Abstract
Material Light is an ongoing investigation into the relationship between sculptural form, material properties, fabrication, and the behavior of light.
The collection brings together four lighting designs that explore progressively more complex methods of transmitting, organizing, and manipulating light. Beginning with translucent materials and modular construction, the studies extend into optical assemblies informed by lighthouse Fresnel lenses and, ultimately, a system intended to generate caustic light patterns through the interaction of light, water and motion.
Developed through CAD modeling, additive manufacturing, physical prototyping, and computational visualization, the projects examine how decisions about geometry, material, and construction influence the behavior of light and space it occupies.
The designs are presented as a progression in technical and optical complexity rather than a strict chronology of their development.
Together, they investigate lighting objects as both sculptural forms and engineered systems, exploring how illumination can become an active consideration in the design of an object's structure and its relationship to the surrounding environment.
Abstract
Material Light is an ongoing investigation into the relationship between sculptural form, material properties, fabrication, and the behavior of light.
The collection brings together four lighting designs that explore progressively more complex methods of transmitting, organizing, and manipulating light. Beginning with translucent materials and modular construction, the studies extend into optical assemblies informed by lighthouse Fresnel lenses and, ultimately, a system intended to generate caustic light patterns through the interaction of light, water and motion.
Developed through CAD modeling, additive manufacturing, physical prototyping, and computational visualization, the projects examine how decisions about geometry, material, and construction influence the behavior of light and space it occupies.
The designs are presented as a progression in technical and optical complexity rather than a strict chronology of their development.
Together, they investigate lighting objects as both sculptural forms and engineered systems, exploring how illumination can become an active consideration in the design of an object's structure and its relationship to the surrounding environment.
Abstract
Material Light is an ongoing investigation into the relationship between sculptural form, material properties, fabrication, and the behavior of light.
The collection brings together four lighting designs that explore progressively more complex methods of transmitting, organizing, and manipulating light. Beginning with translucent materials and modular construction, the studies extend into optical assemblies informed by lighthouse Fresnel lenses and, ultimately, a system intended to generate caustic light patterns through the interaction of light, water and motion.
Developed through CAD modeling, additive manufacturing, physical prototyping, and computational visualization, the projects examine how decisions about geometry, material, and construction influence the behavior of light and space it occupies.
The designs are presented as a progression in technical and optical complexity rather than a strict chronology of their development.
Together, they investigate lighting objects as both sculptural forms and engineered systems, exploring how illumination can become an active consideration in the design of an object's structure and its relationship to the surrounding environment.
1. Motivation & Contribution
A lighting object exists in two conditions: as a physical structure defined by its geometry and materials, and as an active source of illumination that changes how those qualities are perceived.
The relationship between these conditions provides the basis for the collection.
Translucent materials reveal internal lighting elements and alter the appearance of surface textures. Modular geometries introduce divisions that can affect the visual continuity of an object. More complex optical components create opportunities to redirect light, while refractive materials and water introduce effects that extend beyond the boundaries of the physical enclosure.
The studies explore four connected questions:
How do material properties affect the appearance and transmission of light?
How can modular geometry and fabrication methods influence the structure of a lighting object?
How can optical components become integral to the design rather than additions to an enclosure?
How can the behavior of light itself become the primary output of a designed system?
The collection moves from designing objects that transmit light toward developing systems that influence its behavior.
1. Motivation & Contribution
A lighting object exists in two conditions: as a physical structure defined by its geometry and materials, and as an active source of illumination that changes how those qualities are perceived.
The relationship between these conditions provides the basis for the collection.
Translucent materials reveal internal lighting elements and alter the appearance of surface textures. Modular geometries introduce divisions that can affect the visual continuity of an object. More complex optical components create opportunities to redirect light, while refractive materials and water introduce effects that extend beyond the boundaries of the physical enclosure.
The studies explore four connected questions:
How do material properties affect the appearance and transmission of light?
How can modular geometry and fabrication methods influence the structure of a lighting object?
How can optical components become integral to the design rather than additions to an enclosure?
How can the behavior of light itself become the primary output of a designed system?
The collection moves from designing objects that transmit light toward developing systems that influence its behavior.
1. Motivation & Contribution
A lighting object exists in two conditions: as a physical structure defined by its geometry and materials, and as an active source of illumination that changes how those qualities are perceived.
