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Catastrophe Meets Collaboration in the Me and You Lighting Collection

05.30.24 | By
Catastrophe Meets Collaboration in the Me and You Lighting Collection
Photo: Pier Carthew

The Me and You lighting collection is an extraordinary tale of creation from calamity. The story begins in Melbourne, Australia, where, during an installation, Flack Studio was faced with an irreparably broken vintage wall sconce. They quickly called on their neighbor, Volker Haug, to design a fitting for the back plate that was already in place. What could have been a disaster instead became an opportunity for collaboration, and what would become a collection of decorative light fixtures introduced at Milan Design Week 2024.

Gallery interior with a wooden desk, a table lamp, and a narrow window with by brown curtains and ambient lighting.

Photo: De Pasquale + Maffini

The two studios began with the same fixed, 20 x 20 cm back plate, with the dimensions set as a design constraint. Much experimentation followed only for the duo to drop the parameters and allow the natural design process to take over. A shared aesthetic, friendship, and proximity to one another made for easy brainstorming, prototyping, and editing. Flack Studio focused on each light in-situ, while Volker Haug tackled technical and material features for an all-encompassing balance. The resulting industrial language speaks to a shared belief in material narratives – in this case, a limited range of brass, aluminum, glass, and fiberglass.

Modern interior featuring two abstract wall lighting pieces with circular designs set against a textured gray wall, with a wooden desk.

Photo: De Pasquale + Maffini

Aptly named Me and You, the range references their collaborative effort, but also the unique relationship between light and space. It’s this union that Flack Studio and Volker Haug see as the most important part of the design process, as it’s responsible for determining atmosphere and experience. Their decision to avoid strict design restraints across the collection pays off, instead looking to material and color to create diversity in style, proportion, and detail. More cousins than siblings, the wall lamps, pendants, and table lamp feel like family.

A table lamp with a cream shade and clear glass base, set against a dark green curtains and a wooden stand.

Photo: De Pasquale + Maffini

Interior with textured walls, featuring a corner doorway and three wall-mounted lights emitting a soft glow.

Photo: De Pasquale + Maffini

A modern wall-mounted light fixture with a square, metallic frame and multiple circular cutouts.

Photo: Pier Carthew

A modern wall-mounted light fixture with a square, metallic frame and multiple circular cutouts.

Photo: Annika Kafcaloudis

A modern wall-mounted light fixture with a square, metallic frame and multiple horizontal cutouts.

Photo: Annika Kafcaloudis

A modern wall-mounted light fixture with a square, metallic frame and multiple circular cutouts in production.

Photo: Annika Kafcaloudis

A compartmentalized wall lighting mounted on a light gray wall.

Photo: Pier Carthew

Detail of compartmentalized wall lighting mounted on a light gray wall.

Photo: Pier Carthew

Elongated compartmentalized wall lighting mounted on a light gray wall.

Photo: Pier Carthew

Detail of elongated compartmentalized wall lighting mounted on a light gray wall.

Photo: Pier Carthew

A square glass wall light fixture emitting a soft glow against a neutral-toned wall.

Photo: Pier Carthew

A minimalist light fixture with a spherical, segmented design in a hanging from a ceiling.

Photo: Pier Carthew

Detail of a minimalist light fixture with a spherical, segmented design in a hanging from a ceiling.

Photo: Pier Carthew

A person in a blue jacket holds a prototype of pendant lighting.

Photo: Annika Kafcaloudis

A rectangular wall lamp emitting a warm glow from its side, mounted on a light gray wall.

Photo: Pier Carthew

Detail of a rectangular wall lamp emitting a warm glow from its side, mounted on a light gray wall.

Photo: Pier Carthew

A modern wall-mounted light fixture with two cylindrical shades, featuring striped and polka dot patterns, illuminated against a gray wall.

Photo: Pier Carthew

Detail of a modern wall-mounted light fixture with two cylindrical shades, featuring striped and polka dot patterns, illuminated against a gray wall.

Photo: Pier Carthew

A single gold-colored ceiling spotlight mounted on a white surface, angled downward.

Photo: Pier Carthew

A sleek, minimalist pendant light with a long brass rod and a small, angled light, hanging from a white ceiling.

Photo: Pier Carthew

A cylindrical table lamp with a glowing neutral shade and a glass base with red detailing placed on a neutral surface against a light gray background.

Photo: Pier Carthew

Detail of a cylindrical table lamp with a glowing neutral shade and a glass base with red detailing placed on a neutral surface against a light gray background.

Photo: Pier Carthew

A cylindrical lamp prototype with a red detail sits atop a cardboard box in a workshop environment.

Photo: Annika Kafcaloudis

To learn more about the lighting practice, visit volkerhaug.com. For more on Flack Studio, visit flack.studio.

Kelly Beall is Director of Branded Content at Design Milk. The Pittsburgh-based writer and designer has had a deep love of art and design for as long as she can remember, from Fashion Plates to MoMA and far beyond. When not searching out the visual arts, she's likely sharing her favorite finds with others. Kelly can also be found tracking down new music, teaching herself to play the ukulele, or on the couch with her three pets – Bebe, Rainey, and Remy. Find her @designcrush on social.

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