behind the design

Whilst studying Product Design at university many moons ago, JW regarded HABITAT as a leader of modern design in retail and often influence his early work in the industry. They outclassed their competitors on desirable products and introduced so many iconic pieces that over time have become design classics. Many years later, JW was honoured to be asked to work with HABITAT on some new lighting ranges.

This project came under a "Stacked Geometric" theme and JW began his design journey by looking into iconic Scandinavian design to help kick-start conceptual sketches. Key details would need to include simple clean geometric forms and the use contrasting pastel-like colours. He applied this to a table lamp and single pendant lamp family.

Because of the success in the use of globe shaped glass in commercial lighting at the time, JW decided to move this look on be elongating the traditional globe into an oblong/capsule shape for the glass detail. Keeping the theme simple, he repeated the shape for the body/base. Scandi influenced design also liked to highlight its features with contrasting small details, like the use of brass. JW introduced this on the Callie range. 

Originally the design was to use coloured concrete on its base/body, but JW and the supplier had developed a terrazzo concrete mix with splashes of green and grey, which works well with the opal glass and brass highlights. To make the family feel more "Habitat", JW introduced a touch activated circular plate to the table lamp base, for a modern edge. This evolved into a dome shape.  Finally, grey braided cord was selected to finalise the design.

This process truly shows the evolving design from some sketched oblong shapes to a fully manufactured product for an iconic brand.