Enter the Dragon: A Unique Neon Chandelier by Bureau V

A Collage of Luxury and Pop-Commercialism

The inspiration for Enter the Dragon came from Bureau V's desire to explore the contrasts between high and low, luxury and coarseness, and commercialism and art. The designers wanted to create a sensory experience that would captivate and intrigue viewers. Neon proved to be the perfect medium to achieve this, as it allowed them to play with the dichotomy of materials and forms.

Enter the Dragon features a black marble tetrahedral shape wrapped in warm white neon. This juxtaposition of classic signifiers of wealth and power with pop-commercial squiggles creates a collage of formal and material tropes. The fixture's silhouette changes as one moves around it, with delicate white extensions piercing the space around it.

The chandelier is meticulously crafted using a combination of marble, neon, glass, and steel. The design incorporates 8mm cold cathode (neon) tubes that emit a warm white light with a color temperature of 3500 Kelvin. With a power consumption of 150 watts, the fixture provides approximately 3200 lumens of light output.

One of the unique features of Enter the Dragon is its dual-circuit lighting system. This allows for different portions of the fixture to be illuminated, creating the equivalent of a low-light and high-light setting. The circuits are wired within the body of the marble shape, where all the transformers required for the fixture are housed.

Enter the Dragon was developed by Bureau V from 2014 to 2015 and was completed by the end of 2015. Two of these stunning fixtures currently hang in National Sawdust, a renowned chamber music hall in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

The design process for Enter the Dragon presented several challenges for the Bureau V team. The most significant hurdle was translating the complex three-dimensional neon shape into components that could be produced within budget. Using specialized software, the designers were able to project the 3D shape onto a 2D template, which the fabricator then used to reproduce the bends in neon. This process not only solved the problem of creating the intricate bends but also allowed for appropriate intervals for returns to the transformers.

Enter the Dragon has received recognition for its exceptional design. In 2016, it was awarded the Iron A' Design Award in the Lighting Products and Fixtures category. This prestigious accolade is given to designs that demonstrate innovation, practicality, and adherence to professional and industrial requirements.

Enter the Dragon is a testament to Bureau V's ability to push the boundaries of design and create unique and captivating pieces that challenge traditional norms. With its blend of luxury and pop-commercialism, this neon chandelier is a true work of art.