Private Client / 2011
Triangle Lamp
Lamp Design
In this project, I explored how discarded objects can be given a new purpose through design. Materials sourced from second-hand stores were selected, combined, and transformed into a new lighting object, using the constraints of reuse as a starting point for creativity rather than as a limitation.
Overview
A lighting design experiment exploring how discarded objects can be transformed into a new functional object through creativity and design.
The Challenge
Can discarded objects be transformed into a coherent and functional lighting object?
The challenge was to work with the limitations of second-hand materials: objects with different shapes, sizes, finishes, and original purposes had to be brought together into a single ceiling lamp. Rather than designing the lamp from scratch and then selecting materials to match, the process had to work in reverse. The available objects became the starting point, requiring experimentation to discover how they could be combined, adapted, and reinterpreted.
It was not only a technical challenge, but creative one: finding a new relationship between existing objects and turning their differences into a meaningful design language.
Development
Sustainability and Creativity that drives the design concept
I decided to structured the design around the triangle as a visual and conceptual element, connecting the lamp to the three principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle while creating a coherent relationship between otherwise unrelated objects. The result is a study in material reuse, creative problem-solving, and sustainable product design, exploring how design can give existing objects a new purpose.
The project started with a small collection of discarded materials and objects: an old wooden triangle from a pool table, three conical wire structures originally used as plant hangers, and cotton thread.
The techniques combined repair, painting, refinishing, and handcrafting, with most materials requiring minimal intervention to preserve their original character. The cotton thread became the main handcrafted element, while even the electrical components were rescued from an old lamp and reused.
Exploration
With the materials in hand, the design process became an exercise in combination and experimentation. Instead of working from a fixed construction plan, I explored different ways of arranging and connecting the individual pieces.
I sketched possible configurations and repeatedly assembled, separated, rotated, and repositioned the components to understand how they could work together as a single object. The process was deliberately hands-on: each physical combination revealed new possibilities for structure, proportion, balance, and light.
Through this iterative process, I gradually identified the combination that created the right relationship between the three wire structures and the wooden triangle, establishing the basis for the final lamp.
The Solution
Each element that made up the lamp played a unique role. The wooden triangle provided a stable base and geometric reference, while the three wire structures added depth, repetition, and a lightweight three-dimensional structure. Cotton thread was used to connect and hold the different elements together.
I designed the lamp to integrate naturally into the space’s modern eclectic aesthetic. Its reclaimed materials complemented the wood flooring and white plaster walls, while its scale and light output provided the right balance of presence and illumination.
