SMA 24 in Multi-Light Pendant | Blackjack Lighting

SMA arranges nine of Blackjack's Novo Short pendants in a square grid and gives each one a 6-inch flat brim. Hung level from a 24-inch square canopy, the brims line up into a floating plane of thin, flat shades, with a small cylindrical pendant set into each one. It looks a little like a city of tiny pavilions seen from below, orderly and precise.

The brims shape the light as well as the look. Each one caps a short, compact LED pendant and directs its glow downward, so the fixture lights a table cleanly while keeping glare out of the line of sight. In total it gives 3285 lumens at a 90 CRI from a driver hidden in the canopy. SMA works especially well over a square or round dining table, an island or a meeting table, and the finish of faceplate, sockets and brims, Matte Black, Polished Chrome or White, sets the mood from graphic to gleaming to soft.

Design notes

• A plane of brims: nine Novo Short pendants, 1.6 in (4.1 cm) by 3.7 in (9.4 cm), each under a 6 in (15.2 cm) brim, hung to one level.
• Order in the cluster: all nine pendants hang to one level, pre-set to 72 in and field adjustable from 4 in to 103 in.
• Quality of light: 45 W of integrated LED, 3285 lumens at 3000K with a 90 CRI.
• Hidden driver: integral in the canopy, with universal dimming on TRIAC, ELV and 0-10V.
• Three finishes: Matte Black, Polished Chrome or White faceplate and sockets; White comes with a white backplate, the others with black.

Specifications

Downloads

• SMA specification sheet (PDF)
• SMA installation instructions (PDF)

Stephen Blackman and Blackjack Lighting

Blackjack Lighting is the studio of industrial designer Stephen Blackman, its President and Chief Design Officer. Trained in industrial design at Syracuse University, Blackman began his lighting career in 1984 at Sonneman Design Group, then founded Blackman Design Associates in 1988, designing decorative and architectural lighting for manufacturers including Kichler. He launched Blackjack in 2013 in suburban Chicago, now based in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, to build fixtures conceived for LED from the first sketch.

His argument is that the LED should change the shape of a light, not just its efficiency. Rather than hiding a new source inside old bulb-and-shade forms, Blackjack designs around the small, flat, cool-running LED: thin discs, slim rods, glowing rings and lenses that let the light itself become the object. In his own words, "Decorative lighting by its nature is not primarily about optimizing lamp efficiency, it is primarily about decoration!" SMA arranges one of his compact LED pendants, the Novo Short, into a calm, level grid shaded by thin brims.

Questions

What is the design idea behind SMA?

A level grid of nine small pendants, each under a flat 6 in brim, so the fixture forms a floating plane that directs light down and keeps glare low.

Who is behind Blackjack Lighting?

Industrial designer Stephen Blackman, President and Chief Design Officer, who has designed lighting since 1984 and founded Blackjack in 2013 to make LED-native fixtures.

Which finish should I choose?

Matte Black gives the strongest silhouette against a pale ceiling; Polished Chrome reflects its surroundings and suits glossy kitchens and hospitality spaces; White, with its white backplate, is the softest and most architectural.

How bright is it, and how is it controlled?

3285 lumens from 45 W of integrated LED at 3000K and 90 CRI. The driver sits in the canopy and dims on TRIAC, ELV and 0-10V controls.

What warranty does it carry?

Three years on the integrated LED source and LED power supply, and one year on materials and workmanship, for the original buyer in the US and Canada.