Starburst Pendant Light | Blackjack Lighting

Starburst takes one of the great mid-century lighting gestures, the sputnik, and rebuilds it for LED. Faceted spokes of plated steel radiate from a small central hub in every direction, and at the tip of each spoke a frosted lens glows. There are no bulbs, no sockets and no arms carrying lamps: the spokes themselves are the light fixtures, and the whole object reads as a frozen burst of energy hanging in the room.

The faceted spokes catch and throw back light, so even unlit the fixture sparkles, and when it is on the bright tips trace the outline of a sphere around the hub. Blackjack holds a US design patent on the form (D731,105S). It comes at 29.5 inches across in Polished Chrome, Satin Nickel or Brushed Brass, and at 39.5 inches in Polished Chrome. Chrome is cool and mirror-like, Satin Nickel softer, Brushed Brass warm and decidedly glamorous.

Design notes

• Light at the edges: each spoke ends in a glowing tip, so the light outlines the sphere rather than coming from a central lamp.
• Faceted metal: plated steel spokes with flat facets that reflect the room and the light around them.
• Two scales: 29.5 in (75 cm) or 39.5 in (100.3 cm) across, for a large room or a double-height space.
• Quality of light: 2,018 lumens (29.5 in) or 2,779 lumens (39.5 in) at 3000K and 90 CRI, with a replaceable light source.
• Patented form: Blackjack's own design, protected by US Patent D731,105S.

Specifications

Downloads

• Starburst 29 in specification sheet (PDF)
• Starburst 40 in specification sheet (PDF)
• Starburst 29 in instruction sheet (PDF)
• Starburst 40 in instruction sheet (PDF)
• Starburst 29 in LM-79 photometric report (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!" Starburst shows how far that goes: a classic sputnik rebuilt so that each spoke is itself a slim LED light, with no bulbs at all.

Questions

What is the idea behind Starburst?

A sputnik-style chandelier designed for LED from the start. Instead of arms carrying bulbs, every faceted spoke ends in its own glowing tip, so the light traces the outline of a sphere.

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 fixtures conceived for LED. The Starburst form is covered by US Patent D731,105S.

Which size and finish should I choose?

The 29.5 in comes in Polished Chrome, Satin Nickel or Brushed Brass and suits most rooms; the 39.5 in, in Polished Chrome, is for large or tall spaces. Chrome reads cool and reflective, Satin Nickel calmer, Brushed Brass warm and rich.

How does the light look, and can it be dimmed?

A sparkling, all-round light from the spoke tips: 2,018 or 2,779 lumens at 3000K and 90 CRI. It runs on 120-277V and dims on TRIAC, ELV or 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.