The Imperial Palace: A Modern Interpretation of Traditional Chinese Architecture

Lighting Design Inspired by The Imperial Palace

The Imperial Palace lighting design stands out with its simplicity and vividness. The designers achieved the outline of the building by bending steel wire and arranging it in an array. This series of lamps includes floor lamps, desk lamps, and wall lamps, with most of the parts being universal. This not only enhances the visual appeal but also facilitates processing and cost control.

The outer ring lampshade of The Imperial Palace is made of 2mm diameter steel wire, while the lamp pole is a metal circular tube with a diameter of 20mm. The top connector, main lamp holder, and base are all made of metal materials with an antique copper surface treatment. The internal decorations are bent from 1.5mm diameter steel wire and plated in gold.

The floor lamp in The Imperial Palace design measures 1500mm in height and 380mm in diameter. The table lamp stands at 600mm tall with a diameter of 26mm. The wall lamp has dimensions of 160mm x 210mm x 290mm.

Assembling The Imperial Palace lamp is a simple process. The decorations are inserted one by one into the holes on the connectors. The switch is conveniently located on the lamp pole, 910mm from the ground, allowing control of both upper and lower light-emitting modes.

The project to create The Imperial Palace lighting design began in May 2018 and was completed in November 2018 in Shanghai. The designers aimed to integrate the representative buildings of the Palace Museum into modern life by adopting a relatively modern design language.

The Imperial Palace design faced several challenges. All nodes had to be designed to be removable to ensure the lamp could be packaged flat. Additionally, the assembly method needed to be simple yet effective.

Lei Yu and Bingzhe Li's design approach for The Imperial Palace involved researching the architectural shapes of The Imperial Palace and translating them into wire bending techniques. By rethinking traditional culture and using a modern design language, they brought new meaning to this iconic architectural style.

The Imperial Palace lighting design by Lei Yu and Bingzhe Li has been recognized for its excellence. It was awarded the Iron A' Design Award in the Lighting Products and Fixtures Design category in 2019. This prestigious award acknowledges well-designed, practical, and innovative creations that meet professional and industrial requirements.