Description:

Colour-selection is becoming a popular option for interior lighting, but is normally controlled electronically or through a smartphone app interface. This lamp provides a tactile experience directly with the product, letting it respond to the user's feelings.

It is desirable to change the colour to suit the task, time of day, weather conditions or just to create or enhance mood. Colours can also be chosen to compliment an interior colour scheme. This direct method of colour projection is scalable into different forms and lighting types. Here, it is incorporated into the Ira table lamp – a striking frame of monochrome vertical tubes converging onto a D-shaped shade.

Four tones of white are selectable by effortless touch of the dial which snaps into place with floating magnetic detents. Light passes through studio-quality lighting correction filters which is then passed through a diffuser and up into the shade. A delta shape of light is projected up the wall and onto the ceiling.

All parts of this lamp have been designed around the lighting effect and the user. The dial requires thumb-only control and is a similar action to the familiar smartphone swiping action. The dial is close-fitting to the central tube minimising light leak and unwanted reflections are reduced by the black internal finish. The projection colours are arranged in order from blue-white to golden yellow. The stability of the frame structure resists the thumb force allowing single handed use. On-off operation is via a long-throw low-force switch with intuitive direction – upwards to send light into the shade.

The outer tube mitre detail blends the strong frame transition up to the thin shade. The translucent areas of the shade balance the white and black parts; both of which are also present on the frame. As well as being space saving, the D-shaped shade allows the translucent part to shine brightest, being closest to the bulb. At certain perspectives, the shade appears as an illuminated cone, supported by a black surround.

The product uses a variety of standard manufacture and assembly methods. The two-tone finish allows the lamp to be painted either as an assembly or as individual parts. The central housing is aluminium to remove heat quickly away from the bulb. Low sheen paints are used on the frame to reduce glare, with a satin finish inside the shade to increase reflections.