Collection by Hilton), it saw an opportunity to explore the relationships between space, light and material. With the intent of imparting the sense of luxury experienced at grand hotels in Asia and the Middle East, the design team, led by architect and founding partner Martin Leblanc, first repositioned the public spaces along a classic colonnade that runs the length of the hotel’s new glass facade (more on that later). This move completely opened up the ground floor and allowed them to “holistically integrate” the new CafeÅL Bazin and YAMA restaurant (both helmed by celebrated local chef Antonio Park) with the lobby and lounge.

The oculus in the Cabinet of Curiosities mimics a skylight, diffusing the cozy “in-between space” with a seemingly natural glow. Throughout, hand-applied plaster by Venosa Interiors creates an expressive canvas for illumination.

When it came to appointing materials, the designers were meticulous, choosing a finish that would set off a series of design decisions that ultimately amplify the glow of these communal spaces: hand-applied Venetian plaster, selected for its opulent textured feel, handcrafted quality and reflective nature. “The texture of plaster has a way of capturing light,” says Leblanc of the decision.

The next question was how to make it interesting and enhance guests’ feeling of wellness. The answer: soften most hard corners by curving the walls and other elements. “Light likes curves, and the plaster’s texture extends its reach,” says Leblanc. Strategically placed recessed LED pots and strips bathe the plaster — and the mix of Quebec white oak and Turkish travertine flooring found throughout the ground floor — with a lovely haze, which contributes to the full spectrum of light Sid Lee Architecture aimed to incorporate.

Crafted from laminated glass panels, the Sainte fixtures by Lambert & Fils make a stunning counterpoint to the highly reflective mirrored bronze fireplace chimney in the lounge.

Heightened illumination was of the essence: The hotel is situated on a narrow street, directly across from an 18-storey building; its interiors were lacking in access to natural light. While a recent redesign by LemayMichaud saw the front of the building opened up by a contemporized double-height glass and steel facade (which improved conditions immensely), the interior architects knew still more could be done to tease light into every corner of the establishment’s lobby, lounge and restaurants.

In addition to the softly glowing walls, other lighting levels were introduced via custom fixtures, including Sid Lee Architecture–designed U-shaped chromed aluminum pipe sconces at the travertine reception desk, in the secondary lounge (called the Cabinet of Curiosities) and in YAMA; the tubular fixtures “participate in the wall expression” and visually link the spaces together.

The team at Sid Lee Architecture designed the U-shaped lighting fixtures found at numerous points in the reimagined ground-floor common spaces. In YAMA, they are joined by sinuous LED strips embedded in the ceiling for effective layered lighting.

Montreal lighting and design studio Lambert & Fils contributed a pair of striking sculptural installations in the primary lounge: Two arrangements of oversized versions of the studio’s Sainte collection flank a suspended fireplace chimney clad in mirrored bronze, an orchestration that “plays with direct and indirect light and reflection,” says Leblanc.

From the new front door to this artwork-like “central beacon” and the other freshened common spaces, the redesign of Vogue Hotel weaves together elegance and intimacy, the light enhancing and changing the experience the deeper one ventures.

For some 20 years, Yellow Goat Design has been filling spaces with boundary-pushing lighting designs that veer more than a few steps off the conventional path. From its 200 Drop pendant — a chandelier-like fixture composed of dozens (or hundreds) of transparent acrylic tubes suspended from a giant ceiling plate — to the swirling mass of satin, polished or powder-coated metal tubes and bars that form Nest, the studio does not do understated. “YGD is always looking to create that ‘Wow’ moment, something that stops people in their tracks,” says senior vice president Nicola Casale of the studio’s raison d’etre.

Afterglow (above; from the Brief Epiphany collection) sees rolled metal elements spiralling down the length of a vertical tube.

This ambition for crafting the spectacular was instilled by founder Jerzy Lesko, an Australian artist and designer who decided to create for himself the unusual and statement-making pieces he was unable to find elsewhere. From its humble beginnings in Lesko’s boutique Gold Coast studio, the company has grown into a global presence, regularly collaborating with designers and architects on award-winning projects that span hospitality, aviation, healthcare, residential and other industries. Around 2011, Lesko’s son and brand CEO Nick collaborated with Carey Schuster, president and CEO of the U.S. division, to open its now-main production facility in Cambridge, Ontario, to further strengthen and serve its North American client base.

