RADIANCE du EXTRAVAGANCE 04/03/08

Words  ::  Suzanne Boyd // Images  ::  Courtesy of Alex Vitet

Alex Vitet (Alex Vitet Design, LLC), has used Corian in previous designs and chose to incorporate a new ”translucent” formulation of this wonder-material in his most recent collection, Extravagant Light. 
For Vitet, it is about combining material experimentation with cutting-edge manufacturing techniques; so using the Corian material for his Parisian–inspired, American-manufactured collection was a natural.  
The contemporary elegance of Corian, combining the sophistication of marble with the warmth and flexibility of wood, offered the designer a strength and durability of material that belied its soft and sensual nature – the perfect melding of French sensuality and American sensibility. 
For the Extravagant collection, Alex Vitet chose a triad of working materials, each serving a specific purpose, but all working together to create the desired effect. The new formulation of Corian (Ice White) used for the lampshades provides a unique opaque translucency, perfect for the bas-relief trademark engraving. A glass covering on the bottom of the elliptical shade diffuses the light source and an aluminum top-plate absorbs heat and provides a base for the light’s anchor system. 
The collection comes in three lamp styles – floor, table and suspended – and will appeal to those who want to make a dramatic and dynamic statement. The lamp is meant to take centre stage in any environment.
Creating the lamp shades begins with a flat sheet of the Corian, which is then moulded through vacuum forming (a type of thermal forming), glued using a special method that results in an invisible seam, and finished with a hand-sanding. 
Alex Vitet likes to work with a theme, and chose for his light collection the theme of “chandelier.” “The chandelier art concept is a personal vision,” he says. “It is an allegory for translating the ‘lighting of the past.’” A chandelier graphic is de-bossed, or set in relief, in every Corian shade. The result is an intense white chandelier projection from the inside out.
“There is a fine line between art and functionality,” says Vitet. “In all my work, I am careful to design something that has an applicable function.” 
As such, Vitet’s lamps offer real efficiency in lighting a room. “I have created a specific lighting system for each application,” explains the designer. “Diffuse light is incorporated in a true working way.”
“I am committed to giving art life through function,” Vitet states passionately. “It’s what I hope I have accomplished with Extravagant Light.”
Normally the word ”Corian” conjures up images of kitchen countertops. After all, this renewable, repairable, recyclable surface material was revolutionary when first introduced by DuPont in 1967. But Corian has come a long way since its inaugural release and is now the material of choice for other lifestyle creations that go far beyond countertops. Clever designers are always looking for clever materials, and Corian is clever.  

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