Lighting Design
WAVES OF LIFE LOFTED LAMP
Waves of Life is a lamp study where I used Rhino lofting to turn a family of curves into flowing surfaces, then translated them into stacked acrylic slices that shape light into soft ripples. The result is a small ambient lamp that feels alive when lit.
Year :
2024
Industry :
Industrial Design
Project Duration :
3 weeks
DESIGN INTENT :
The intent was to capture the rhythm of waves and translate it into form and light Using lofted curves I wanted to build a lamp that feels fluid even though it is made from stacked rigid sections The goal was not just to make a source of light but to create an atmosphere where repetition and rhythm turn into presence
RESEARCH AND INSIGHTS :
I began by looking at how light interacts with layered and lofted surfaces Lamps with stacked or sectioned forms often create dramatic shadow patterns but many feel busy or over designed My goal was to keep the form minimal and let the sections themselves shape the atmosphere I studied how wave profiles change across curves and used those as the base geometry for lofting in Rhino.
The insight was simple repeating sections can be more powerful than decoration When light passes through thin slices and gaps it naturally creates rhythm and movement almost like watching ripples on water.
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT :
The design started in Rhino where I drew a family of wave curves and lofted them into flowing surfaces I then sliced the surface into layers that could be laser cut from acrylic sheets This process let me control the rhythm of the waves while keeping the structure simple and repeatable.
I prepared cutting files and tested different section spacings to see how tight or loose the rhythm should feel Smaller gaps created a more solid form while wider spacing allowed more light and shadow play The goal was to find a balance where the lamp felt sculptural even when switched off but came alive once lit.
PROTOTYPING AND MAKING :
Once the cutting files were ready I moved into fabrication The acrylic slices were laser cut and then aligned onto a universal lamp base I tested different orientations and adjusted spacing until the rhythm of the waves felt balanced and the light diffusion looked smooth.
The challenge was keeping the slices aligned and consistent because even a small shift changed how the whole form read I experimented with stacking order and tightening tolerances until the lamp started to feel like one sculptural piece instead of separate sheets.
This stage was where the project really came alive Light transformed the stacked acrylic from flat layers into a surface that looked fluid and dynamic.
FINAL OUTCOME :
The finished lamp captured the idea of waves in a compact form The stacked acrylic sections created flowing curves that shifted with the light turning a simple table lamp into a sculptural object The glow highlighted the rhythm of the slices while the shadows stretched outward like ripples across water
Even when unlit the lamp held presence through its geometry Once lit it transformed completely becoming less about the object itself and more about the atmosphere it cast The project showed me how much expression can come from repetition and simple geometry when paired with light
Reflection :
For the Lofted Lamp I’d like to experiment with frosted or thicker acrylic to soften diffusion and create a more subtle glow I’d also like to scale the design into a wall mounted version or even explore wood veneer slices to see how a warmer material changes the rhythm and atmosphere
Next Steps :
If I take this project further I’d like to build a larger version to see how the rhythm of the waves scales in a room Beyond that experimenting with frosted acrylic or wood veneer could change the way light diffuses through the slices Finally I’d explore integrating an LED channel so the light source is hidden and the form feels even more seamless
More Projects
Lighting Design
WAVES OF LIFE LOFTED LAMP
Waves of Life is a lamp study where I used Rhino lofting to turn a family of curves into flowing surfaces, then translated them into stacked acrylic slices that shape light into soft ripples. The result is a small ambient lamp that feels alive when lit.
Year :
2024
Industry :
Industrial Design
Project Duration :
3 weeks
DESIGN INTENT :
The intent was to capture the rhythm of waves and translate it into form and light Using lofted curves I wanted to build a lamp that feels fluid even though it is made from stacked rigid sections The goal was not just to make a source of light but to create an atmosphere where repetition and rhythm turn into presence
RESEARCH AND INSIGHTS :
I began by looking at how light interacts with layered and lofted surfaces Lamps with stacked or sectioned forms often create dramatic shadow patterns but many feel busy or over designed My goal was to keep the form minimal and let the sections themselves shape the atmosphere I studied how wave profiles change across curves and used those as the base geometry for lofting in Rhino.
The insight was simple repeating sections can be more powerful than decoration When light passes through thin slices and gaps it naturally creates rhythm and movement almost like watching ripples on water.
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT :
The design started in Rhino where I drew a family of wave curves and lofted them into flowing surfaces I then sliced the surface into layers that could be laser cut from acrylic sheets This process let me control the rhythm of the waves while keeping the structure simple and repeatable.
I prepared cutting files and tested different section spacings to see how tight or loose the rhythm should feel Smaller gaps created a more solid form while wider spacing allowed more light and shadow play The goal was to find a balance where the lamp felt sculptural even when switched off but came alive once lit.
