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Saint-Louis, Europe's first glass maker, immerses visitors at Milan Design Week 2023 in an exhibition that fuses crystal-refracted light with sound, called Lumières. In the cloister of Santa Maria del Carmine church, in the Brera district, the experience shines a light on the relationship between crystal glass and sound. The manufacturer illuminates 15 lighting collections, each piece a dedication to high craftsmanship and design collaboration.

in projections, portable lamps hang from threads to float like a myriad of fireflies

all images courtesy of Saint-Louis

With its history stretching back to France in 1586, Saint-Louis – a member of Hermès International – has been blowing and cutting chandeliers since 19th century. The manufacturer has earned a reputation as artistic experts in the craft of light collections, producing made-to-measure crystal lighting, tableware, decoration and furniture for contemporary interiors. Its artisanal crafters call upon a mastery of glass cutting and coloring as they realize the imagination of collaborative designers, such as Nonotak Studio.

in projections, hanging crystal lamps cast beautiful lighting patterns on the floor beneath

Noemi Schipfer and Takami Nakamoto, the creative duo behind light and sound studio Nonotak, designed the Lumières exhibition in collaboration with Saint-Louis for Paris in September 2022, before presenting it again for the Milan Design Week 2023. Pieces from the manufacturer's new collections form a radical environment that immerses visitors in a disruptive scene. The configuration breaks away from Saint-Louis’ traditional image of vertical and ornamental lighting, as pendants drop near to ground level and floor-to-ceiling wall lamps take center stage instead. A choreographed sound scape entices guests to explore further into the illuminated church.

in projections, the lamps are each hung at a different height to give a unique lighting effect

The designers at Saint-Louis demonstrate five distinct light experiences in the Lumières installation, named Pulsations, Rotations, Vibrations, Projections and Diffractions. Each design evokes a unique atmosphere, ranging in scale and style from table lamps with a pulsating bulb to a mural of arborescent modules that guide visitors through the exhibit like a forest pathway. The display concludes with a show-stopping 48-piece royal chandelier.