Specimen 01 is a table lamp inspired by microscopic ocean life. It is the end product of a fifteen week lighting design studio in the Spring of 2013.
Specimen 01 takes inspiration from the radiolarian, a single-celled ocean-dwelling organism that generates an elaborate and beautiful protective skeleton from abundant ocean minerals.
To do rapid form exploration, I developed a process in Grasshopper to map a pattern onto revolve forms of my creation. I used these models to evaluate the stance and proportions of the design, and how it conveys emotion.
I decided to embrace 3D printing as a viable solution for the creation of the complex lamp geometry. The other elements were created through traditional means.
I turned the base and legs of the lamp from kiln-dried Cherry wood blanks, and prototyped the internal dimmer circuitry using Arduino to allow for easy experimentation.
The finished lamp is ideal for use as a table lamp to provide practical illumination to part of a room. Turning the switch allows for the brightness to be adjusted.
