Created by Swedish design studio Front in collaboration with British designer Tom Dixon, the Melt Pendant Lampis a pioneering luminaire with what users describe as a ‘molten glass interior that gives the pendant a lava-like texture’. The design is a fusion of material experimentation, light art and surreal aesthetics that has become an iconic presence in contemporary lighting design. Below is an explanation of its core features and design context:
1. Design Concept: Lava-like dynamic solidification
Melt chandelier is centred on the mouth-blown glass craft, in which high-temperature melted glass is hand-blown to form an irregular sphere, with a surface texture that mimics the flow of lava in its natural form, and after solidification presents a texture that is coarse and smooth at the same time. Inside the glass, bubbles and layered structures are formed through special treatment, which are as calm as dark volcanic rock when not lit; when the light is turned on, refraction and diffuse reflection occurs when the light penetrates through the glass, activating the semi-transparent characteristics of the material, which makes the lamps and lanterns show a sense of flow in amber, smoky grey, or gradient colours, as if they were ‘awakened by the light of the lava rock’.
2. Technological breakthroughs and material experimentation
- Mouth-blown Glass Craftsmanship**: Continuing the respect for craftsmanship in Scandinavian design, the Front team worked with Italian glassblowers in Murano to control the cooling rate of the glass through repeated experiments, ensuring that each piece has a unique texture.
- Light and Shadow Interaction**: A hidden LED light source is used inside the luminaire. When light passes through the glass material, bubbles and irregular surfaces form a nebulous spot, casting dynamic shadows similar to lava textures in the space, enhancing the immersive experience.
- Fusion of industry and nature: Rugged glass forms contrast with precision metal frames such as brass or black coated steel, echoing Tom Dixon's industrial aesthetics while embodying Front's deconstruction and reorganisation of natural elements.
3. Scenic applications and decorative effects
The Melt chandelier reshapes the atmosphere of the space through its strong visual language:
- Commercial spaces: large clusters of Melt chandeliers are hung in high ceilings (e.g. in hotel lobbies or art galleries), where the light changes colour through the layers of glass, creating a dramatic ‘underground lava cave’ effect.
- Residential spaces**: Small single-light models are perfect for dining rooms or study focal points, with warm light cast through amber glass onto wooden table tops, creating a warm and mysterious environment for dining or reading.
- Colour Customisation: In addition to the classic amber colour, customised versions in anthracite grey, dark blue or a two-tone gradient are available to suit a wide range of styles such as minimalist, industrial or vintage.
4. Design Background and Brand Collaboration
- Front's design philosophy: Swedish studio Front is known for its out-of-the-box work, which often combines natural forms with technological experiments (e.g., clay hangers ‘designed by animals’), and the Melt chandelier continues this philosophy of ‘pushing the material possibilities to the limit. The Melt chandelier continues this philosophy of ‘pushing the boundaries of material possibilities’.
- Tom Dixon's industrial aesthetics**: British designer Tom Dixon specialises in combining metal and glass, and the Melt series is a continuation of his exploration of the ‘materiality of light’, forming the polar opposite of the aesthetics of light and shadow with his previous collaboration, the Lens Lamp (prismatic chandelier).
- MILAN DESIGN WEEK DEBUT: First presented at the Milan Furniture Fair in 2015, the collection is set in an abandoned opera house, where the contrast between the darkened space and the lava light reinforces the surreal narrative of the work.
