Stories Behind: Circus

Offering diffuse, accent, and reflected lighting effects, Circus provides designers with the flexibility to explore creative compositions, establish visual hierarchies and shape nuanced and immersive atmospheres. Designed by Antoni Arola, it embodies a new, integrated approach to lighting design.

The development of Circus was an evolving process. The initial idea was to create a system with different elements that could be combined in various ways to meet a wide range of lighting needs. In other words, a single collection capable of providing everything from general lighting to focused, accentuated, and more organic illumination.

To achieve this, a simple rail became the central framework—conducting electricity to allow components to be secured at various points and angled in different directions. Initially, the rail was more complex, but through extensive refinement it was gradually simplified. It was evident from the start that there was an element of suspension, lightness, and movement. The different rails, cables and suspended elements naturally evoked the image of a circus trapeze.

An essential aspect of the collection is its versatility. Arola envisioned Circus as a school of light—a system where different elements act like notes, allowing users to compose their own environment through light. Rather than being defined for a specific setting, the system is adaptable to any architecture, use or mood and, with just a few elements, people can create a variety of effects.

The collection offers direct light from small spots, indirect light reflected off reflective disks, closer direct light from hanging spots, diffused light from spherical diffusers, and directed light from traditional conical shades. The interplay of different sources and effects creates depth, visual hierarchy, and dynamic compositions, allowing designers to shape unique atmospheres. Circus also features coloured light, which, for Arola, can enhance the dynamic between natural and artificial light in meaningful ways.

In short, Circus was built on the belief that the quality of light directly impacts our sense of well-being. Technical and decorative light have historically been treated separately in lighting design, but Circus naturally merges them, representing a shift in mindset towards a more holistic attitude. It is a system with room to grow—a foundational collection designed to support many more elements as the culture of light evolves over time.