For those readers who may have missed my earlier reportage regarding Maestro Robert A.M. Stern’s collection of library furniture for David Edward, here’s a brief recap: created with an eye to Stern’s abiding conviction that the exterior of a building is only beautiful so long as the interior is of an aesthetic to match, the collection features a line of study carrels and accompanying chairs that actually look as if they belong in the esteemed halls of Oxford or Cambridge, very unlike the shabby castoffs that so often degrade the erstwhile wonderful libraries of so many universities and colleges.

Crystal Pendant, part of the Rhythm Collection. Designed by R.A.M. Stern in Collaboration with Philips Lightolier.

With the Rhythm Collection of light fixtures, created by Phillips Lightolier in collaboration with Stern, the famed architect extends his theory of synergy from furnishing to lighting. And why should it be otherwise? Certainly the artificial means by which we give illumination, shape, and texture to a building’s inside is every bit the equal of the fiery orange ball that does the same to the outside? Stern, for one, would seem to concur. As would Phillips, whose “ground-breaking collection that uses architecturally inspired surfaces creates lighting that complements and enhances architectural spaces.” If “architectural” in this context refers to the intriguing and often surprising forms that result when function is foremost, than the Rhythm Collection is architectural indeed. Consisting of a 20 and 30 inch Crystal Pendant, a 17 inch Diagrid Wall Lamp, and two, three, and four foot Crystal Bath Vanity Lights, the grouping is as versatile as it is novel: Crystal is a severely linear and geometric affair whose profusion of diagonally-oriented trapezoids resembles an ivory wall of diamonds; Diagrid takes the diamond shapes of Crystal and rounds them out into a two-dimensional representation of same, which results in a look that’s simultaneously modern and futuristic; and Crystal Bath (which can be mounted horizontally or vertically) reminds me of an incandescent miniaturized pillar of salt.

Each of the pieces uses energy-saving CFCs, whose even and warm luminescence works perfectly with the Rhythm pieces, creating a uniform illumination that’s also a perfectly white cylinder of light. And while we all know that there’s no such thing as perfection in this trade, Stern’s answer to the often problematic lighting of interiors definitely comes close.