Italian lighting manufacturer iGuzzini, known for its technically sophisticated architectural luminaires, has opened its first office-and- presentation space in the United States at 60 Madison Avenue in New York City. The second-floor 4,700-square-foot corner space overlooks Madison Square Park and provides an outlet for the company as it seeks to establish and grow its presence in the U.S. and the North American commercial lighting sectors.
The showroom’s location was selected for its proximity to the large number of architecture and lighting design offices in the area. The company, which was founded in 1958 in Recanti, Italy, envisions the New York space as a meeting place to celebrate what it refers to as “the culture of light.” One of the purposes of the facility is to introduce architects, lighting designers, and members of the greater New York design community to iGuzzini’s vast array of luminaire offerings, many of which are on display, but the showroom is also meant to serve as an outlet for the company’s solutions-based technical and design services, and it welcomes designers to call on iGuzzini’s New York-based staff for this purpose. This focus on service is integral to the company’s business philosophy, which intertwines design, research, sustainability, and attention to human factors. “We sell service, we don’t sell products,” notes company president Adolfo Guzzini.
It is also anticipated that the showroom will host lectures and events. Showroom manager Giorgio Pierini hopes to develop programs with affiliate design organizations such as the New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the Designers Lighting Forum of New York, and the International Association of Lighting Designers. “We want all design professionals to know that the space is here and available to them as a resource,” Pierini says.
