BlackHole Lamp
“A lamp that allows you to enjoy the spectacle of a black hole from the safety of your living room”
Curve ID is proud to announce that the “Black Hole Lamp”, conceived and directed by Dario Narvaez and Anthony Baxter, has won one of the world’s largest international lighting competitions, L A M P (Light Architecture Movement Project; www.welovelamp.ca) “This year’s theme for the competition was Cosmic, and out of 132 worldwide submissions, the ‘Black Hole Lamp’ stands out as an elegant interactive idea focused on the perception of a black hole."
A popular depiction of a black hole is an unseen force of nature drawing light down to a single point in space. Using this analogy, the ‘Black Hole Lamp’ controls the intensity of the light being emitted by creating a funnel from which the light cannot escape. In the ‘on’ position the reflective disc of material is fully illuminated, but as the flexible disc is drawn back towards the center of the black hole, the light gets dimmer until it eventually disappears
“I thought this lamp was fantastic – so elegant and I love that you have to pull back the metal ‘switch’ to dim the lighting, as if you’re stretching time and space,” said judge and light-art sculptor, Phillip K. Smith from his Laguna Beach, Calif., studio. “You know, it’s always a dilemma – structure and engineering versus metaphor and poetry – but, in the end, a lamp has to be functional. This one has it all.”
This project was a collaboration of many different contributors that helped make the lamp a reality. Thanks to the Curve ID team, particularly Alberto Mantilla and Carlos Gonzalez.
Special thanks to:
Benjamin Duarte: Metal Fabrication
Eddy Viana: Electronics & Programming
Mark Breneman: Electronics & Programming
Marc Vivant: Electronics & Programming
Pete Althoff: Electronics Consulting
Ronald Ondrey: Prototype Consulting
Last but not least, the event organizers at L A M P: Nicole Fox & Annika Hagen; Thank you for hosting such a unique event that inspires the design community.