The relationship between these conditions provides the basis for the collection.
Translucent materials reveal internal lighting elements and alter the appearance of surface textures. Modular geometries introduce divisions that can affect the visual continuity of an object. More complex optical components create opportunities to redirect light, while refractive materials and water introduce effects that extend beyond the boundaries of the physical enclosure.
The studies explore four connected questions:
How do material properties affect the appearance and transmission of light?
How can modular geometry and fabrication methods influence the structure of a lighting object?
How can optical components become integral to the design rather than additions to an enclosure?
How can the behavior of light itself become the primary output of a designed system?
The collection moves from designing objects that transmit light toward developing systems that influence its behavior.
2. System Overview
Four Studies in Increasing Complexity
01 — Strata
Material Transmission & Form
2. System Overview
Four Studies in Increasing Complexity
01 — Strata
Material Transmission & Form
Strata explores how a translucent material can establish both the physical character of an object and the appearance of its internal illumination.
The design consists of five vertically joined modules forming a tapered structure in natural-clear PETG. Horizontal divisions remain visible along the body, while a narrow vertical lighting element introduces warm illumination through the translucent material.
The distinction between illuminated and unilluminated states is particularly important. Without internal illumination, the object's proportions, segmented construction, and surface characteristics are emphasized. When illuminated, the internal light becomes visible through the material, introducing a second visual reading of the same form.
The study establishes the collection's initial investigation: how material, geometry, and illumination can influence one another without requiring a complex optical system.
Strata explores how a translucent material can establish both the physical character of an object and the appearance of its internal illumination.
The design consists of five vertically joined modules forming a tapered structure in natural-clear PETG. Horizontal divisions remain visible along the body, while a narrow vertical lighting element introduces warm illumination through the translucent material.
The distinction between illuminated and unilluminated states is particularly important. Without internal illumination, the object's proportions, segmented construction, and surface characteristics are emphasized. When illuminated, the internal light becomes visible through the material, introducing a second visual reading of the same form.
The study establishes the collection's initial investigation: how material, geometry, and illumination can influence one another without requiring a complex optical system.
02 — Salmona
Modular Construction & Structural Composition
02 — Salmona
Modular Construction & Structural Composition
Salmona develops the investigation from material transmission toward the organization of separate geometric elements within a larger lighting structure.
The design draws inspiration from the distinctive hollow terracotta bricks found throughout Bogotá, Colombia. Their repeated rectangular cavities, structural simplicity, and warm earthen coloration provide the formal basis for the lamp. By adapting the geometry of a conventional building material into a lighting object, the design explores how architectural elements can be reinterpreted at a smaller, more intimate scale.
The lamp uses a multi-component assembly in which repeated openings establish a consistent geometric rhythm. Rather than relying on a single continuous enclosure, the design adopts a segmented approach to construction, retaining the recognizable proportions and hollow structure of its architectural reference.
The development process examines how independently modeled components relate to one another, how repeated geometry determines the object's proportions, and how illumination can be integrated within these structural divisions. The cavities, originally associated with reducing material consumption and facilitating construction, are reinterpreted as spaces through which light can emerge.
This introduces additional considerations involving component alignment, material selection, structural relationships, and the integration of illumination within a divided physical form.
The transition from Strata to Salmona represents a shift in emphasis: from the behavior of light within a translucent material toward the reinterpretation of architectural geometry as a functional lighting structure.
Salmona develops the investigation from material transmission toward the organization of separate geometric elements within a larger lighting structure.
The design draws inspiration from the distinctive hollow terracotta bricks found throughout Bogotá, Colombia. Their repeated rectangular cavities, structural simplicity, and warm earthen coloration provide the formal basis for the lamp. By adapting the geometry of a conventional building material into a lighting object, the design explores how architectural elements can be reinterpreted at a smaller, more intimate scale.
The lamp uses a multi-component assembly in which repeated openings establish a consistent geometric rhythm. Rather than relying on a single continuous enclosure, the design adopts a segmented approach to construction, retaining the recognizable proportions and hollow structure of its architectural reference.
The development process examines how independently modeled components relate to one another, how repeated geometry determines the object's proportions, and how illumination can be integrated within these structural divisions. The cavities, originally associated with reducing material consumption and facilitating construction, are reinterpreted as spaces through which light can emerge.
