Furniture and Spatial Design/Interior Architecture

Customizable Lighting System

How can we restore what has been stripped away from the soul of our products and designs to reveal a brighter world for human beings?

What problem have you explored / found a solution for?

The problem I have explored is a prevalent one: products, surroundings and even people themselves are being duplicated, losing their identity and creativity while, at the same time, users are unable to find versatility in basic products and our planet is becoming more and more unable to sustain such anthropogenic materialism. Is this what we want and what makes us happy? Or maybe we should think more deeply about what true happiness is. As a designer, I feel a responsibility to sort out the underlying logic and find a suitable solution for our world.

How has the process been?

My Master’s journey has been an enlightening experience. During our program, I learned theoretical methods – especially qualitative tools and culture analysis – to study people’s feelings and ideas, as well as our products, environment, history, and society. I then discovered that flexibility is the key to solving this issue. In particular, product customization can bridge demands, environmental sustainability and people’s creativity and happiness. Discussions and interviews emphasize low-voltage LED lighting, and, utilizing the latest technology, I can create a customizable lighting product system design to test my findings.

What was the result?

Through product, market and technology surveys, design brainstorming and engineering research, I narrowed down and chose aluminum extrusion as my key manufacturing method and element of form. My design features an intended profile design, pre-formed modules, standardized interface for connections, and expandable accessories and materials. Combined with user-friendly details, this lighting system gives ordinary users the ability to design, assemble and control their own lighting, which was traditionally monopolized by professional lighting designers. This can open a new world of everyday lighting for people.

Why has this been important to you?

It is not difficult to be a designer, to design something for clients, for money and in your dreams. But it is difficult to be a socially responsible designer whose products are good for the planet, environment and society as well as human development. This is why my design is important to me: every product design can decide the fate of hundreds of thousands of pieces of valuable materials and resources, whether they are useful or wasteful.