Most lamps merely blend into the background, serving their functional purpose and remaining largely unnoticed. However, the latest collection from Taiwan-Lantern, showcased at ICFF during NYCxDESIGN in New York, defies convention. These are lamps that demand your attention. Based in Amsterdam, the studio, helmed by Pei-Ching Hsiao and Jean-Marc Daniëls, introduced a captivating floor and table lantern collection that pulls inspiration from the timeless East Asian paper lantern. Yet, it’s their novel execution that captivates.
Anatomy of Innovation
The lantern bodies are constructed from pleated fabric, meticulously stretched over a ribbed frame. Vertical seams run from top to bottom, reminiscent of globe meridian lines. Unilluminated, these forms appear sculptural and matte, akin to ceramics. When turned on, the fabric glows with a warm amber, casting delicate shadows. It’s a transformative light, altering a room’s atmosphere without complicated controls.
The floor lamps further this concept by stacking two oval forms with a small beaded collar between them, crafted delicately by hand. This series of beads varies in shade, enhancing the colorway’s depth. The structure—a blend of a round marble disc base, wooden platform, ceramic collar, and brass arch—achieves a balance between the monumental and the familiar.
Complex Simplicity in Design
The table lamps simplify the composition to a single lantern perched on a layered base. This base—a marble cylinder coupled with a wooden disc and ceramic ring—grounds the lamp. In cooler lighting, the lantern’s blazing amber contrasts starkly with the base’s cool, steady presence. This tension enriches the design.
The restrained color palette — pale pink Huo, terra cotta Tu, chocolate, and cream — stays true to the Wu Xing philosophy of the five Chinese elements. The hues are consciously selected, offering earth tones that are structurally integral rather than decorative.
Pendant’s Unique Character
The pendant lamp diverges from the rest with its diamond shape. Crafted from dark, dense fabric, it diffuses light softly and intimately. A brass U-shaped arch provides its modern suspension. Distinctive yet harmonious, it complements the collection while standing as its own statement.
Each piece is born from the craftsmanship of nine artisans skilled in bamboo, lacquer, natural dyeing, stone, porcelain, and Chinese knotting. Their collective expertise is present in every seamless material transition and purposeful surface. In a design world driven by rapid production, such dedication is extraordinary and immediately noticeable. Taiwan-Lantern isn’t aiming to reinvent; it seeks to create lamps truly worth cherishing.
Sources & Links
Source: yankodesign.com