28 is an exploration of fabrication process which is part of Arbel's quest for specificity in manufacturing. Instead of designing form itself, here the intent was to design a system that produces form. Arbel developed a method that has loose parameters built into it which produce a different shape in every iteration of the fabrication procedure. Thus, every 28 made is formally different from any other 28 in existence.
Individual 28 pendants result from a complex glass blowing technique whereby air pressure is intermittently introduced into and then removed from a glass matrix which is intermittently heated and then rapidly cooled. The result is a distorted spherical shape with a composed collection of inner shapes, one of which is made of opaque milk glass and houses a low voltage (12V, 20W halogen/xenon) or our proprietary and replaceable LED.
28 pendants are designed to cluster in hexagonal shapes which nestle into each other to create patterns as dictated by the needs of the interior. They may also be clustered or composed in an ambient manner similar to their distant cousins the 14's. Standard 28's are made with clear glass exterior spheres and milk white interior glass cavities.
In
this video Bocci gives an insight into the manufacturing process of the 28 series.
