.jpg)
- Your luminaires feel less like conventional lighting fixtures and more like spatial objects. Are there influences beyond traditional product design – such as art, fashion, or architecture – that particularly inspire your work?
PYL: That observation captures the essence of our work. And yes, we are certainly shaped by influences from outside our field. We follow the trends we encounter at design fairs, and above all, we are inspired by nature and its organic, cellular forms. What truly matters, however, is how we translate these impressions. We never begin with a predetermined design language, but always with the specific context: the client, the place, the project, and the idea behind it. Art, architecture, and design are part of the conversation from the very beginning, because every object is created in close collaboration with architects, interior architects, lighting designers, artists, and designers, each contributing their own references and perspectives. The form evolves through an iterative co-design process rather than from a preconceived aesthetic. That is precisely why the results feel more like spatial objects than catalogue products. Every piece reflects the unique character of its own context.
- What inspires your design process most – the lighting conditions, the atmosphere of a space, or the needs of your clients?
PYL: We rarely begin with a single factor. Instead, every project starts with a narrative that is developed together. Everything else follows from that. Our ultimate goal is to create an atmosphere that defines the space in all its facets, and the interplay between daylight and artificial light plays a central role in achieving this. At the same time, we always think beyond a luminaire's illuminated state. In addition to its different lighting scenarios and dimming levels, every object also has an unlit presence. It must exist as a sculptural element within the space even when switched off. This physical presence is just as important to us as the quality of the light itself. The result is an object that shapes a space whether it is illuminated or not. Our clients' needs are not a separate consideration – they are an integral part of that narrative.
- What does your design process look like? Is there a recurring workflow? And what typically takes longer – the design phase or the production?
PYL: Yes, there is a recurring process, although every project reaches a different outcome. At its core is an iterative co-design approach, in which ideas are continuously refined within an interdisciplinary team. Thanks to our 3D-printing capabilities, we can produce physical prototypes very quickly. These prototypes enable rapid iterations, allowing clients to actively shape the development process until the final result matches the shared vision. By far the largest portion of time is spent on development. From the initial idea to the finished product, the process typically takes ten to twelve weeks. Production time depends on the size and quantity of the pieces, but with 3D printing it is considerably shorter than with conventional manufacturing methods. We produce anything from a single bespoke piece to runs of around one hundred units.
- The luminaire we created together immediately defines the space. What role do you think such a statement piece plays in architecture and interior architecture today?
PYL: Today, a successful statement piece is much more than decoration – it gives a space orientation, identity, and presence. That was exactly the objective in our joint project. The kiosk was set back from the street and was simply overlooked by most passers-by. The team at Blaser Architekten approached us with the idea of making this area more visible and inviting. Light is the ideal medium for this because it guides, signals, and creates atmosphere at the same time. As is often the case, the brief evolved during the project, and together we decided to create a statement piece. The result demonstrates how precisely space, material, and light must work together to create such a striking focal point. That is exactly what we achieved in collaboration with Blaser Architekten.
- How important is collaboration with architects and interior architects in your design process? Do the strongest ideas emerge through dialogue or from a clear creative vision?
PYL: Collaboration with architects and designers lies at the heart of our design process. Most projects begin with a clear creative vision, and that vision provides an essential direction. Its real strength, however, emerges through dialogue – when it meets our experience and the specific conditions of the project. This is where 3D printing gives us a significant technical advantage. Because we do not rely on injection moulds that permanently fix a design, ideas can evolve, expand, and adapt throughout the project, just as the brief itself often changes. The strongest results almost always emerge where vision and dialogue reinforce one another rather than compete.
- Young design brands often face the challenge of balancing individuality with scalability. How can a growing company maintain its own creative identity?
PYL: We know this challenge well. For us, however, it is actually our greatest strength. Our ambition is to make the client a co-designer. Unlike traditional manufacturers, where designers define the formal language, the distinctive character of our objects comes from the people we collaborate with, not from us. We contribute our expertise in lighting design, technology, and materials in service of their vision. For us, individuality is therefore not the opposite of scalability – it is the product itself. It extends from the overall project right down to each individual object. One example is the approximately fifty crystal lighting sculptures we developed and produced together with the artist duo Gerda Steiner & Jörg Lenzlinger for Restaurant Banks, each one entirely unique. Scalability is achieved through our production capacity, which grows alongside our projects. In this way, every creative signature remains intact precisely because it is not our own.
- Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in product design. What responsibility do contemporary lighting manufacturers have today, both creatively and in terms of production?
PYL: For us, responsibility begins not with the material alone but with the entire system. When we founded the company in 2018, our idea was to manufacture bespoke luminaires locally in Basel and produce only what each project actually requires. Without tooling and from quantities as low as a single piece, there is no overproduction. And because we manufacture where the product will ultimately be used, we deliberately avoid long transport routes. The main component of our luminaires is PLA (polylactic acid), a bio-based material free from petroleum that can be returned to the material cycle. In our joint project, sustainability was a key priority for the client, so we used fully recycled PLA. From a design perspective, however, our greatest responsibility is to create objects that people want to keep – because the longest-lasting product is usually the most sustainable one.
- Your designs move between geometric precision and experimental forms. How do you balance technical performance with emotional impact?
PYL: We do not see this as a balance between two opposing forces but as a prerequisite: one only works because of the other. Every luminaire must meet the highest technical standards, from luminous output and colour rendering to glare control and lighting control systems. No matter how expressive a form may be, it will only succeed in a space if these fundamentals are right. Conversely, a technically perfect luminaire without a compelling design idea remains forgettable. The emotional impact therefore emerges not despite the technology but because of it, once both dimensions support one another. This interplay defines our work, and 3D printing gives us the freedom to push a form as far as a project demands without losing sight of the physical realities.
- Light has an enormous influence on the materiality, atmosphere, and perception of a space. Since you primarily work with the same material, does that ever become limiting?
PYL: Although we mainly work with the biopolymer PLA in 3D printing, it is available in a remarkable variety of finishes – transparent, in numerous shades of white, opaque or translucent colours, multi-coloured versions, and even materials with wood fibres. This opens up an impressive range of design possibilities. We are especially interested in combining printed elements with materials such as metal, glass, or timber. Often we use a standard metal component, for example, and develop a bespoke printed shade around it. For us, the material is therefore not a limitation but rather a starting point for surprisingly diverse design solutions.
- Looking ahead, how do you think lighting design will evolve in the coming years – technologically, aesthetically, and in relation to architecture?
PYL: Without question. What excites us most is how lighting will increasingly be conceived and produced. The last major revolution – the transition to LED technology – enabled tremendous advances, including highly compact luminaires with exceptional light output. We believe the next step will not be a new type of luminaire but a new way of thinking: moving away from catalogue products towards objects created specifically for individual spaces and manufactured where they will ultimately be used. That is exactly what 3D printing enables – from one-off pieces to small series, without tooling and without long transport routes. From a design perspective, we are interested in a broader cultural shift. In a world that is becoming ever more digital and ephemeral, physical and enduring objects are gaining value. A luminaire consciously designed for one specific place is the opposite of generic. For us, that represents the most exciting future for the relationship between light and architecture.
- Lighting is often considered only at a late stage in the planning process, even though it fundamentally shapes the perception of a space. What would you like architects and clients to change about the way they approach lighting design?
PYL: We encounter this situation all too often, and it is unfortunate. Architecture thrives on the interaction of complementary disciplines, and lighting is one of the most powerful among them. It shapes how spaces are perceived, how materials appear, and how people orient themselves. That is why we hope lighting will no longer be treated as an afterthought but considered from the very beginning. Our advice is straightforward: involve a professional lighting designer early in the project, ideally alongside the architectural concept. This allows lighting to become part of the original idea rather than a later correction. The result is better both creatively and economically, and it makes the collaboration far more rewarding for everyone involved.
Please click here to view the project.
Credit letztes Bild: ©ferdinandogodenzi
No items found.
No items found.
.jpg)
%20(1).jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
%20(2400%20x%202400%20px)%20(1200%20x%201080%20px).jpg)
.avif)
