Andrea Mancuso’s LUMIAC chandelier animates Nilufar during Milan Design Week 2026

Andrea Mancuso’s LUMIAC, a kinetic chandelier that behaves like a living machine, was installed at Nilufar’s historic venue on Via della Spiga during Milan Design Week 2026. The name LUMIAC stands for Light Unit Mechanized Intelligence Apparatus Computer, referencing MANIAC, one of the earliest autonomous computers from the 1950s. The chandelier features a cast aluminum structure with articulated arms resembling bones branching from a spine, ending in blown glass spheres that emit soft light. Motors in the central core animate the arms through synchronized movement, controlled by a remote system that coordinates dimming and motion. Mancuso’s research-based studio designed LUMIAC to explore the dialogue between organic gesture and artificial thought, bridging past and future. Images by Filippo Pincolini.