DESIGN BACKGROUND
The Patella lamp ("small dish" in Latin) is a lighting fixture project from Gregory Mowery's Shaping Lights class during my final year at SAIC, students were given the creative freedom for the final project and tasked with designing any lighting fixture of their own preference.
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT: WHY KNOCKDOWN FURNITURE?
The initial concept for this lamp focused on creating a lighting fixture that would be easy to manufacture, simple to assemble, highly repairable, and visually appealing.
To support these goals, a knockdown furniture approach was adopted, offering benefits such as straightforward structural design, efficient use of space, and enhanced user accessibility.
IDEATIONS & VISUAL DEVELOPMENT
To achieve the design goals of a functional and aesthetically pleasing lighting piece, my initial round of sketches covered a wider range of fixture exploration, ranging from sconces to work light. All of which maintained the need of a quick and easy DIY assembly process.
I drew inspiration from the bold, geometric forms of Brutalist architecture, particularly those seen in the Chicago skyline. These visual elements informed a design that emphasizes strong architectural presence and structural order.
[Initial prints to work out the tolerance]
PROTOTYPING
The first working prototype was modeled in RHINO 3D and fully 3D printed to test part tolerances, ensuring a proper fit between the legs and diffuser. This version also served as a proof of concept to evaluate the ease of assembly and confirm the design's intended functionality.
PRODUCTION MODEL
The higher fidelity prototypes featured plywood made legs utilizing a CNC machine, this helps to validate possibilities of progressing to fabricate structures using hard wood materials. The diffusers received a print process upgrade which effectively reduced print line disturbance and resulted in a cleaner translucent effect.
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Exterior Shell
2
Mid foam casing
Power cord
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4
Mid foam casing
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Diffuser
Lamp legs
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7
Sticky binder
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Central connector
[Hover mouse over numbers to reveal callouts]
ADDITIONAL FEATURE 1: PACKAGING DESIGN
Packaging design also comes into play as part of the advantages offered by knockdown furniture. A compact, efficient packaging system was developed in which the lamp diffuser itself serves as the main encasing, with all additional components neatly stored within its central cavity. This design maximizes space efficiency and simplifies logistics.
ADDITIONAL FEATURE 2: MODULAR EXPANDABILITY
Standardized modules used in the final design was introduced to maintain a high level of repairability for the users, at the same time, it allowed the designer to progress with potential upgrades that expands the capabilities of the original form.