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I n t r o d u c t i o n

I n f l u e n c e o f A r c h i t e c t u r e

S c u l p t u r a l D e s i g n

I n d u s t r i a l M a t e r i a l s

L i g h t i n g i n D e s i g n

E n e r g y E f f i c i e n c y

E n v i r o n m e n t a n d M a r k e t

T i m e l i n e

B r i e f

B i b l i o g r a p h y

“To become a lighting designer it is necessary to understand

the role of lighting in revealing the beauty of an area”

Christopher Cuttle, 2003

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i n t r o d u c t i o n

i n f l u e n c e o f a r c h i t e c t u r e

I began this project looking at the things I love most about design. I felt if I was to get the best out of myself and produce something as well as possible then I would have to enjoy researching it, designing it and making it. So firstly here is a list of the words I jotted down that would inspire the beginning of the design journey I would embark on for my final major project:

Structure Simplistic Architectural Modern Organic Sculptural Industrial

Obviously this is quite a mixed bag so I decided to focus on creating a simple, clean, structural and modern product. As I go along I may dip into one or two other areas but my primary focus will be to keep to inside this bracket of design.

So what would I like to design? Something I felt could experiment with and keep within the barriers I set myself. I decided to look into lighting as I felt I could put something personal into the design. There are, of course, a lot of contemporary lights and lamps on the market. To set mine apart I will delving into using recycled materials, looking at lighting materials not often experimented with and focussing on structural, sculptural design so that even when the light isn’t on, it still has a presence in the environment it’s in.

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When I decided to look into structure in design I started by looking into architecture, a subject that has always caught my eye, something everyone can admire. From coming to Newcastle in my first year, one of the first things I experienced was the diverse buildings and bridges. The Baltic, Millennium Bridge, Tyne Bridge and the buildings along Grey Street all had a great presence in and around the city. The mixture of historical buildings and new designs made for interesting viewing and really highlighted the culture of the area.

Last year I had the incredible experience of going to New York City for a week, soak in a new culture, explore the urban metropolis and be inspired by all that I saw. The architecture and landscape is one of the first things you think about when envisage New York. Memories of buildings created 60 years ago still standing so relevant today and having an impact on a city constantly evolving. A highlight was to go to the Guggenheim Museum and admire the unique curves and forms of such an Iconic building that sits closely to central park, situated away from the noise of the city.

I really feel architecture can inspire my lighting project. Modern sculptural forms can live long in the memory and give an environment a different demeanor. When you see the Guggenheim stand out proudly amongst the harsh concrete jungle you wonder why the same cannot be done in smaller environments like a home or work area. A product with a functional use as well as sculptural form that can enhance the environment it’s in.

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Although looking into structure may lend itself more to architecture and buildings it also has relevance to sculptural forms. Whether this be purely artistic or partner itself with design you can see that sculpture itself has inspired a lot of furniture and products over the years, even causing you to question its function or whether it even has one.

Structure could be seen as doing the main job in the relationship as it holds the construction side whereas sculpture can often be used purely aesthetically. In making my light I will be looking to incorporate both. I want it to function well, last a long time through being produced to a high quality but I also want it to look beautiful and add character to the environment. Its form will follow function but they can be equally as important.

Sculpture will be as big an inspiration to me for my light as architecture is. Both areas explore forms of structure and can stand on their own as either pieces of art or functional objects or areas.

Both areas experiment with materials and form to create unique objects and buildings. Sculpture being the broader subject can inspire transport design, furniture, products and even buildings. I am sure it can inspire my lighting designs too.

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i n d u s t r i a l m a t e r i a l s

Here is perhaps where I may break a few rules as trying to be quite narrow with regards to what materials I may wish to use can change as development progresses. However, with industrial materials I wanted to work towards making a modern product thats looks modern, so the inclusion of aluminium and stainless steel will be something I want to experiment with and find out how easy it is make using these materials in a production process.

I can see myself doing more research into regional production or use with these materials to further my understanding otherwise I would have no problems implementing wood into my design. One thing I wanted to do was keep my product economically friendly and use materials that either have been, or can be recycled.

Learning what I can do with these materials will not only be interesting but help me in my development and any future projects I may have. By looking at lighting, one of the most common materials to be used is glass, thanks to its transparent qualities. I understand glass making to be a very skillful process and and it would be unrealistic of me to think I could do something with it unless I retrieved it from elsewhere or got something custom made for my design but its not a necessary part plus there are plenty of alternatives.

As a quite open area of my design I feel happy to do more research and experiment with different materials on the basis that the design still works and it can be viable for production.

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There is a wide range of lighting from task lamps and table lamps to floor and ceiling lights some are to create an atmosphere, for example in restaurants or to fully illuminate rooms.

I want the light to be a visual experience whether on or off. In essence a light which is switched off is no longer a light but a physical object, so creating a beautiful form so when the light is off so it still has a presence is a must. It should add to an area instead of distract you from it and trying to make it fit in a range of environments is an exciting challenge.

The opportunity to make a functional light made from eco-friendly materials that adheres to the sculptural but structural aesthetic and gives its environment that lift is obtainable with some experimentation and research. My goal is to tick these boxes without losing sight on the simple function it must do. I have to gain an understanding of light design and what is achievable.

“A light is not simply a three dimensional form: it both occupies space and exists as a means of revealing and describing space” Elizabeth Wilhide, 2010

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e n e r g y e f f i c e i n c y

It seems to be more and more important that we save energy these days. Lightbulbs have now developed from Incandescent to Halogen and LED energy saving bulbs which reduce energy costs and last longer but coming in at a more expensive retail price.

e n v i r o n m e n t a n d m a r k e t

t i me l i n e

b r i e f

b i b l i o g r a p h y