Moon Lighting Acoustics by Thomas Bernstrand - Abstracta

Two important factors behind a room’s atmosphere are its soundscape and its lighting. The Moon acoustic lamp is a superbly orchestrated fusion of lighting and acoustics by designer Thomas Bernstrand, who has coupled his long experience in the former with his deep interest in the latter.

A globe-shaped lamp of functional precision, innovative design and exceptional acoustics, Moon provides directed lighting quality of the highest order. Its shape and generous scale allow it to absorb both high- and low-frequency ambient noise effectively. “I’ve given a lot of thought to outer space and the Moon – to the kind of vacuum that exists there. A place with light, yet utterly silent,” remarks Bernstrand.

Aesthetically speaking, Moon is characterized by elegance and perfect execution. “By combining two classic lamp shapes – a globe and a cone hidden within the globe –, I was able to create a spherical lamp that offers directed light,” explains Bernstrand.

Every detail has been thought through and all the materials have been chosen with care. Sound-absorbing felt and textile fabrics are paired with metal. And its functionality knows no bounds: Hidden inside the globe is an LED driver, while the luminaire itself is recessed within the lamp to provide glare-free, directed light. Moon employs standard DALI control and even lets you adjust lighting temperature with ease. Its default setting is 2700 Kelvin (K), but this can be raised to 3000K or 4000K, for those who prefer whiter, cooler lighting. The luminaire’s micro-prism can also be easily replaced with a different one.

In designing Moon, Bernstrand left nothing to chance. Following two years of development work, he worked closely with Abstracta’s product developers to arrive at a lamp whose shape not only produces really good lighting but maximises acoustic impact. The lamp’s housing consists of two acoustic felt blankets, each with its particular properties. And thanks to clever construction, even the air within the lamp serves as a sound-absorbing material. This results in exceptionally high acoustic performance, very low material consumption – and, thus, a very lightweight lamp.

Moon’s acoustic blankets are partly made of reclaimed polyester from recycled PET bottles. Like all Abstracta products, it is covered by the company’s Zero Waste service, a recycling program for end-of-life Abstracta products. Moon is fire rated and can therefore be employed in all types of spaces.

It is supplied with a stylish, textile-covered cable that is reinforced, thus eliminating the need for any suspension wires. The cable is available in several colours to harmonise with the felt blanket, which itself is available in light grey, dark grey, beige, and dark blue. The luminaire parts are either high-gloss white or matte black, depending on the colour of felt you prefer: white for light grey felt, and black for beige, dark grey and dark blue felt. Moon is easily installed and can be arranged in a variety of ways: in clusters, in rows, or solitary. Its acoustic effects, however, vary depending on where and how it is positioned in a space.

Moon mainly absorbs conversational noise – both high-frequency and low. This makes it ideal for environments like restaurants, lobbies and co-working spaces. But its placement in such a space also matters. If installed in a corner, Moon primarily absorbs low-frequency, bass noise from conversations. When positioned more centrally, it mutes the higher frequencies, instead.