Regenerated and regenerating. The Almendra system of suspension lamps created by Patricia Urquiola for Flos manages to combine two fundamental aspects of contemporary design: the sensual atmosphere of lighting, and the reduction of environmental impact to a minimum.
Almendra by Flos, Design Patricia Urquiola – Photo © Tommaso Sartori
The two diffuser flaps, a metaphor of the almond as a source of precious energy (hence the name in Spanish), spread gentle, soft light thanks to the optical guide system of Edge Lighting technology, capable of creating luminous comfort combined with functional efficiency. This quality is perfected by means of the possibility of positioning the lighting ‘shells’ upward or downward, also in the same fixture, obtaining different types of light.
Almendra by Flos, Design Patricia Urquiola – Photo © Tommaso Sartori
The modules can be assembled in various ways, personalized and extended. With the flaps attached directly to the curved branch-like element, they generate striking organic compositions that float in space; positioned on a linear stem, they give rise to a series of solutions with 3, 4 or 6 lights, ideal for placement over large tables.
Almendra by Flos, Design Patricia Urquiola – Photo © Tommaso Sartori
Almendra also embodies Flos’s constant focus on sustainable production. Both the opaque and the transparent parts are made with polycarbonate derived from a by-product of paper production, known as tall oil, a liquid that emerges in a natural way during the process of extraction of cellulose from wood. The stem and the lighting device are in 100% recyclable extruded aluminium, mounted without glues but only with invisible bolts.
Almendra by Flos, Design Patricia Urquiola – Render © Manuel Carvalho & Nazara Lázaro
The production process is based on strict criteria of Life Cycle Assessment, in line with the dictates of circular economics to monitor the entire life cycle of a product, from the sourcing of materials to their disposal. Every part of Almendra can be dismantled and properly recycled, depending on the material of which it is made. To facilitate correct disposal, indications of recycling class have been engraved on the aluminium body and the polycarbonate petals.
Almendra by Flos, Design Patricia Urquiola – Render © Manuel Carvalho & Nazara Lázaro
Almendra by Flos, Design Patricia Urquiola – Render © Manuel Carvalho & Nazara Lázaro
The reference to nature can also be seen in the choice of colors, developed together with Flos design curator Calvi Brambilla, with hues derived directly from the object that has inspired the lamp’s design: the almond.