PROTOTYPING AND MAKING :
Once the cutting files were ready I moved into fabrication The acrylic slices were laser cut and then aligned onto a universal lamp base I tested different orientations and adjusted spacing until the rhythm of the waves felt balanced and the light diffusion looked smooth.
The challenge was keeping the slices aligned and consistent because even a small shift changed how the whole form read I experimented with stacking order and tightening tolerances until the lamp started to feel like one sculptural piece instead of separate sheets.
This stage was where the project really came alive Light transformed the stacked acrylic from flat layers into a surface that looked fluid and dynamic.
FINAL OUTCOME :
The finished lamp captured the idea of waves in a compact form The stacked acrylic sections created flowing curves that shifted with the light turning a simple table lamp into a sculptural object The glow highlighted the rhythm of the slices while the shadows stretched outward like ripples across water
Even when unlit the lamp held presence through its geometry Once lit it transformed completely becoming less about the object itself and more about the atmosphere it cast The project showed me how much expression can come from repetition and simple geometry when paired with light
Reflection :
For the Lofted Lamp I’d like to experiment with frosted or thicker acrylic to soften diffusion and create a more subtle glow I’d also like to scale the design into a wall mounted version or even explore wood veneer slices to see how a warmer material changes the rhythm and atmosphere
Next Steps :
If I take this project further I’d like to build a larger version to see how the rhythm of the waves scales in a room Beyond that experimenting with frosted acrylic or wood veneer could change the way light diffuses through the slices Finally I’d explore integrating an LED channel so the light source is hidden and the form feels even more seamless
More Projects
Lighting Design
WAVES OF LIFE LOFTED LAMP
Waves of Life is a lamp study where I used Rhino lofting to turn a family of curves into flowing surfaces, then translated them into stacked acrylic slices that shape light into soft ripples. The result is a small ambient lamp that feels alive when lit.
Year :
2024
Industry :
Industrial Design
Project Duration :
3 weeks
DESIGN INTENT :
The intent was to capture the rhythm of waves and translate it into form and light Using lofted curves I wanted to build a lamp that feels fluid even though it is made from stacked rigid sections The goal was not just to make a source of light but to create an atmosphere where repetition and rhythm turn into presence
RESEARCH AND INSIGHTS :
I began by looking at how light interacts with layered and lofted surfaces Lamps with stacked or sectioned forms often create dramatic shadow patterns but many feel busy or over designed My goal was to keep the form minimal and let the sections themselves shape the atmosphere I studied how wave profiles change across curves and used those as the base geometry for lofting in Rhino.
The insight was simple repeating sections can be more powerful than decoration When light passes through thin slices and gaps it naturally creates rhythm and movement almost like watching ripples on water.
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT :
The design started in Rhino where I drew a family of wave curves and lofted them into flowing surfaces I then sliced the surface into layers that could be laser cut from acrylic sheets This process let me control the rhythm of the waves while keeping the structure simple and repeatable.
I prepared cutting files and tested different section spacings to see how tight or loose the rhythm should feel Smaller gaps created a more solid form while wider spacing allowed more light and shadow play The goal was to find a balance where the lamp felt sculptural even when switched off but came alive once lit.
PROTOTYPING AND MAKING :
Once the cutting files were ready I moved into fabrication The acrylic slices were laser cut and then aligned onto a universal lamp base I tested different orientations and adjusted spacing until the rhythm of the waves felt balanced and the light diffusion looked smooth.
The challenge was keeping the slices aligned and consistent because even a small shift changed how the whole form read I experimented with stacking order and tightening tolerances until the lamp started to feel like one sculptural piece instead of separate sheets.
This stage was where the project really came alive Light transformed the stacked acrylic from flat layers into a surface that looked fluid and dynamic.
FINAL OUTCOME :
The finished lamp captured the idea of waves in a compact form The stacked acrylic sections created flowing curves that shifted with the light turning a simple table lamp into a sculptural object The glow highlighted the rhythm of the slices while the shadows stretched outward like ripples across water
Even when unlit the lamp held presence through its geometry Once lit it transformed completely becoming less about the object itself and more about the atmosphere it cast The project showed me how much expression can come from repetition and simple geometry when paired with light
Reflection :
For the Lofted Lamp I’d like to experiment with frosted or thicker acrylic to soften diffusion and create a more subtle glow I’d also like to scale the design into a wall mounted version or even explore wood veneer slices to see how a warmer material changes the rhythm and atmosphere
Next Steps :
If I take this project further I’d like to build a larger version to see how the rhythm of the waves scales in a room Beyond that experimenting with frosted acrylic or wood veneer could change the way light diffuses through the slices Finally I’d explore integrating an LED channel so the light source is hidden and the form feels even more seamless