precision/flair
university project // a light to reflect my interests as a developing designer
Before moving into my final year of studies at the University of Dundee, this project gave me the opportunity to reflect on my past experiences as a designer, understanding the values I have grown to hold as I progress in my career.
// the brief
Design a light; where the final outcome embodies my experiences, influences, passions and values as a developing designer.
My direction as a designer focuses on developing my own unique style, forged by my interests of the work and mindsets of well established designers.
// inspiration: german precision & italian flair
I possess great admiration for contemporary German design. Renowned for functionality, efficiency and precision, these are unrivalled qualities which I strive to embed within my own work. I have ambition to develop my work around powerful values, with the intention of producing purposeful, meaningful and well considered products.
However, within this brief I wanted to take the opportunity to diverge slightly from the rational German approach. I aimed to forge my own design language, by fusing this precision and purpose with a sense of emotion and playfulness.
Taking inspiration from both Achille Castigiloni’s design approach and beautifully considered work, I had the intentions of creating a light that contains a blend of simplicity, technical skill, playfulness and emotion.
Designing a light gave me the opportunity to forge both the values of German precision and Italian emotion within a piece of my own design.
// thinking through making
The project involved driving my thinking through an iterative making process, to build on the foundations of my idea and develop a lamp that embodied my design values.
An extensive range of prototyping followed.
// manufacture
The precision/flair lamp was constructed using a combination of traditional and contemporary processes.
Frame & Base: Handcrafted layered plywood sheets, treated with wax. Base finished with brushed metal plates.
Inner Shade, Bracket & Pin: modelled on Solidworks and 3D printed with white plastic.
Light source: 48-LED warm light crystal bulb lamp, operated using a metal toggle switch. Electrical current transferred through a flex finished with bottle green fabric.
// the final design
Through a modular desk lamp, precision/flair aims to add tangible value to a working space.
The final design intends to connect with the user; a product that can adapt to their environment through playful yet practical interactions.
The precision/flair lamp is fully adjustable through a pin and track system, allowing the light source to be altered and rotated in a vast array of positions.
This movement through the tracks is made possible through the layering of plywood.
Keeping my design principles strongly in mind throughout this process, my approach consistently focused on one main intention: I simply wanted to create an object that people would love to own.
Lewis Hall // Designer & Creator