unedo
Unedo is an illumination designed to foster reflection through the movement of its spherical form. With a base made of arbutus, a tree synonymous with the West Coast, the form reflects the way these trees extend out over the rocky coast. With a twist of the spindle, light dances from the shade softly, illuminating a space.
Designed in partnership with Miles Rosensweet
Materials: Balsa wood, Arbutus wood, muslin, concrete, plastic, LED, and velum.
2025
Pamphlet
Prototypes Phase 1
We started by creating a selection of prototypes based on our favourite four sketches we made. Exploring their physicality and the technical challenges we would face in subsequent iterations.
Prototypes Phase 2
Moving on to the second phase of prototyping, we decided to proceed with the dynamic friction-joint light. For this phase of prototyping, we made a working prototype and a material prototype.
Our biggest challenge with this design was ensuring the base was heavy enough to resist the pull of the spindle. We calculated that the base would need to weigh eight times the spindle's weight to stay in place comfortably.
Construction
We begin rendering what our light would look like in different materials and with slight design deviations. We landed on using balsa wood for the spindle as it is light, arbutus for the base as it is dense and heavy, and muslin for the shade to blend in with the balsa. Concrete is used to create a grounding effect in the design.
We had to modify our electronics to fit into the tiny space that we allocated for them. This allowed us to output the cord from the sphere, and add a swivel gesture to dim/turn off.
Processes we used in production: Wood Lathe, Metal Lathe, Mill, Steam Bending, Sauldernig, 3D Printing, Laser cutting, SolidWorks, and KeyShot.
