The Quebec-based lighting practice d’Armes, led by designers Alexandre Joncas and Gildas Le Bars, will debut Hyphen, a modular lighting collection consisting of three pieces: the Hyphe Pendant, Hyphen Table Simple, and Hyphen Table Double. The new collection will debut at this year’s International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), to be held from May 15-17, 2022 at New York City’s Javits Center.

Derived from the ancient Greek ὑφ' ἕν (huph' hén), Hyphen designates the union of two opposites as one; warm, soft, and sensitive porcelain, and cold, strong, and brilliant steel. Each piece will be available in several materials and finishes, including chromatic black cast steel, blasted black steel cast iron, and matte white porcelain.

Hyphen's curved luminaires can be used for hanging or standing. Hanging, the Hyphen collection's two cylindrical bodies are joined by a pivot offering multiple light positions and orientations, projecting a soft directional light. Standing, Hyphen is deployed in one or two parts that can be arranged in multiple
ways thanks to a support system that perfectly fits their shapes, and features built-in touch dimmers for ease of use.

Like every d'Armes luminaire, Hyphen is designed and manufactured in Morin-Heights, Quebec. Staying true to the practice's philosophy of working closely with specialized experts and skilled local artisans, the porcelain pieces used in Hyphen are made in the same village by ceramic artist, Gréta Jonckheere, who applied her expertise to help develop the collection. Each collection piece is made individually using custom-made porcelain molds, and is handled with the utmost care, requiring several manufacturing phases spread over multiple days.

"With Hyphen, and our work at large, we aim to design and manufacture lights that bring uniqueness to an environment, create an emotion, enhance a decor, and elicit curiosity," says Joncas. "Hyphen is unique in its form, in its production process of artistic collaboration, and in its use of porcelain and molding.

"We also choose to use light bulbs, where many designers don't. We find this design choice to be friendlier to the environment, as clients can then replace and 'fix' the pieces without having to return or change the whole lamp," says Le Bars.

With sustainability in mind, Hyphen comes in plastic-free packaging made of recycled, recyclable, and biodegradable cardboard, and is delivered using worldwide carbon-neutral shipping.

The Hyphen collection will be on display at ICFF at Booth #247 from May 15th to 17th.