Manu Bañó models oxidised-steel lamp on sheets of paper
Designer Manu Bañó used a single sheet of weathered steel to create OBJ-03, a sculptural lamp formed from "the fewest possible elements".
OBJ-03's minimalist design is defined by a folded sheet of oxidised steel, which was developed through experiments with cutting and folding pieces of paper.
"I designed the lamp by making numerous cuts and different folds on sheets of paper," Bañó told Dezeen.
"I knew I wanted to work with thin sheets of steel for the final piece, and it made the most sense to conduct all the tests on paper," he added.
The lamp is made of a two-millimetre-thick sheet of the rusted material, defined by a single curve that doubles as a leg for stability and a light projection surface.
"Each element is 100 per cent necessary," Bañó said. "It does not aim to look like a lamp but rather to be a sculpture during the day and illuminate at night."
A steel bar positioned at the back of the lamp conceals an LED strip, which projects a soft light onto the lamp's curve.
The bar is also designed for stability, adding weight that allows the lamp to stand on its own.
The lamp's rusted surface was achieved by exposing the steel to outdoor weathering for a month before being cleaned and sealed to halt the oxidation process.
"The first lamp I made was from polished natural steel, but in the curved part of the piece where the light bounces, the points of the hidden LED strip behind the leg were reflected," Bañó said.
"I also like [the oxidised steel] because it's a non-uniform finish that adds personality to such a simple geometry and makes each lamp different and unique, as it never rusts the same way," he added.
Bañó is a designer and architect based in Mexico City, where he co-founded the design agency EWE Studio and is an Esrawe Studio associate. His first solo project was the metal OBJ-01 lamp.
Other recent lamp designs on Dezeen include a lampshade that appears to be "magically hovering in the air" along with a 3D-printed lamp informed by meringue and ice cream.
The photography is courtesy of Manu Bañó.
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