Something about the name Metalarte rings familiar, not only because of my abiding affection for the manipulation of aluminum, bronze, tin, and steel into all manner of artistic creation, but also because somewhere along the line I’ve come across their ilk before—that is to say, a Barcelona-based company that occupies a “new space for the concept of an ancient alchemist: to produce light in ways yet to be discovered… all of this impregnated with natural lighting, a paradox in the case of creators of lamps.” Light, for Metalarte, is not just an abstract concept but rather the very medium of their design, the very stuff with which they forge said aluminum, tin, and steel. The philosophy shows in regards to the recent Mate indoor/outdoor lamp, a slim, tall column of white light with all the personality of… well, your best mate.

Mate. Designed by Geert Koster for Metalarte.

Bringing the Indoors Out

Mate is made of white satin steel, which is surely durable enough to withstand the sometime rigors of the nighttime air. For though neither Metalarte nor designer Geert Koster declare it so, the high perch of Mate’s light source begets all manner of unusual usage. The range of said uses certainly transcends the expected ones, such as a relaxing afternoon of reading, or garden lighting for a cozy patio get-together. Judging from the powerful glow of Mate’s rich and luminescent triangle of light, in fact, the lamp might work for more ambitious illuminations: mealtime ambiance for a dinner with eight, center court lighting for a nightly game of tennis, a beacon for small aircraft. I kid, of course, but I trust the point is taken: Mate is an attractive and versatile piece inspired by creative flights of fancy—surely it will inspire users in turn.

Via NotCot.