Manu Bano's OBJ-01: A Masterstroke in Minimalist Lighting Design

Golden A' Design Award Winner Transforms Raw Metal into a Sculptural Lamp

Manu Bano, a renowned designer, took inspiration from his everyday life, specifically the workshops he frequented. However, the pandemic forced him to rethink his approach. Stripped of the ability to visit these creative spaces, he faced the challenge of a blank sheet of paper. The result was a design that is striking in its simplicity, yet complex in its execution.

The OBJ-01 lamp is a study in understated elegance. It is crafted from a single sheet of raw metal, either steel, stainless steel, or brass, cut by laser and assembled by hand with a rubber hammer. The design is devoid of any unnecessary embellishments, focusing instead on the raw beauty of the material and the precision of the manufacturing process.

The lamp's unique properties lie in its simplicity. It reveals its material, manufacturing process, function, and use at a glance. A rectangle, a circle, and a cylinder come together to create a lighting fixture that is as much a work of art as it is a functional object. The circle, when cut out, doubles as a screen, showcasing the ingenuity of the design.

The OBJ-01 lamp is not just a visual delight, but also a marvel of technology. It features an integrated custom touch dimmer, taking advantage of the metal's conductive properties. A simple touch anywhere on the lamp turns it on or off, and the brightness can be adjusted by tapping the lamp multiple times. This interaction adds to the sculptural aesthetic of the lamp, eliminating the need for an external dimmer.

The OBJ-01 lamp was designed and produced in Mexico City during the pandemic. Despite the challenges of working from home and the inability to experiment with new materials and processes, Manu Bano managed to create a design that is both innovative and timeless. The lamp's design process was an exercise in intuition, transforming a 2D sheet into a 3D object with multiple uses.

In recognition of its outstanding design, the OBJ-01 lamp was awarded the Golden A' Lighting Products and Fixtures Design Award in 2021. This prestigious award is granted to creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics. The OBJ-01 lamp, with its minimalist design and innovative features, is indeed a deserving winner of this accolade.