Lavora Suede

The Lavora Suede light sculpture is one of our most recent design pieces in an ongoing body of limited works that push the boundaries of additive manufacturing and software technologies. The works are inspired by the intricate formations of dessert dunes as they morph and shift in the breeze.

The structure of the piece allows light to penetrate through hidden openings and diffuse softly across the textured surfaces. As a composition of rolling curves, the outer form is carved out of the contours and accentuated. We like to think of light as a medium that can be shaped like it is fluid; using surfaces as a source of emission and shadows to define depth.

Fitting a contemporary setting, this piece serves as a statement to the formally straight and rigid interior. The warm glow of illuminated sand has an almost therapeutic quality; ambient and serene as it compliments the evening's close.

Consisting of 98% Bavarian quartz sand, the resulting object is impressively durable considering its delicate appearance. A natural resin binder is impregnated after the printing process to further strengthen the structure, while preserving its original colour and texture. The technique was also chosen to minimize resources and waste, as excess material can be recycled and the low melting temperatures use less energy than traditional means.

New modeling techniques have been explored that combine the artistic freedom of digital sculpting tools with simulated mapping algorithms.