Bind is a hybrid lighting system that enables multiple atmospheres within a single space. Designed by Martín Azúa, it allows professionals to experiment with different lighting typologies and levels of density, modelling the space by generating gradients between soft and accentuated light. Azúa is renowned for his experimental approach to designing products and spaces. The seamless connectivity and versatility of the Bind system provide holistic solutions to even the most complex lighting demands.
For Martín Azúa, aesthetics and function are intimately connected and he avoids introducing anything into a design that is unrelated to its function. The goal with Bind was to create a collection that fades into the background, providing effective, intuitive lighting without demanding too much attention.
“The challenge was to simplify what is complex, and to create an object that is calm, reliable, and unobtrusive. Bind works almost silently until you notice it and realise it’s a very refined system.”
Referred to by Vibia as an “Atmosphere Creator,” the collection offers total freedom of composition, blending accent and diffuse lighting to craft nuanced atmospheres. A hybrid between technical and decorative lighting, it features ceiling surface and suspended track lighting, a conductive bar representing the central element from which multiple luminaires can be connected. Positioned freely and oriented to direct light in various directions, luminaires become tools to direct the gaze and define activity zones.
“My initial idea was to change the way the spotlight-track relationship worked. Traditional tracks are a U-shape, which holds the spotlights inside, but Bind is the opposite: a thin electrified plate where the spotlights connect through a clip-on system.”
During the design process, the system also evolved to include suspended elements, including Vibia’s Skan, Slim, North, Tempo and Tube pendant collections. The option of tunable white light allows the designer to shape the perfect ambience down to the last degree.
“Ideally, the user should see the space as a kind of set design. Many different things happen in a space, and Bind can accompany those different activities. I believe it can find many niches in people’s lives, whether for workspaces, domestic spaces, or even a more playful kind of lighting.”
“In every creative process with Vibia, there’s a moment when the designers take the lead. Developing all the conceptual ideas is a long process, but it’s required for such a technically complex product. In reality, what Vibia offers are tools to work with light.”
Bind moves beyond the concept of a traditional lamp to create a comprehensive lighting strategy, a technical system that adapts to the evolving needs of the user, resolving compex lighting requirements in the simplest possible way. Light is no longer a static element but an evolving tool that responds to our circadian rhythms.
“We tend to think of artificial light as taking over from natural light, but sometimes, they coexist. It’s not a static light; it’s a variable light. This changing light accompanies our different states of mind. During the day, we’re more active, and at night, we tend to move towards intimacy, seclusion. This transition can be interesting to work with.”
Like Vibia, Azúa believes that the quality of light is directly related to the quality of our spaces. From intimate corners to dynamic spaces, Bind allows the designer to curate scenes that connect with the user on an emotional level, guaranteeing a sense of comfort and wellbeing, no matter what the occasion.