Though the scale of operations has grown, the approach remains intimate and hands-on: As per Lesko’s original directive, designers spend a minimum of six months working on the factory floor before they begin to create, garnering first-hand knowledge of and appreciation for the materials they use, which include everything from wood, aluminum and brass to acrylic, resin and Tyvek. “We use conventional materials in unconventional ways,” says Casale. “It’s the shape and density of the design that makes them special.”

Alongside the custom installation arm of the business, YGD produces its own portfolio of permanent collections that range from bizarre to beautiful; the pieces can be ordered as-is or used as a jumping-off point and tailored to suit specific wants and needs. The most recent of these, Brief Epiphany, explores the concepts of time and escapism through seven lights (and one decorative screen) that range from trios of flower petal–like shapes in fluted acrylic to a series of digitally printed acrylic panels inserted into metal tubes and arranged in a composition that evokes waves crashing along a shoreline. Dynamic and dramatic, they exemplify YGD’s ability to execute the unexpected in a truly alluring way.

It’s no exaggeration to say that LEDs have revolutionized what lighting can be and what it can achieve. “The flexibility and versatility of this modern lighting solution has allowed us to experiment with shapes and colours, creating completely new and surprising lighting effects,” says Davide Giovannardi of Mandalaki design studio. Launched as a new venture by the Milanese practice in 2017 to explore this untethered freedom, Halo Edition comprises a series of precision-engineered luminaires that marry the latest LEDs with optical lenses to project large, bright and intense spectra — vibrant sunset reds and deep oceanic blues.

With Halo Giga, light (in either Sunset Red or Deep Blue, shown) can be projected in an up to 10-metre diameter at night. Its slender body is “carved” from solid plate aluminum and maximizes the spread of heat.

“For us, the merging of art and technology is central to our brand philosophy, and we strive to create unique pieces of high conceptual value that go beyond a simple source of illumination,” adds Giovannardi. “We focus on devising experiences that transport our viewers to new metaphysical worlds, much like when we stop to watch a burning fire.” At Halo Edition, nature remains a vital source of inspiration.

Anchored by standing or suspended minimal-profile rods, the brand’s small but impactful diffusers emit large concentric fields of light suited for various indoor scenarios, if not art installations — à la James Turrell or Olafur Eliasson. “The feeling of loss of depth and the visual effect are key elements that deliver a unique sensorial experience,” says Giovannardi. Guided by the principles of Bauhaus, the fixtures are simple, modern and ergonomic, and are reduced to their essence — visibly and figuratively.

While the Landscape series alludes to natural settings here on Earth, the recent Cosmo collection translates imagery beyond our atmosphere and draws inspiration from the celestial bodies that orbit the galaxy. The Mag System converts both applications into transportable battery-powered fixtures. Revealed during this year’s Milan Design Week, the Halo Expeditions artistic project explored the perception of light in the “most extreme and characteristic natural places” where humankind has lived and sought “ancestral connections” with nature.

With its select yet dynamic offering, Mandalaki looks to mirror shifts in how we utilize our homes. “People pursue the possibility to work, exercise, have fun and relax in the same environment,” Giovannardi says. “Design must respond to these new needs, offering functional and innovative solutions that allow spaces to be easily and quickly transformed.”

What better way to show off a lighting collection than to display it in situ? In Milan, Bocci has dedicated an entire apartment to its spellbinding products. Coinciding with Euroluce, the opening of the space signifies a major investment for the Vancouver brand — in real estate, obviously (the firm actually purchased the property on Via Lorenzo Mascheroni as its permanent residence in the city), but also in its evolution.

A cluster of Bocci’s 21 series adds elegance to the bathroom; the milky white orbs of the new 118 capture cloud-like impressions in their textured surface.

The display begins in the small gated garden, which has been landscaped by Dentice/Cadei and planted with the arboreal branches of Bocci’s 16 collection, then continues on inside, where every room is a showcase of dreamy design. From the kitchen, featuring cabinetry by Henrybuilt beneath a quirky tangle of spot lighting called 74, you turn left to the dining area.

The 100 series of lights is suspended in groups above the living room seating.

There, cascading over the dining table supplied by e15 (one of many major design and art brands featured in the space, including Calico Wallpaper and Vancouver gallery Monte Clark) are multiples of the company’s latest invention: the 118, a glass sphere that captures the outlines of the steel cage used in its formation.

The corral-like 44 fixtures dangle in an alcove off the main living area that is lined in Calico wallpaper.

