TEE by Valerio Cometti+V12 Design, a new chapter in Masiero’s lighting catalogue

Masiero, a leading Italian lighting design company, has recently introduced a new collection called TEE, designed by the Milan-based design studio Valerio Cometti+V12 Design, renowned for his simple yet elegant designs.

The TEE collection is characterized by its clean lines, warm finishes, and subtle decorative details. According to the design studio, the collection’s design is inspired by the simplicity of geometric shapes, which gives it a timeless quality that is both contemporary and classic.

One of the TEE’s strengths is its versatility, it can be used in a wide range of environments, from modern and minimalist spaces to more traditional and ornate interiors. The collection includes a variety of lighting solutions, from wall sconces to ceiling lamps, which allow for endless combinations and configurations.

Additionally, the collection caters to both indoor and outdoor spaces.

The Tee outdoor collection, which is part of Masiero’s Giardini catalog, was created to celebrate outdoor spaces through light in any architectural setting. It is a family of lamps that is highly versatile in its applications and modular in its configurations.

The indoor collection belonging to Masiero’s Dimore catalog upholds the same attention to detail and elegance as the outdoor collection. The luminous glass spheres are enhanced by delicate parallel spiral lines, creating a graceful and enchanting display of light.

The collaboration with Valerio Cometti+V12 Design represents a new chapter in Masiero‘s catalogue, offering a fresh take on lighting design that is both elegant and versatile. Its timeless quality and adaptability make it a great option for both residential and commercial use, and a must-have for any designer looking to create a cohesive and harmonious lighting scheme.

Following, more insights from the designer’s words.

What inspired you to create this collection? And how was its name chosen?

Valerio Cometti:

“This collection arises from the merging of my personal values as a designer with those of the Masiero Company. As usual, I aimed for an elegant and long-lasting design because I do not like “passing trends” and I believe that good design should be able to age gracefully without any rush.

Moreover, I wanted the clean and simple shapes that I love to contain a degree of expressiveness and emotion that I recognize in Masiero’s DNA, and that I thought should be offered to its clientele.

From a compositional point of view, I wanted to pursue extremely clean geometries, using primitives such as cylinders and spheres connected by solids of revolution.

Based on this formal foundation, I built a very careful and patient dialogue of proportions, and then I wanted the light to make the spheres that contain it vibrate: sinuous creases engraved on the lampshade light up when crossed by light, creating a measured but very attractive decoration.

In the lighting sector, I believe that light should always be the true protagonist, and for this reason, I wanted the light to make the project unique.

Another element that guided the development of the project was the desire to be able to build a very complete family of lighting fixtures in a quasi-modular way. Almost every space in the architecture that hosts them can find a suitable TEE lamp.

The name of the collection is perhaps a way not to take oneself too seriously, with a fun nod to the shape of the TEE used in the game of golf, which is so similar to the connecting union and lampshade in this family of lamps.”

What was the project’s journey like? Were there any changes / evolutions / upheavals during its development?

Valerio Cometti:

“From my point of view, the project had a particularly smooth and enjoyable path, without any trauma or upheaval. Initially, we had developed three different families, and the one that eventually became the TEE family immediately caught the attention of the client. From that first approval, there was a continuous exchange of ideas between the designers and the company to grow the collection and make it the wide range of indoor and outdoor lighting that TEE is today.

My studio is particularly inclined to follow the manufacturing and technical aspects of the projects we design, and therefore the dialogue with the company’s technical office, thanks to the expertise and propensity for discussion of its members, was particularly pleasant and stimulating.”

Can you describe to us how the choice of materials, colors, and finishes was made?

Valerio Cometti:

“The choice of materials was particularly straightforward and linked to the function they had to express, exactly the process we like the most. The use of rotational molding was proposed for the outdoor lampshades, aware that the undulations placed on the outside of the surface would have posed a manufacturing challenge.

We immediately optimized their geometry to facilitate their printability, and the rest was done by the Masiero Technical Office and the manufacturing partner’s ability. For the indoor collection, glass lampshades were used for greater preciousness and light enhancement.

The frames, in the many configurations available from launch, are made of metal, but again, we have to thank the company because, thanks to their great technical ability in finishes, they allowed us to express a precious, satisfying, but also very contemporary palette.”

In what way, from your point of view, does this complete collection represent an evolution of the Masiero catalog? What are its strengths in terms of commercial appeal?

Valerio Cometti:

“From my point of view, I hope that our contribution can be a pleasant addition to Masiero’s design language, but only the company can confirm it. Certainly, our approach based on simple but very strong ideas executed with extreme care is appreciated by the many companies we collaborate with, so I hope it will also be appreciated by Masiero’s customers.

From a commercial point of view, I believe it is not easy to find such a comprehensive collection right from the debut. Moreover, I hope that the TEE family can demonstrate its extreme versatility in being able to furnish both minimal and modern spaces as well as classic and decorated ones, and also to provide a curated and satisfying outdoor lighting solution in the garden.”

It’s not easy to design lighting that works well both indoors and outdoors. What were the key points in this development?

Valerio Cometti:

“That’s true, it’s quite an unusual result that I hope will reward the project. I feel that we have found a right balance between formal cleanliness and decorative expressiveness, making TEE lamps really suitable for a multitude of uses, moods, spaces, and environments.

We pursued a correct and balanced luminous behavior, and I believe that this aspect will prove to be successful both indoors and outdoors. I must confess that I really like the idea of being inside a living space, admiring a lighting fixture just a few steps away from me and seeing another one belonging to the same family positioned in the garden, outside: the mere thought gives me the sensation of an architectural project in which the interior and exterior are in balance, in continuity, and the use of lamps belonging to the same family, like a set of jewelry, could only strengthen this sensation.”

If you were to suggest it to architects and interior designers, which spaces would this collection be best suited for?

Valerio Cometti:

“I took a lot of time to answer this question, but honestly and sincerely, after observing the TEE collection for a long time, I really struggle to imagine spaces where it wouldn’t fit well. The mix of clean, almost timeless but very personal shapes, warm yet very contemporary finishes, graceful lighting decoration without becoming too cloying, I believe can appeal to a refined but very wide audience.

From a geometrical point of view, the TEE collection is extraordinarily rich from the launch, so a specifier can have fun with some small wall lights, or let loose with imposing chandeliers, through to hanging installations worthy of a hotel lobby. TEE is truly an elegant alphabet at the service of architects and interior designers.”