Dining outside can be quite a beautiful thing – as the sun sets over a delicious meal, everything can feel just right – except, of course, when the night begins to fade. Enter Solae by Cecilie Manz, a portable, directional lamp that merges an ethos in nature with the quality and craftsmanship we’ve come to know and love from Fritz Hansen.

Solae marks Manz’s first rechargeable, portable lamp, offering new frameworks for how we might think about objects in the future. Constructed from a single extruded aluminum profile, the lamp balances versatility and function with architectural precision. Its dimming capabilities and carefully considered weight distribution are exquisitely tuned, resulting in a sleek and dependable companion from day to night.

Like a totem rising from the ground, a strong oval base extends upwards to meet a relatively light, circular top. Soft light radiates downward, gently illuminating the table below while expertly shielding the eyes from direct exposure to the source.

Manz approached the design from its architectural constraints inward, positioning components early to ensure elegant proportions and precise light direction. The extruded profile provides a seamless housing for the interior elements – a choice driven by durability, sustainability, and longevity, reinforcing Solae’s commitment to responsible manufacturing.

Equally at home by the pool, in a sunroom, or on a patio, Solae transitions effortlessly from indoors to outdoors and back again. While comfortable remaining in one place, it shines as a mobile companion, moving in step with the natural rhythms of daily life – there to assist, never to obstruct.

Solae also supports as a multi-light philosophy, favoring multiple small points of light over a single overhead source. This approach is widely embraced in dining, hospitality, and residential settings for its warmth and adaptability.

Dimmable in three modes, Solae shifts from a bright task light suitable for daytime use to a warm, sunset-toned glow ideal for evenings. The lamp is available in three finishes: Light Green, which features a satin anodized aluminum surface, as well as White and Warm Grey, both offered in wet-painted finishes for a softer, matte look.

Its modest height and compact footprint lend well to its portability, a satisfying weight grounding the lamp in space while still retaining a lightness of form. This contrast is no mistake. Manz created a multitude of rough cardboard models and prototypes, promoting the hands-on testing of scale, proportion, and illumination quality needed to refine the form.

This exploratory process reflects the same rigor shown within her furniture, tableware, and other electrified objects coming out of her practice. Simplicity and humanity meet in Solae, combining Manz’s meticulous approach with Fritz Hansen’s legacy of material honesty and architectural clarity.

“I paid a lot of attention to functionality, to the light itself and how it illuminates,” Manz says. “It was critical that it did more than provide ambient light. Solae should be something you can rely on, a proper light source. I wanted it to work in the centre of a table so you can see what you are eating, feel comfortable and not be blinded by the light.”

To learn more about the Solae Portable Lamp by Cecilie Manz for Fritz Hansen, please visit fritzhansen.com.

Photography courtesy of Fritz Hansen.

Growing up in NYC has given Aria a unique perspective into art + design, constantly striving for new projects to get immersed in. An avid baker, crocheter, and pasta maker, handwork and personal touch is central to what she loves about the built environment. Outside of the city, she enjoys hiking, biking, and learning about space.