COMPILED BY Jo Buitendach PHOTOS Supplied
Adam Hoets, founder and creative director of bespoke lighting makers willowlamp, talks us through the design process of his Stalactite art piece chandelier.
THE IDEA
I’ve always been fascinated by stalactites – ancient, slow-growing formations that become complex, beautiful structures. It’s hard to believe that something so striking just spontaneously creates itself without a guiding hand. They are beguiling, magical and totally enchanting. But it wasn’t until I visited the Cango Caves that I felt the spark of creativity ignite – and an idea was born.
“What is interesting to me about our interpretation of these natural wonders is not just their shape, or the form of the tapering and dripping inverted fairy castles.
I was captivated by their intricate convolutions, as well as the folded, pleated surfaces and textures they created. The rippling striations are formed by lime being deposited in water droplets under the pull of gravity. I set about finding a way to recreate this process – albeit in a much shorter time frame! – using our signature ball chain, which also relies on gravity to hang and to give it form. I feel that this art piece captures the essence of the natural structures that inspired it, abstractly yet perfectly.”
CREATIVE METHODOLOGY
“I don’t have a single creative methodology – rather, I design the process to fit the subject matter and what’s being created. But I do have several themes and tools that I have studied, refined and perfected. For one, I’m a trained architect, and my years of study and experience have taught me a lot about how
to think as a designer.
“One potent tool in my arsenal is an almost obsessive understanding of sacred geometry, which I discovered at a formative age – long before it became mainstream. This, to me, represents nature in its purest form; a kind of template upon which nature and reality are built. I distil natural forms to their perfect abstracted essence, through the expression of the underlying geometry. This is a powerful generator of form – but it is just one of my influences and processes. Sometimes my work can also be quite literal, or filled with humour. Life, art and design do not always need to take themselves so seriously.”
THE AESTHETIC
“The aesthetic of willowlamp can be slightly elusive and enigmatic. This is because you have these industrial materials and processes – like sheet metal and laser cutting – that you would usually associate with a machine-made aesthetic, yet the designs are hand- assembled, and therefore feel quite delicate. I think this contrast creates an interesting tension. Another quality, one that you can only really experience in the flesh, is ‘aliveness’. The hanging metal chain curtains respond subtly to currents of air within a space, so these lights are not hard, static objects but ones that ‘live’ in an endless dance of light, shadow and movement. This creates magic and drama in a space, bringing it to life.”
ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS
“What you see all too often with fledgling and aspiring lighting designers is that they have an idea for a funky or interesting-looking lampshade, but their solution to the lighting aspect is to put a bulb inside it and call it a day. It’s not enough just to have an idea; you must execute that idea perfectly in every way, and consider every detail and aspect of your design.
We spent many years searching for the best lighting components and systems around the world, before carefully considering how to integrate these into our designs in a harmonious and considered manner.
“To compete globally today, one thing above all must be sacred – and that is quality. That means using the very best materials in accordance with the highest standards of engineering and manufacturing. It also means that you must always consider the social and environmental impact of what you create. As designers, we have a responsibility to use nature’s resources in a sustainable way. To me, that means creating durable products that are timeless and made to last, and that will not be discarded because of changes in fashion.”
WHAT’S NEXT
“After nearly 20 years, we’ve built up a substantial permanent collection of designs, all of which come in various sizes and finishes and are endlessly customisable. But this collection is pretty much complete. The brand identity is pure, and built around the fact that everything is made from the same materials. It would be a mistake to suddenly add new designs made from other materials, such as wood, for example. It just doesn’t fit; it would be alien and weird. What’s so beautiful about willowlamp is that such a simple idea can lead to such a variety of shapes and forms – that is enough on its own.
“For me as a creative individual and a designer, this presents a challenge. How do I satisfy my creative itch and curiosity? How do I remain inspired?
“Luckily, in recent years, we have been approached by some prestigious design companies, mostly from abroad, to create custom, one-off, monumental-scale installations. This offers a whole new direction for the willowlamp brand – a new journey, and an area in which we can grow.
“But I do occasionally design a new piece to add to our permanent collection. It just has to be a damn good idea in order for me to be convinced that we have to do it despite having too many designs already. The Stalactite chandelier is one such piece – I simply couldn’t help myself!
“Also in the pipeline, but not officially launched yet, is an idea we have for artworks, Line Art & Word Art. More graphic and bold in nature, these works are a slight departure from the willowlamp aesthetic seen in our lighting collection – but they remain true to our materials and methodology. Watch this space for more on this exciting evolution!” | willowlamp.com
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