The year of the YONG

Wei- Chih Chu's prototype COCOON

A couple of days ago I received the prototype's pic of a floor lamp, designed by my friend Wei-Chih Chu, a young student , whom I have already spoken about in a previous post and whose creativity is amazing and goes beyond the expectations! Meanwhile I was receiving the ad of SFORZIN ILLUMINAZIONE latest lighting fixture...if you look and compare them, don't you find any resemblance? Both don't know each other..so..if we want to find a hidden meaning on this common shape, we could certainly say that both want to represent a NEW BORN, new expectations, new hopes, new concepts! An ERA change.!

Actually Wei-Chih Chu called his creation YONG, whose meaning is Cocoon, breeding the new life. And a new life means light or brightness.

The prototype has been made of silicone and the SFORZIN ILLUMINAZIONE lamp is made of  WHITE OPAL GLASS.

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SFORZIN ILLUMINAZIONE

Qualche giorno fa ho ricevuto la foto di un prototipo di lampada da terra, disegnata dal mio amico Wei- Chih Chu, un giovane studente del quale ho già parlato in un post precedente, dalla creatività soprendente e che va oltre le aspettative.Nel frattempo ricevevo la pubblicità di una nuova lampada di SFORZIN ILLUMINAZIONE...se le guardate e le paragonate..non ci vedete delle somiglianze? Entrambi non si conoscono..se vogliamo dare un significato a questa forma comune, potremmo certo dire che entrambi hanno cercato di dare l'idea del NUOVO NATO, di nuove aspettative, nuove speranze, nuovi concetti! Un cambiamento di era! 

E infatti Wei- Chiu Chu ha chiamato la sua opera YONG, il cui significato é BOZZOLO, che genera nuova vita. Nuova vita vuol dire luce o luminosità. Il prototipo é stato fatto in silicone, la lampada di SFORZIN ILLUMINAZIONE in vetro opaco bianco.

Smart Street Lights

Institut Teknologi Bandung in Indonesia

Indonesian engineers are developing a green street lighting system that bathes moving vehicles in a pool of light but switches off after they've gone.
Anybody interested in helping out?
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Tre ricercatori in Indonesia hanno appena testato un prototipo di lampione che si accende quando sta per arrivare un'auto, e si spegne subito dopo, per risparmiare energia.
Interessati a partecipare al progetto?

Tks Dani!

Design is : "No Limits"

During Euroluce, at SALONE SATELLITE, this year I met a product design student, Wei-Chih, Chiu, from FH Aachen in Germany.

He presented his sculpture, which represents the designer work.

With his creation he wants to show the meaning of "the design process".The different size discs mean the different design elements:  they could be the style, material or forms etc.
In the creative design process we need to choose even to find out them.
Finally elements will be combined to create or design a subject.The sculpture could be bigger, or could be another form. There are many possibility...because design is " No Limits ", to say it in his own words.
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Durante Euroluce di quest'anno al SALONE SATELLITE, ho incontrato uno studente di product design della scuola superiore FH di Aachen in Germania.

Ha presentato la sua scultura, la quale intende rappresentare il lavoro del designer. Con questa opera l'autore vuole dare una forma al significato del processo del design. I dischi di diverse misure stanno a significare i diversi elementi del design : possono essere lo stile, il materiale o le forme etc. Durante il processo creativo del design noi scegliamo , anzi andiamo alla ricerca di questi elementi. Alla fine gli elementi si combinano per creare o modellare un soggetto. La scultura può essere più grande o di altre forme.Ci sono infinite possibilità perché il design è " senza confini", per dirla con le parole dell'autore.

Interview to Kateblues, a czech lighting artist

Strange flower

Flowering Greenwood

Original floor lamp

When I first bumped into Katerina Smutna FLICKR site, I fell in love with her creations at first sight ! A mix of charming, antique and polychrome allure makes her lighting fixtures extraordinary and unique.I was so curious about her and her products that I asked her for an interview.

1.When have you started your collection?

" I started to work with the wire around seven years ago – I always liked objects braided with wire – old bottles, ceramic mugs. I bought a booklet with instructions for basic procedures, I learned to decorate bottles with wire and make a simple basket. Since then I have developed my work - but no longer from books, but only by my imagination. Wire itself leads me as the material to its capacity."

2.What inspired you for starting to make your own products?

To the greater development led me the fact that I accidentally discovered Czech server where various creators sell their hand made products. I offered few things that I had at home and when after about a month sold them all, I made more products. When I gradually discovered that my things have their own customers, I arranged the entire agenda in order to do this craft professionally. Making what I'm doing now is just a logical outcome of all my work which constantly evolves and moves on. The lamps I have been making for about a year, although the idea of creating them is a little older. I do not like to rush things, I rather have everything to run its course.

3.What is the reason for using iron wire and Czech glass for decoration?

I use the iron wire because it is cheap and easy to get. I learned to work with it, it listens to me. I like how it looks, it has a unique patina, it is raw and stands out in contrast with glass beads from regional manufacturers. It is impressing for me that everything is "Made in Czech Republic', I like the fact that I support the local producers by buying the material from them.

4.What is your best seller ?

My favorite craftsmen that I had the opportunity to see, although only virtually, are following: Ruth Jensen www.etsy.com/people/sparkflight, who produces magical animals, jewelry and many other objects. From the Czech producers I like Merva Martina http://www.fler.cz/mervam. Regarding the lamps, my biggest favorite is Juro Vyboh R.E.P.A. repasopa.com/ - it is a boy, who also manufactures lamps from recycled PET bottles and other interesting objects. I recommend viewing galleries of all above mentioned artists.

5.Will you present your collection to some exhibition or event?

I present all my work mainly on network. Usually once a year I have a small exhibition in the neighborhood, attend to one or two craft markets, arrange one course. Presentation and selling my work on the internet suits me perfectly as it is easy on regular maintenance, I can sit down to my pc whenever I want, therefore I have time to devote to children, family and to work according to my discretion. I like that I am not tied to fixed working hours. Most of my things are created at night when the whole house is asleep and I have the time to work in peace and quiet.