Finding your way back to wonder through Lodes’ luminous landscapes

In itself an art form, connecting the dots is about piecing together ideas of richness and vibrancy, of intricacies that rely on one another. As each element is of distinct value, once part of an amalgamation, the links it establishes with the rest allow it to unravel even more potently. Connecting the dots is powered by curiosity and open-mindedness–through mixing and matching, originality reveals itself at its rightful pace. Italian lighting pioneer Lodes takes this creative process to the next level with MAP, its latest ceiling and wall lighting system that is as innovative as it is liberating.

Developed in collaboration with Berlin-based design studio GECKELER MICHELS, what lies at the heart of MAP is a highly decorative tape, stretched between the various modules it connects. It simultaneously powers the entire system and renders limitless design possibilities. Beyond simply directing light where desired, the tape evokes the romantically charged theme of constellations and places it at the center of a lighting concept’s visual identity.

Founded in 1950, Lodes is rooted in a pure passion for light, and its mastery and allure shine brighter than ever at the present moment. Following a cultural shift indicative of the Venice-based company’s commitment to continuous learning in 2020, interestingly enough, MAP’s emotional skeleton seems to embody the nucleus of Lodes’ rapturous rebrand. Change does not mean losing oneself–it’s about meeting oneself again, with deeper understanding, new wisdom, a foreign spark. It’s about carrying forward what truly matters, leaving behind what doesn’t, and stepping into something new without knowing exactly where it leads. Correspondingly, MAP stands out with its freewheeling spirit, and its ability to creatively empower its possessor with ease.

Suitable for spaces with a single power source, MAP’s uniqueness lies in how it allows for customizable configurations that go beyond conventional track lighting or integrated LED strip systems. Through its supreme adaptability to any environment or space–from residential to business and retail–MAP grants architects, interior designers, and lighting professionals unparalleled design freedom. Flexibility at the core, the system’s conductive tape enables the free arrangement of luminous points and lines on ceilings and walls from a single power source. Dynamic compositions that in unison strikingly illuminate and aesthetically enhance a setting can be thus conceptualized. MAP comes in a trio of elegant matte finishes: black, champagne, and natural brown. The finishes can be applied to both the modules and the tape so that the lighting system has an uninterrupted, cohesive, and enchanting exterior.

MAP’s way of being mirrors a carefully choreographed dance. The circular module, its starting point, houses an LED board with tunable white technology, so one can select the optimal color temperature for the space at the time of installation. As fixed anchoring points, the lighting modules encapsulate a captivating, well-balanced aesthetic: the fabric bands wrapped around them are minimalist yet enveloping fluidity. The fabric tape gently runs through the body of each module. Starting from the primary module, power is distributed throughout the system while the power source is concealed. The tape is available in a reel measuring 8 meters in length and 5 cm. in width and equipped with specialized conductors. How it is tensioned between the several lighting points allows for, even in the absence of additional ceiling or wall power sources, power to be seamlessly and evenly distributed.

Somewhat resembling a crucial character of a gripping narrative, each of MAP’s modules measures 130 mm. in diameter and 63 mm. in height. It features a PMMA lens which is available in different variants to accommodate lighting requirements of all kinds–from focused directional lighting to more diffused ambient effects. Once the lens is set in place, the module is magnetically (and harmoniously) sealed. Modules can be further customized with an additional accessory. A thin mesh, the honeycomb filter is designed to be applied to the lens, and improve lighting comfort and reduce glare.

While the lighting system’s TRIAC version supports up to five elements (a circular module as its beginning and four additional light points), the DALI version allows up to eight elements (with seven additional light points). And yet, MAP is infinitely extendable. By connecting a non-conductive tape to a starting module powered by a separate circuit, the glowing structure can be enlarged and customized without bounds, adding as many light points as are needed.

MAP’s outstanding versatility eliminates potential design challenges such as low ceilings or the lack of ceiling lighting points as well because the system allows for the connection of a dedicated starting point to the wall. Equipped with a cover and a special angular mounting bracket to connect it to the ceiling lighting points, this non–illuminated module aesthetically blends with all other components to the fullest. MAP can be further enhanced through an indirect wall lighting application. Within a configuration of such nature, the lighting module is fitted with a screen that directs and diffuses light onto the wall and creates a visual effect similar to the ceiling-mounted version.

Founded by David Geckeler and Frank Michels in 2013, award-winning design studio GECKELER MICHELS is defined by its functionalist approach, one coupled with intrigue, in this way shaping a product’s multilayered identity and presence through the lens of human behavior and storytelling–as MAP powerfully demonstrates. Ever inspired by the history of design, contemporary technologies, and digital design techniques, Geckeler and Michels are immersed in the evolution of usage patterns and ways of expression. 

With headquarters in Berlin and Luxembourg, the research-led practice specializes in furniture, lighting, product, and spatial concept design with a strong focus on autonomous in-house studies and creative direction. GECKELER MICHELS has collaborated with prestigious brands such as de Sede, ewo, Fredericia, Karimoku, Muuto, Nespresso, Nike, Sancal, and Tecta. Their work has been showcased in distinguished venues including the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, the Bauhaus-Archiv in Berlin, the Reform Design Biennale in Copenhagen, and the Awazu House in Kawasaki, Kanagawa.

MAP will make its dazzling debut at Lodes’ upcoming exhibition at Euroluce 2025 during Milan Design Week (pre-register here). From April 8–13 at Fiera Milano, the celebrated brand will showcase an assortment of its latest innovative products. Through a multi-sensory experience devoted to light and design, Lodes’ Standard Bespoke and Out of Scale solutions as well as a brand-new outdoor collection inspired by nature will also be on display amidst themed environments to remember.

With its capacity to ignite desire in any space, MAP is characterized by its lasting emotional appeal as much as it is by its inventiveness. Frameless and not at the same time, the modular lighting solution invites one to play with light and connect the dots companioned by instinct and imagination. 

Lodes’ immersive exhibition will take place at Euroluce 2025 from April 8-13, 2025 (9.30 a.m. – 6.30 p.m.) at Fiera Milano in Hall 10, Stands C21-C23 / D18-D20.