The milky white fixtures conjure many associations — mostly, they feel like clouds scooped from the sky and frozen into globes. Each one uniquely patterned, they exemplify the ever-evolving oeuvre of Bocci co-founder Omer Arbel, whose pieces are often formed by the very physics of the materials he is experimenting with.

The multi-hued bulbs of the 28 series light the hallway to the washroom.

A new shelving system by Bocci separates the dining table from the living room, where a cozy nook is hung with a scattering of his 44 lights, made of free-poured aluminum. With their silvery, coral-reef textures, they evoke the deep sea.

The calla-like diffusers of series 21, made of folded porcelain, create a canopy above a freestanding tub. A 73 fixture rests on the marble floor.

Down a hallway where jewel-like 28 bulbs are suspended from above, you encounter the bathroom — and one of the most awe-inspiring moments in the apartment: The brand’s 21 series, delicate folds of white porcelain reminiscent of calla lilies, is reflected to infinity by mirrors on both sides of a stand-alone tub.

Various Bocci lights – 1.8, 84 and 23t – are installed in the bedroom.

Bocci is synonymous with the magical–scientific principles of alchemy — and the employment of novel processes to achieve unusual and heretofore unseen beauty. The apartment, whose opening coincides with Bocci’s new brand identity by Studio Frith as well as the inauguration of a Berlin showroom, provides visitors with a view into a world of discovery, where experimenting with form yields the most luminous possibilities.

Ron Arad’s cone of light folds a printed circuit board inside a transparent Pyrex shade. Arranging more than 200 LED chips in a striped pattern, the inner sheet mixes translucent and opaque areas to create an intriguing graphic effect once overlapped and illuminated.

Rather than trying to master the art of cable management, Ingo Maurer embraces the chaos of clutter. Granted, the brand’s tangled cloud of wires proves plenty charming, calling to mind an autograph suspended in mid-air. Each cable terminates in an understated lampshade that appears as a cone from some angles and a rectangle from others.

Dutch design studio Vantot’s delicate balancing act steadies ceiling-mounted electrified tension cables with counterweights to form a barely-there track. Thin acrylic lampshades are then fastened at the desired height with a pair of metal arms featuring paperclip-like fasteners.

Expanding his eponymous brand’s collection at Euroluce, Michael Anastassiades referenced a common still life drawing exercise that uses cone sculptures to teach shading. His powder-coated aluminum pendants can be oriented up or down in single, double or triple arrangements.

A grooved triangular prism (offered in black, green or silver) forms the central spine of Herzog & de Meuron’s modular lighting system for Artemide. Each of its three slots can be fitted with a diffuse or direct lighting tube to create a full range of offerings: horizontal or vertical pendants, a floor lamp, plus wall and ceiling sconces.

Working with Marset, designer Jaume Ramírez pared the classic table lamp typology back to its basic forms — a disc, sphere and cone — all newly rendered in clear (or sepia-hued) glass to evoke “the fragility of the present moment.” A cylinder shines up through the sculptural stack to bring new light to a familiar silhouette.

At its Via Durini showroom, Cassina made a major foray into lighting. Architect Tobia Scarpa originally conceived this Tinkertoy-like design language for Treviso’s Ca’ Scarpa cultural centre. His system of lighting bars and metal joints now forms the basis for a family of pendants, plus table and floor lamps.

Combining a smooth bronze-finished exterior with a hand-applied gold-leaf interior, the Alfa pendant lighting collection by Modern Forms puts a modish spin on a timeless silhouette. The sleek design features a spin-on canopy with concealed driver to minimize exposed hardware; the fixture can be installed on straight or sloped ceilings, and two lengths of downrod are included.

With graceful bends in its top-mounted deflector, Sopal by Luminaire Authentik evokes the movement of a bird’s wing or flower petals fluttering in the wind. Made from aluminum, it can be powder-coated in multiple colourways, and the glass orb diffuser is available in six tinted transparencies (Clear, Opal, Smoke, Tea, Clay or Truffle), two finishes (glossy or frosted) and three textures (Smooth, Swirl or Pineapple).

The diorama-like Black Mountain View pendant by Russian designer Dima Loginoff for Axolight encases a sculpted Dolomites-inspired mountain range under a transparent dome. The hand-blown fixture casts illumination from a dimmable LED above the formation, which fractures and fragments it to stunning effect.

Danish designer Simon Legald adds new dimension to the archetypal spherical pendant lamp with Pix for Normann Copenhagen: a granulated surface made using a mix of white-toned plastic waste that is crushed and then heated, and transitions from opaque when off to translucent when on.