SSI 72 in Pendant Light | Blackjack Lighting

SSI is a chandelier made of falling points of light. Beneath a square ceiling canopy, 71.7 inches on each side and built from nine 23.9-inch modules, a field of Short Frosted pendants hangs on fine cables at carefully graded lengths. The drops are arranged in a spiral, so the cluster descends toward its center like a vortex, and each small frosted pendant glows softly at the end of its line.

It is an installation-scale piece that still feels light. From below you see a slowly turning pattern of glowing points; from the side, a cone of fine vertical lines. The canopy is only 2.5 inches deep and houses the drivers, so the ceiling plane stays clean. SSI is made for double-height entries, atriums, stairwells and hospitality spaces where a single fixture needs to fill the volume. Matte Black, White or Polished Chrome on the faceplates and sockets sets the tone, from graphic to ethereal to sparkling.

Design notes

• Many small lights, one form: 2 W Short Frosted pendants add up to 2924 lumens of soft, sparkling light.
• Spiral composition: drops of graded length descend in a spiral beneath the canopy.
• Modular canopy: nine 23.9 in (60.7 cm) square modules form a 71.7 in (182.11 cm) square, 2.5 in (6.35 cm) deep.
• Adjustable depth: pre-set to 72 in overall and field adjustable up to 102 in.
• Three finishes: Matte Black, White or Polished Chrome on faceplates and sockets; White comes with a white backplate, the others with black.

Specifications

Downloads

• SSI specification sheet (PDF)
• SSI 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!" SSI shows that idea at architectural scale, with small LED points composed into a single spiraling sculpture of light.

Questions

What is the design idea behind SSI?

To build one large sculptural fixture from many small lights. Short Frosted pendants hang at graded lengths in a spiral, so the whole cluster reads as a descending vortex of glowing points.

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 outlines the canopy and sockets for a crisp, graphic effect. White, with its white backplate, almost vanishes into a white ceiling. Polished Chrome adds sparkle among the frosted pendants.

What is the light like, and how is it controlled?

A soft, sparkling glow totalling 2924 lumens at 3000K and 90 CRI. Drivers are housed in the canopy and dim 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.