Bubble: A Dynamic Interaction of Light and Stone

Unveiling Tiago Curioni's Award-Winning Table Lamp Design

Curioni's inspiration for 'Bubble' came from a child's game of blowing bubbles through a straw. The designer sought to create a table lamp for his studio that was unprecedented, combining the simple and innocent image of a bubble with the nobility of brass and marble. The result is a design that is both playful and elegant, a testament to Curioni's innovative approach to design.

The unique properties of 'Bubble' lie in its simplicity and interaction with the user. The lamp consists of a sphere resting on a ring, allowing for various positioning of the brass rod. This gives the lamp a dynamic character and total interaction with the user. As the rod can be positioned in different ways, the lamp acquires different readings each time its position is changed, creating different readings and sensations.

The 'Bubble' lamp is made from a solid block of Brazilian marble found in the state of Espirito Santo. The sphere was carved with a special CNC for stonecraft as well as the holes for the wire and the rail to support the rod. The brass rod was cut by hand so the LED lamp was fitted and the stem tips are movable for maintenance. The entire assembly rests freely on a brass ring allowing the rod rotation and random positioning so that it can be in vertical, horizontal, angled, upwards or downwards directions.

The design project started in May 2016 in Sao Paulo and finished in July 2016 in the same city, and was exhibited in the High Design 2016 exhibition. The major obstacle was to find blocks of marble since the majority is cut to manufacture plates. The technology to carve out a sphere from this block was another challenge won with Senai technology center, a public Brazilian university.

Curioni's design studio demonstrates a concern with a clean and minimalist design but always with Brazilian references and raw materials found in the country. Despite being a piece of clean design, there was a concern about not to use ready-made stone spheres, many of them produced on a large scale. A consulting with a marble factory was necessary to choose a Brazilian stone with good workability and easy to find. Other possibilities are being studied, with dark stones and several colors. In the same way, the stem that houses the lamp can be performed on stainless steel, copper, and iron common with oxidized finish.

In conclusion, 'Bubble' is a minimalistic table lamp, designed to be interactive with the user. Its unique design and innovative use of materials have earned it a prestigious Golden A' Lighting Products and Fixtures Design Award in 2017. This award is granted to marvelous, outstanding, and trendsetting creations that reflect the designer's prodigy and wisdom. They are venerated products and bright ideas that advance art, science, design, and technology, embodying extraordinary excellence and significantly impacting the world with their desirable characteristics.