Downtown Design
redazione 17/09/2026

Dynamic by nature

Scoiattolo is the new lighting system by Martinelli Luce: a playful yet functional solution for personalising spaces through light

Over the years, Martinelli Luce has developed a design approach that is both innovative and imaginative. Its creations draw directly on everyday life, shaping original aesthetics while responding to practical lighting needs. Yet, more than 70 years after the company was founded, the brand has lost none of its ability to surprise. Each creation is immediate in both form and function – and often its very name perfectly evokes its character. Yet behind this apparent simplicity lies a sophisticated technical complexity that brings something genuinely new to the lighting industry.

This is also true of one of its latest collections, Scoiattolo. Designed by Emiliana Martinelli, the second generation at the helm of the company, Scoiattolo stands out for its dynamic, highly effective nature, expressed through an essential and versatile design. Its essence is perfectly captured by its designer: “It is a lighting system that travels through space, like a playful squirrel jumping from branch to branch.” Conceived as an architectural lighting element, Scoiattolo leaves room for imagination and creativity within interiors, guiding the eye through the space or revealing itself only where needed.

At the heart of the system is a four-pole cable developed specifically by the company, which performs the dual function of structural support and power distribution. Freely configurable – even “jumping” from one wall to another – it can illuminate an entire environment while creating ever-changing pathways of light.

Scoiattolo by Martinelli Luce, design Emiliana Martinelli 02
Scoiattolo by Martinelli Luce, design Emiliana Martinelli 03

The lighting elements are equally versatile. Providing direct light, they can be fixed or adjustable, attached directly to the power cable in different positions or suspended from it, breaking free from the rigidity of conventional fixed modules. Efficiency and flexibility are further enhanced by the option of a DALI controller, which enables individual management of each light source and a high degree of lighting customisation.

Reconfigurable both spatially and over time, these elements create a system that evolves alongside changing design requirements, adapting to a wide variety of settings and user needs. From residential interiors to hospitality spaces, museums and offices, the possibilities are limited only by the imagination.

Thanks to this distinctive character, Scoiattolo has received the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD 2026, recognising its innovative qualities as an open, modular system. Through a playful and interactive approach, it transforms the relationship between light and architecture, allowing light itself to shape spaces and create new connections.

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