Rakumba is Australia's oldest brand specializing in the design, manufacture and marketing of high-end lighting. Based in Melbourne, Rakumba was founded back in 1968 as a ceramic workshop where founder Lindsay Betts created and made original vases and lamps. The name, which means "sunshine" in the Aboriginal language, pays homage to the peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation, the ancient owners of the land on which Rakumba was born and operates in harmony with local tradition. Purchased in 2009 by Michael Murray, the workshop soon grew into an internationally recognized company through the introduction of new materials, refinement of production processes and collaboration with established designers. The pursuit of perfection in every detail, the combination of traditional techniques and contemporary design, and the attention that each member of the small team of artisans, technicians and designers infuses into every step, from the design of a prototype to the delivery of a finished piece, are the keys to Rakumba's success. The brand's collections are at the high-end and are intended primarily for contract and luxury residences. The design team also offers consultations for custom designs and fabrications.
Rakumba's signature lamps, a meeting of technology and design
The Rakumba catalog offers a series of collections designed by the company's team of engineers and designers. The Parallels collection, declined in suspension and wall versions, is characterized by the elegant elliptical section of the tube that composes it, harmonious proportions and a minimalist mood. The length and finish can be customized to create a bespoke piece, while the ascending or descending lighting options offer considerable potential in lighting design. The City Lights pendant luminaire represents the perfect balance between current trends and minimalist instances, given by its purged forms. Each fixture can be used individually or as part of compositions with a strong aesthetic impact. Available finishes are polished brass, anodized aluminum or powder-coated in a choice of colors. Rakumba also offers a series of lamps with fabric lampshades, suitable for any environment, from domestic to contract settings, thanks to the possibility of choosing from the exclusive fabrics and wallpapers in the catalog. Great variety of shapes and applications, from the cylinders of the Bella table and floor lamp collections and the Introvert/Extrovert pendant lamps, to traditionally inspired flared lampshades such as that of Iris, featuring an elegantly pleated fabric on the outside and sound-absorbing fabric on the inside, or Tulip, made with an acoustic panel molded into sculptural petals.
Rakumba, the iconic collections of international designers
Italian Luca Nichetto stands out among the world-renowned designers who have contributed to the Rakumba catalog. His creation is called Argyle, and is declined in table, pendant and floor versions. Nichetto elaborates on the suggestions of blown Murano glass, a typical workmanship of his land, creating complex shapes that recall the facets of diamonds. The result is a lamp-jewel that is both essential and minimalist. The Dutch studio Truly Truly signs a remarkable collection, both in terms of the number of pieces and solutions proposed and the aesthetic impact. It is the Typography collection, declined in two lines, both modular and based on a track system. Typography Vela resembles a suspended sculpture, in which opaline glass spheres dialogue with decorative discs declined in different colors or finishes. The rods are available in black and white and compose a true system ranging from a single lamp to complex combinations that can be modulated horizontally and vertically, with ceiling or wall mounting. Typography Cilon exploits the same track system, on which cylindrical light fixtures of different lengths and decorative discs can be mounted. In addition to the tracks, the collection consists of individual elements such as the Typography Cilon Mini Wall lamps, composed of a circular base with a central cylindrical lighting body, and declined in dozens of versions, colors and finishes, or Typography Cilon Rib Wall, which sports a cylindrical lighting body in the elongated version, mounted on a concave metal support. Wall lamps are also modular as desired. Another iconic collection in the Rakumba catalog is represented by Mito, which bears the signature of Australian designer Tom Fereday. Characterized by great aesthetic impact, it sports a large, slightly concave, circle-shaped diffuser in which the track carrying the light fixture is inserted. The light source faces inward, so that the light creates a halo that reflects off the diffuser. More sculpture than lamp, Mito is declined in different natural materials, from Carrara marble to natural or black stained American ash. Table, wall and floor models are available.
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