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Lighting design

154 optical lenses were used to create this sculptural chandelier

Object Density repurposes imperfect lenses to create lighting that celebrates their unique distortive qualities

Look long enough and you will notice the unusual elements used to create “The Lens Luminaire”, a lighting series by Object Density.

Through a close inquiry into an optician’s process and production, the Dutch design studio has realized an opportunity to reinstate the value of un-usable optical lenses, by highlighting their inherent beauty.

Unveiled in Eindhoven during Dutch Design Week as part of design hub Sectie-C, it draws upon the city’s history of lighting innovation while demonstrating the innovative use of an unexpected waste product. “It’s a physical expression of the past and present,” says Object Density. “We reflect upon how this interplay may shape its future.”

The collection began as a tangible convergence of inspiration, including the satire of New Objectivity architecture, and the detailing of contemporary luxury optics, to form a suspended light-based artwork.

The installation has been distilled to a collection of floor and desk lamps which, thanks to their modular design, can be customised to suit a variety of different spaces.

The Lens Luminaire _ lighting series by Object Density _ sculptural chandeliers

[ Lots of Dutch Design Week content will be coming. For now, check out the Interview with Jorn Konijn, Head of Program at Dutch Design Week.]

The Lens Luminaire project retains the fragility often associated with eyewear design thanks to a super-thin brass bracket, which houses a ​​dimmable 12V LED and echoes the silhouette and construction of display units found in high-end opticians. 

“We celebrate this as a living material that may slowly patina over time, a change in colouration that shouldn’t be deemed as ‘defective’,” explains the studio. To prevent unwanted blemishes, all parts are sealed with Renaissance Wax, a micro-crystalline wax with high resistance to moisture. It provides a hard, secure and invisible barrier against clouding, corrosion, fingerprints and oil, water and alcohol stains.

It’s an interesting source of inspiration that extends beyond production. 1% of every sale from The Lens Luminaire project goes to Vision For Life, a grant-making fund established by Essilor. It finances projects to address the needs of those with uncorrected poor vision and bring about socio-economic benefits for the individual and their communities.

[ We’re seeing a lot of out-of-the-box thinking when it comes to lighting design, don’t miss Rakumba’s Hangman lighting features bold geometries and a mischievous edge ]

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