Lu Murano chandeliers are famous worldwide, their magnificent designs being the result of never ending experiments and perfect balance between glass and light, a synchrony born from tradition but always inspired by innovation. The expression of excellence and innovation featured by these chandeliers brought them at the first addition of Maison & Objet Americas which is where we came across some of their iconic designs.

The chandeliers are hand-made by Master Gabio Fornasier, each of them being an exclusive piece of art. The brand’s collection is in continuous evolution, being both revolutionary and traditional, keeping intact the historical and cultural roots and looking towards the future and all the marvelous discoveries and opportunities it brings with it.

LU Murano’s chandeliers collection are the results of years dedicated to research, experimentation and realization of prototypes. I felt the need to create a different chandelier, new in design, but in coherence with tradition, in the structure and assemblage method.

Relentless passionate research and experimentation led the artist responsible for these unique creations to reach new levels of elegance and refinement. His unique chandeliers are entirely hand made and shaped by blowing. They’re fed with oil, completely transparent and available in different sizes and in more than 20 different colors.

Using traditional techniques, he manages to come up with contemporary designs for pieces such as the cLUb chandelier which is a suspension light fixture, horizontally developable and created for the illumination of bar spaces, clubs, hotels, restaurants and private residences. The model is based on 60 elements and has an adjustable design.

Another interesting piece is LUngo, a vertically developable chandelier with a basic, three level model featuring a total of 36 elements in blown and engraved glass, 12 on each level.

But there’s an even more interesting project which became known as the TechnoLUgy chandelier. This is a carbon fibre prototype representing a departure from Murano chandelier making but, nevertheless, infused with the unique characteristics that define each of these amazing projects.

The design was made from moulds taken from an original LU blown glass chandelier. The designer’s continuous research for innovative ideas led him to alternative materials to glass and the experiments culminated with this perfect synergy between technology and contemporary art.

Interpreted in a more present-day fashion, the TehnoLUgy chandelier is closer to design and art and represents “the start of a new voyage in the matching of diverse materials”. The designer reanimates history and tradition but introduces them in a new and original version of modernity by employing carbon fiber, an avant garde material with a strong sense of authenticity.

The chandelier thus goes beyond the confines of glass to become something new, something unexpected and completely out-of-the-box. Easier to install and weighing only 4 kg which considerable less than the 40 kg of the chandelier’s glass equivalent, this design is more suitable for custom-made chandeliers and luxury yachts.

The chandelier addresses to a young target, less sensitive to the fragility of glass and more interested in innovative materials and designs.

But as innovative and intriguing as the TechnoLUgy chandelier may be, it wasn’t the company’s only daring project. IlLUsion came to be after a long series of tests and alterations meant to also add sound to the unique combination of art and technique specific to all the artist’s creations.

Glass is not a suitable material for loudspeakers according to conventional knowledge. Because of that, everything had to be learned. Details such as the tolerated vibration, resonance, frequencies or sound pressure had to b tackled during numerous tests.

The solution found for this challenging concept was a set of two chandeliers which are identical but turned through 180 degrees. It’s easier now to understand why LU Murano chandeliers are special.