The spun copper and turned oak lamp has been designed to be positioned in two ways – either resting on the wooden part and directing ambient light upwards, or resting on the metal part and directing task lighting downwards. In either position its rounded form means that the user can revolve the lamp towards the desired direction.
Graduating from Northumbria University this Summer, Olivia‘s final project honed in on lighting design. Looking beyond functional and often mundane everyday objects, she wanted to inject a level of human and playful interaction into her work.
“The simple spinning movement allows the user to change the direction of the light effortlessly and intuitively,” Olivia tells Design Geek. “The aim was to design a table lamp that was playful and encouraged the user to interact with it.”
The lamp’s form went through many iterations before the final design was decided upon, through a combination of simple sketches and prototyping. This extensive development process took the shape and material finishes into consideration, ensuring the final product would balance in both positions without falling over.
Using a combination of copper and oak for the final design, Olivia has maintained a simple, yet focused design process. The simplicity also extends to the manufacturing of the lamp. She has removed complex construction, overused nuts, bolts, screws and glues, and crafted the lamp with the lowest number of fixings possible. “By keeping my aesthetic functional and minimal, it allows the beauty and honesty of the materials to stand out.” she explains.
Olivia’s intuitive approach to design and material choices also extends to the furniture pieces she developed during her time at Northumbria University. Dot Bench was borne out of an investigation into details in wooden furniture. Exploring these classic details; joints, junctions and manufacturing techniques, she decided to focus her creative development on the leg detail of the bench design. The seat top and turned legs are constructed from solid oak, with a black powder-coated metal frame adding a contrasting finish which highlights her chosen detail.
“Dot is a minimal bench that can seat three people, and focuses on the detail of the legs that sit in the curve detail of the wood seat top.” says Olivia, “The simplicity of the design is carried through in the materials, giving the piece an organic softness, whilst the metal frame gives the design its strength.”
Through a combination of simple sketches, minimal design details, and an appreciation for honest materials, Olivia has the beginnings of a strong creative career, and whether she decides to specialise in furniture, product or lighting design, the future for this new talent looks bright.
Olivia Post is one of Look Like Love’s ‘One-to Watch’ designers. You can find out more about her work here.
