A pioneer in contemporary lighting for more than 50 years, Robert Sonneman continues to create illumination that pushes the boundaries of design and technological innovation.
LOCATION | Larchmont, NY. STUDIO: 8,000 square feet.
MEDIUM/SERVICES | Lighting that integrates art with technology, made of such modern materials as chrome, stainless steel and glass, for commercial and residential use.
LATEST PROJECT | A reimagination of Sonneman’s iconic lights from the 1960s and 1970s for the RH Fall 2016 collection done in solid brass. Having moved on to approaching product with high-tech methods, revisiting the fabrication style required brought the designer back to the era of hand forged, one-at-a-time processes.
WORK LOAD | The Sonneman team releases an average of 100 new products in 30 collections annually. Favorites this year are Suspenders, Inside Out, Grapes and Stix.
BUSINESS MANTRA | Good design is a state of mind, as well as a state of being. Achieved by the power of the vision, it demands attention without limits, the passion to do it well and the character to accept no less than your best.
HONORS | Sonneman’s work has been exhibited at NYC’s MoMA and Cooper-Hewitt Museum, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, and Philadelphia Museum of Art.
EXTRA CURRICULAR | Active in design education, Sonneman lectures frequently and serves on the advisory boards of Pratt School of Architecture, Parsons School of Design and ArtCenter College of Design (CA).
Q&A
What are the trends we should look for in 2017?
I generally avoid trends as guides to inspiration. I don’t try to be different for its own sake. I try to bring a new or interesting approach to the design objective.
What comes first for you, technology or aesthetics?
I normally think in terms of a hierarchy of form, construction, application and utility, but the process is so integrated that … it evolves into a synchronous process from conceptualization through development … producing a constant push-pull between achieving the aesthetic vision and realizing the functional purpose.
What is one of your key design objectives?
Keep the idea simple and straightforward, and execute it as minimally as possible.
What would be your ultimate lighting project?
Scale is our next frontier. It would be challenging to imagine a broad lighting application for a big architectural project. It would push us to investigate, innovate and discover new insights.
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