We always love to see an easter egg in product design, and Samuel Wilkinson doesn’t disappoint with his newest lighting solution – a chandelier – produced in collaboration with Danish brand Astep. Sorpresa utilizes a specific mechanism that, once released from its paper sheath, expands from just a couple inches to just over 43 inches at its finished size. Delicate limbs splay outwards on the top and bottom of the shade, the user watching the light take shape before their eyes. “I wanted to create a piece that would intrigue. As its name suggests, the essence of the lamp is ‘surprise’. We looked at various collapsible objects for inspiration and found a traditional shaker wool winder. It was the low-tech expandable timber construction that I admired most, the simple movement and expression,” says designer Samuel Wilkinson.
A mostly opaque mesh shade hides the ghost of the sanded oak structure inside, criss-crossing arms keeping the shade tight. The showing but not telling is strong, allowing the user to bask in the setup rather than adding any frustration to the mix. Utilizing recycled and recyclable materials, each component of the Sorpresa chandelier is designed to come apart easily at the end of its life cycle to promote circular design. Interactive, delicate, and thoughtful, this mechanism holds promise for many other products in the future.
With many shaded lighting solutions, we’ll expect either a slightly cumbersome installation process or an unsightly shape, detracting from the scene rather than adding to it. All of these pain points are minimized if not completely eliminated with the lightweight Sorpresa system, allowing you to spend more time enjoying the glow.
“The intention was to give Sorpresa a strong yet subtle personality when both on and off. When off, the light source nearly disappears within the lamp but still revealing the distinctive frame, when on, the light source is presented like a floating orb in center of the volume with limited shadowing from the frame,“ Wilkinson says.
Samuel Wilkinson is a London-based designer who creates work that balances form and function in a crisp, meaningful way. Sustainability is always at the forefront of his studio’s work, spanning multiple industries and creating cherished products along the way. You might be familiar with his work already, be it the LATIS Series, the Zymbel candelabra, or the TUBA Chair.
As much about sustainability as usability as a certified B-corporation, Astep believes that enduring design is about designing it well in the first place. Alessandro Sarfatti evokes the words of his father, Gino Sarfatti: “‘We must work in all directions, and in each one find a small amount of innovation’ – my father used to say this, and he was right; because as long as we move forward, towards something that’s more meaningful, more respectful and more relevant – each step is as valuable as the other, deserving the same consideration and respect.” This tells all about the ethos of the company, deriving great satisfaction by working closely with designers to produce what’s new, with the distinction to keep said pieces timeless.
To learn more about the Sorpresa Collection, visit astep.design.
Photography courtesy of Samuel Wilkinson and Astep.