Many of you may already recognize this stunning lighting collection, but few realize the conceptual research and green experimentation that went into developing the IN-EI ISSEY MIYAKE project. Designed by world-renowned Japanese fashion designerIssey Miyake for Italian lighting company Artemide, these cutting edge lamps employ a re-treated fabric derived from recycled plastic bottles to create an other-worldly lighting effect. The collection recently won theiF Product Design Award 2013 from the prestigious International Forum Design Hannover.
So what green innovations underlie this “enlightened idea”?
Together with his Reality Lab, Miyake developed the new material for the lamps using a 3D mathematical process — each lamp is created from a single piece of cloth that manages diffuse light in unexpected ways. The unique folding technology and an additional surface treatment makes for self-supporting pieces that keep their shape (and can be re-shaped) without the need for an internal frame. Naturally, in keeping with an eco-friendly approach, IN-EI ISSEY MIYAKE useslow-energy LEDs.
Overall, the IN-EI ISSEY MIYAKE collection finds the perfect balance between light and shadow, tradition and innovation.
Photos courtesy of Artemide and Miyake Design Studio