This introduces additional considerations involving component alignment, material selection, structural relationships, and the integration of illumination within a divided physical form.
The transition from Strata to Salmona represents a shift in emphasis: from the behavior of light within a translucent material toward the reinterpretation of architectural geometry as a functional lighting structure.
03 — Pharos
Optical Geometry & Fresnel Lens Inspiration
03 — Pharos
Optical Geometry & Fresnel Lens Inspiration
Pharos extends the exploration of modular construction into the organization of a more complex optical assembly.
Inspired by the structure and optical principles of lighthouse Fresnel lenses, the design investigates how layered geometry and dedicated optical components can influence the relationship between a light source and its enclosure.
Traditional Fresnel lenses use multiple refracting surfaces to redirect light while reducing the thickness and material required by a conventional lens. Their combination of optical function and repeated geometric structure provides a reference for the design.
The Pharos assembly includes three nested housing elements, an enclosure, an oval lens socket, and a convex shade.
These components introduce distinct structural and optical considerations. The nested housings establish a progression of dimensions and profiles, while the lens socket and shade create separate areas of the design concerned with the placement and treatment of light.
Pharos marks a shift in the collection: the physical arrangement of components is increasingly informed by the intended direction and behavior of illumination.
Pharos extends the exploration of modular construction into the organization of a more complex optical assembly.
Inspired by the structure and optical principles of lighthouse Fresnel lenses, the design investigates how layered geometry and dedicated optical components can influence the relationship between a light source and its enclosure.
Traditional Fresnel lenses use multiple refracting surfaces to redirect light while reducing the thickness and material required by a conventional lens. Their combination of optical function and repeated geometric structure provides a reference for the design.
The Pharos assembly includes three nested housing elements, an enclosure, an oval lens socket, and a convex shade.
These components introduce distinct structural and optical considerations. The nested housings establish a progression of dimensions and profiles, while the lens socket and shade create separate areas of the design concerned with the placement and treatment of light.
Pharos marks a shift in the collection: the physical arrangement of components is increasingly informed by the intended direction and behavior of illumination.
04 — Gyre
Movement as Material
04 — Gyre
Movement as Material
Gyre extends the collection's investigation beyond static relationships between light, geometry, and material, introducing mechanical movement and the optical behavior of water as interconnected elements of the design.
Caustics are concentrated patterns of illumination produced when light is redirected through reflection or refraction. In water, changes in surface geometry can alter the distribution of transmitted light, producing complex and continuously evolving patterns.
Unlike the preceding studies, where illumination is primarily influenced by fixed materials and structural geometries, Gyre introduces movement and time as active components of the lighting system.
The design consists of a twelve-component CAD assembly incorporating a central light source, elongated triangular reflectors, and a water-filled cylindrical shade. A small servo motor housed within the stationary base is intended to rotate the outer capsule, creating movement within the water while changing its interaction with the internal reflective geometry and light source.
Rather than producing a fixed distribution of illumination, the system is intended to generate shifting caustic patterns that extend beyond the physical object and onto surrounding surfaces. The resulting light becomes an evolving interaction between the mechanical system, the movement of water, and its optical properties.
This introduces additional technical considerations involving fluid containment, mechanical actuation, component alignment, rotational stability, and the integration of moving and stationary elements. The challenge shifts from designing an enclosure that transmits or redirects light toward developing a system in which mechanical movement and dynamic material behavior influence illumination over time.
The optical and mechanical performance of the proposed system remains subject to physical prototyping and evaluation.
Gyre represents the culmination of the collection's progression: from designing static objects that transmit and shape light toward developing a kinetic lighting system in which illumination emerges through the interaction of light, water, and movement.
Gyre extends the collection's investigation beyond static relationships between light, geometry, and material, introducing mechanical movement and the optical behavior of water as interconnected elements of the design.
Caustics are concentrated patterns of illumination produced when light is redirected through reflection or refraction. In water, changes in surface geometry can alter the distribution of transmitted light, producing complex and continuously evolving patterns.
Unlike the preceding studies, where illumination is primarily influenced by fixed materials and structural geometries, Gyre introduces movement and time as active components of the lighting system.
