Designer Michael Anastassiades merges poetry and precision to create enduring designs

Michael Anastassiades, a lighting designer born in Cyprus, has made a significant impact on the design world over the past two decades. With a background in civil engineering from Imperial College in London and a MA in industrial design from the Royal College of Art, Anastassiades' designs are as iconic as they are essential.

Anastassiades' philosophy is that great projects can only develop with great relationships. This belief is evident in his collaborations with renowned institutions and historical companies such as Svenskt Tenn, Kettal, Cassina, Molteni & C, Tacchini, Fritz Hansen, and the speculative design studio Dunne and Raby.

In 2013, he collaborated with Svenskt Tenn on a project called 'To be Perfectly Frank', a homage to Josef Frank's work. This was followed by the showcase of 'Cheerfully Optimistic about the Future' at ICA Milano in 2021, where he presented lighting objects made of bamboo, inspired by 19th-century artifacts.

Anastassiades' designs are unique and surprising in their interpretation of light and space. Some of his most notable works include the IC Lights series, Maasai Lamp, String Lights, Mobile Chandeliers, Tip of the Tongue collection, Peaks series, and Arrangements elements.

One of his earliest works, the Antisocial Light, lit up when there was silence in a room and dimmed with voices and background noise. The Tube Chandelier, the first lighting design under the Michael Anastassiades brand, was created in 2006. The design was an exercise of subtraction, aiming to suspend the minimum number of incandescent light tubes in a sculptural configuration. The supports for the Tube Chandelier were designed to be discreet, so only three glowing lines would be seen when lit.

Anastassiades' practice is connected to craftsmanship and culture. He often collaborates with institutions and historical companies, and his designs feature corners and folds that make the pieces both essential and intriguing to look at and use in a space.

In 2025, Anastassiades was honoured with the London Design Medal for his contributions to design. More recently, he has designed a ceiling fan that blends his restrained aesthetic with extreme functionality.

Throughout his career, Anastassiades has demonstrated a commitment to experimental designs and user interaction. His designs, such as the Message Cup and the Tube Chandelier, push the boundaries of what is possible in lighting design, creating pieces that are as much works of art as they are functional objects.

Designer Michael Anastassiades merges poetry and precision to create enduring designs