Studies

              Works







The Calm - Home2.0


Project Type: Home Lighting/ Product Design
Project Timeline: 12-week Academic Project/ Fall 2020
Project Contributor: Tony Cheng


























What if we can see the lighting?


“Flow, which is also known as ecstatics, that drives us to involve in a completely engaging process of creating something new, it essentially makes us step into alternative reality” (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi). In other words, rediscovering the boredom.

(Click here for the full research process and design development.)










Design opportunities








Design principle






Kensho experience
The art of boredom

Zen garden is a way to approach the enlightening moment. As a designer, I wonder how can I use my own approach to build my own mindful nature, and explore the aesthetics and arrangement then translate into the lighting context?









 Exploration and Reinterpretation of The Kensho


(I scan my calligraphy practices and observe the principle)









Movement + Still = Kensho


Through the practice of painting(Calligraphy), the still of black and movements of grazing forms the moment of Kensho. It then corresponds to Karesansui(Zen) Gardens, the story becomes and stays as the sand and rocks interact with each other.
















Design Ideation


(Be more responsive to environments and adpative to human behaviors)








Concept prototyping

During the hand-making and light quality testing process, I used photoshop to mock several contexts I desire to create. Then I hacked IKEA light combined with the acrylic panel made from plaster mold to mimic and experiment the experience.





(Initial concept collage and photoshop mockups)








(Hacking IKEA light as the basic component)

(Making plaster mold with 3D print objects and slump the acrylic under the high temperature)








Light effect exploration:


(Explore the light effect with aluminum sheet and recycled paper)






(Surface material design and interation)






Material tests and Physical mockups






The light will travel through the transparent panel and light on metallic mesh












“A secondary boundary for the mindful moment.”












How it works

One Kensho philosophy re-intepreted into three ways of experiences.






1/ The sunlight fills out space in the morning, amplifying nature with the lighting.
2/ The nightfall mixed with the lighting, translating the mood in the space.
3/ The lighting is a beacon at night, guiding human interactions within the context.









User Scenario





(sculptural piece)





(lighting amplified with nature light)






(lighting powered by strip light )





























































As the flow(light) interacts with the still, the story stays and becomes. Eventually, the goal is to inspired the mindful nature.