Obj01
Lamp for MANU BAÑÓ
The Obj01 lamp was designed during the pandemic, at a time when it was not possible to go outside, buy materials or visit production workshops. Manu wanted to design an object to inhabit his home during the pandemic, so he started making models using a cutter knife and cardboard boxes from online purchases he made, since cardboard was the only material he had at home. The design process was focused on generating simple cuts on cardboard sheets and through those simple cuts generate new functions or uses for the object. In this case the idea was to generate a lampshade through a simple cut.
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Download Press Kit № 119451 Lamp for MANU BAÑÓ by MANU BAÑÓ to access high-res images, essential texts, translations, and exclusive interviews—all in one.
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Obj01 by MANU BAÑÓ
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Lamp by MANU BAÑÓ
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MANU BAÑÓ Obj01
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MANU BAÑÓ Lamp
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Obj01 Lamp Press Releases
For Obj01, find press releases in a variety of languages: English.
Obj01 Lamp Media Articles
Ready-to-feature articles on Obj01 are available in these languages: French, Turkish, Arabic (Standard), Hindi, Chinese (Mandarin), Italian, German, Portuguese, Dutch, English, Korean, Indonesian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish, for your convenience.
Unique Properties
OBJ-01 is an understandable simple gesture. At a glance, it reveals its material, its manufacturing process, its function and its use. A plate of raw metal cut by laser and assembled by hand with a rubber hammer. Its size responds to the modulation and format of the material in its commercial standards. Pure geometric figures build the lighting fixture; a rectangle, a circle and a cylinder at the back which contains the LED light spot. The circle, when cut out, adopts the function of a screen.
Production Technology
OBJ-01 is made out of sheet of raw metal, that can be steel, stainless steel or brass, cut by laser and assembled by hand with a rubber hammer and no welding joinery. Its size responds to the modulation and format of the material in its commercial standards. It is polished by hand and sealed with wax.
Design Challenge
As a product designed and produced during 2020, the biggest challenge was to do everything from home. I am used to working with my hands and visiting many workshops. In this case I had to work with processes and materials I already knew because experimenting became impossible. Eventually I bought some machines to be able to bring the production to my home and to be able to control the quality by myself.
Project Duration
I designed the first OBJ-01 prototype during the pandemic in Mexico City in 2020 and I have been producing new pieces since then.
Operation Flow
OBJ-01 has an integrated custom touch dimmer. As metal is conductive, this system takes advantage of its properties, so when you touch the lamp in any side it turns on/off. The user can also control the LED brightness by tapping the lamp several times. This makes makes for me the object to look more sculptural as you don't need a black metal box with a dimmer close to the lamp to be able to turn it on, it's just the lamp over your sideboard.
Research
On this occasion, there was practically no research, the design process was an exercise of intuition. I decided to reuse the cardboard from online purchases I made during the pandemic and use it as material for mockups. I started working with this cardboard and a knife cutter making different cuts and folds to the cardboard to transform a 2D sheet into a 3D object with different uses. My intention from the beginning was to achieve a small object that I could send flat packed all over the world, so starting the process from a flat sheet was important.
Inspiration
In my day to day life I visit many workshops. In this occasion, as I could not go out to be inspired due to the pandemic, the challenge was to face a blank sheet of paper. I started with complex designs that I gradually discarded due to the impossibility of going to the production workshops. I ended up stripping away the complexity of the design and keeping the essentials. I decided to work just with one material and one industrial process which I was familiar with; metal and laser cutting.
Project Overview
Obj01 Lamp has been a Golden winner in the Lighting Products and Fixtures Design award category in the year 2020 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Gold A' Design Award is granted to designs that demonstrate a high level of innovation and a significant impact on their intended audience. Recognized as a major achievement by the A' Design Awards, these designs are characterized by their visionary approach and the exceptional skill of their creators. Winners of the Gold A' Design Award are noted for their ability to push the envelope in art, science, design, and technology, delivering solutions that not only meet but exceed expectations. These designs serve as benchmarks for excellence, encouraging further innovation and inspiring future generations of designers.
Image Credits
For design images and photos please credit MANU BAÑÓ.
Golden Recognition
MANU BAÑÓ was recognized with the coveted Golden A' Design Award in 2021, a testament to excellence of their work Obj01 Lamp.
MANU BAÑÓ Press Releases
Our press releases on MANU BAÑÓ and their work are made freely available for press members looking to add depth to their content. For immediate journalistic use: 1 press releases are available right now.
Introducing OBJ-01: A Minimalist Metal Lamp Designed by MANU BAÃÃ
Discover the story behind the creation of OBJ-01, a minimalist metal lamp designed by MANU BAÃÃ during the pandemic in Mexico City in 2020.
MANU BAÑÓ Newsroom
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