The design consists of a twelve-component CAD assembly incorporating a central light source, elongated triangular reflectors, and a water-filled cylindrical shade. A small servo motor housed within the stationary base is intended to rotate the outer capsule, creating movement within the water while changing its interaction with the internal reflective geometry and light source.
Rather than producing a fixed distribution of illumination, the system is intended to generate shifting caustic patterns that extend beyond the physical object and onto surrounding surfaces. The resulting light becomes an evolving interaction between the mechanical system, the movement of water, and its optical properties.
This introduces additional technical considerations involving fluid containment, mechanical actuation, component alignment, rotational stability, and the integration of moving and stationary elements. The challenge shifts from designing an enclosure that transmits or redirects light toward developing a system in which mechanical movement and dynamic material behavior influence illumination over time.
The optical and mechanical performance of the proposed system remains subject to physical prototyping and evaluation.
Gyre represents the culmination of the collection's progression: from designing static objects that transmit and shape light toward developing a kinetic lighting system in which illumination emerges through the interaction of light, water, and movement.
3. Technical Architecture
Across the four studies—Strata, Salmona, Pharos, and Gyre—the relationship between light, material, and structure becomes progressively more complex.
Strata begins with the transmission and diffusion of light through a translucent, additively manufactured form. Salmona shifts the emphasis toward modular construction and the organization of separate components. Pharos explores the direction of illumination through geometry informed by lighthouse optics. Gyre introduces mechanical movement and water, investigating how changing physical conditions can produce evolving patterns of light.
Together, the studies follow a progression:
Material Transmission → Modular Construction → Optical Direction → Light & Movement
Each design builds upon the considerations of the previous one, moving from relatively static relationships between light and physical form toward a system in which movement and material behavior influence illumination over time.
3. Technical Architecture
Across the four studies—Strata, Salmona, Pharos, and Gyre—the relationship between light, material, and structure becomes progressively more complex.
Strata begins with the transmission and diffusion of light through a translucent, additively manufactured form. Salmona shifts the emphasis toward modular construction and the organization of separate components. Pharos explores the direction of illumination through geometry informed by lighthouse optics. Gyre introduces mechanical movement and water, investigating how changing physical conditions can produce evolving patterns of light.
Together, the studies follow a progression:
Material Transmission → Modular Construction → Optical Direction → Light & Movement
Each design builds upon the considerations of the previous one, moving from relatively static relationships between light and physical form toward a system in which movement and material behavior influence illumination over time.
4. Design Development & Physical Prototyping
The four studies share an iterative approach to design, combining CAD modeling, visualization, additive manufacturing, and physical experimentation.
Digital modeling allows the geometry and relationships between components to be explored before fabrication, while rendered assemblies help communicate their construction and intended lighting behavior. Physical prototyping provides a means of examining material properties, assembly, and the differences between modeled and observed results.
The general process follows:
Concept → CAD → Visualization → Fabrication → Testing → Revision
The extent of development varies between the studies. Strata and Salmona have progressed to physical prototypes, allowing their material and structural characteristics to be examined directly. Pharos and Gyre remain design-stage investigations, with their intended optical and mechanical behavior requiring further testing.
Across the collection, the process reflects a growing consideration of how a design moves from a modeled object toward a functioning lighting system. As the projects introduce more complex optical effects and mechanical interactions, physical evaluation becomes increasingly important in understanding how closely the resulting illumination corresponds to its intended behavior.
4. Design Development & Physical Prototyping
The four studies share an iterative approach to design, combining CAD modeling, visualization, additive manufacturing, and physical experimentation.
Digital modeling allows the geometry and relationships between components to be explored before fabrication, while rendered assemblies help communicate their construction and intended lighting behavior. Physical prototyping provides a means of examining material properties, assembly, and the differences between modeled and observed results.
The general process follows:
Concept → CAD → Visualization → Fabrication → Testing → Revision
The extent of development varies between the studies. Strata and Salmona have progressed to physical prototypes, allowing their material and structural characteristics to be examined directly. Pharos and Gyre remain design-stage investigations, with their intended optical and mechanical behavior requiring further testing.
Across the collection, the process reflects a growing consideration of how a design moves from a modeled object toward a functioning lighting system. As the projects introduce more complex optical effects and mechanical interactions, physical evaluation becomes increasingly important in understanding how closely the resulting illumination corresponds to its intended behavior.
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