ITEN

Form

Armillary spheres

Two lamps from the geometry of the armillary sphere. The table one is portable and battery-powered: only the base goes to charge, the sphere stays put. The floor one, for indoors and out, is aimed by changing the way the structure rests.

  1. 01An open spherical frame
  2. 02One geometry, two lamps
Type
Self-initiated proposal
Sector
Lighting
Status
Working prototypes

01

An open spherical frame

We began with a familiar form: the armillary sphere, an astronomical instrument made from intersecting metal rings. It encloses a volume while remaining almost entirely open, using very little material — metal wire bent into rings. We wanted to explore whether this geometry could become the body of a lamp and serve two different purposes: a portable table light for homes and hospitality settings, and a floor light for indoor and outdoor use.

Pencil sketches: the sphere of rings in the floor and table versions, the separation between sphere and base, the lamp on a laid table and the touch control

02

One geometry, two lamps

In the table version, a conical base houses the batteries, while the LED sits at the top of the sphere. The base detaches for charging, allowing the sphere to remain in place — a feature conceived for the hospitality sector. The same visual language, combined with a more powerful light source, led to a floor lamp for indoor and outdoor use. Here, the sphere has another role: it protects the light source and allows its direction to be adjusted. No articulated joints are needed. Depending on how the frame is placed, the light points downwards, sideways or slightly upwards. Working prototypes of both versions allowed us to assess their operation and lighting effect.

The two working prototypes: in the foreground the floor sphere with the LED spotlight and red cable, behind it the table version on the black conical base

Where it can lead

A spherical frame that supports LED modules with different power ratings.