Insight Lamp
Echo Sun
The Insight Lamp
The concept is a floor lamp with movable parts for the users to adjust the angle of the lamp and change the angle of the light as they desire. It switches on and off with a traditional string switch that is old but meaningful and playful, the sound of the switch clicking is also Improve the integrity of the experience. The lamp comes easily for assembly as it could be disassembled into several parts. The lampshade has a matte and sleek finish on the outside, which is smooth and safe to touch, with a contrasting interior of the Wabi-sabi style glaze that contributes to a surprising experience. In addition, users could see the reflection of the interior of the lampshade from the reflective brass plate, it lets users look into the lampshade without looking directly at the light source as it smooths out the light, as such the lamps will create a warm and healing mood for the enviorment.
Background
Technology is a double-sided blade, it is making things perfect, but perfect things are boring in the end, human do appreciate imperfection, such as handcrafted items. People gradually use smartphones and tablets to remote everything in their life, and always interact with a screen. But what are the things we can see, touch, feel before we have a smartphone, there is something that cannot be replaced by technology. Social media, the by-product of technology it brings the Fear of missing out, Inadequacy about life or appearance and anxiety to people's life, how could we see ourselves and our life more comprehensively and remind ourselves that we deserve that right to not be perfect and to embracing the Imperfection. The proposition of the project is to deliver a creative solutions for the problems brought out by technology.
Process
The process and material have been selected carefully following the guidelines of material driven design and emotionally durable design. The process of making ceramics using slip casting has been revised for a product design procedure. The design project explores the relationship between technology and tradition; perfection and imperfection; engineering and craft under the social background of the 21st century. and suggested a possible way of interacting with the products around users.
Moodboard
Ideation
Ideations have been completed following the two main steps, thumbnail drawings to explore the shape and the interactive function, and prototyping using 3D printing and slip casting to transform the drawings to objects that could be further tested with crafting techniques. Ideally, the shapes should be prototyped easily from a one to two-part mould for time efficiency.
Testing
Glazing is a core process in ceramic crafting, and it is the most difficult step to get right. Light testing went along with the glaze testing to see the colour differences between lights on and lights off. It is important that the glaze could show a different appearance to bring out the “surprise” experience. After the two rounds of testing, the method of adding white on top of Tenmoku worked well and produced a consistent result on different wares than other combinations which will be used in the final prototype. On the other hand, the best form to show this glazing method was the rounded shape that will naturally lead the glaze to form a dripping effect.
Working Prototype
Making the working prototype is a core part of this design project, there were several stages of prototyping and testing been done before the final concept and product. while having results of those processes, the final prototype has some reliable information that could refer to which greatly reduce the time it will take. The process started with making the ceramic lampshade before all the other components as there are holes needed on the ceramic for the fitting components. And this process must be done at first because ceramics could take a longer time to prototype especially on larger scales, and there will be shrinkage after firing which means the dimensions and position of the holes will change.
Impact
As mentioned before, the facts of the development of technology are a double-sided blade that could bring downside to human life in both mental and physical. The longer impact of the project could be mentioning people thinking about their relationship with the products around them.
