038 _ _MAR/APR 2019
Fresh Take
Lighting has long been a sector that combines
technology – such as OLED sources and smart
features – with traditional craftsmanship. Until
now, that craftsmanship was almost exclusively
courtesy of glass blowers, who use time-hon-
oured techniques to form diffusers in any shape
and colour imaginable. But since the launch of
Nove Lighting at September’s London Design
Festival, we can add cork processors to the list.
Founded by Manchester-based designer
Kirsty Saxon, Nove Lighting celebrates artisan
knowledge by working with a family-run enter-
prise in Portugal that processes the cork used
in all the brand’s luminaires. “They harvest
the bark by hand, with no machinery,” Saxon
explains. “I love that you can see and feel the
handcrafted quality in each piece we make.”
This labour-intensive method, employing skills
passed down from generation to generation, is
in danger of being erased with the proliferation
of machine-based cork production. But the
processes Nove employs not only respect tradi-
tion; they are also sustainable. Saxon sources
her material from aged cork oak trees, which
are self-regenerating, meaning the trees never
have to be cut down. After the trees reach 25
years, the bark can only be harvested every nine
years. The name Nove, which means “nine” in
Portuguese, is a nod to that interval.
After the bark has been gathered with great
care to avoid harming the tree, it is dried in the
sun, then flattened. Each of the cylindrical forms
that serve as bases for Nove’s pendants and
table lamps is cut from a single block of black-
ened or marbled cork. Metal detailing, in solid
chamfered brass and precision powder-coated
steel, adds a delicate touch of elegance – the
perfect complement to the starring materials’
natural beauty. novelighting.comNOVE LIGHTING’S CORK-BASED COLLECTION
BLENDS MODERN AESTHETICS WITH
TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES
WORDS _Samantha TseLight
and Bark