Visit to a lamp store
During the Christmas holiday one day I went to Amsterdam, and coincidentally came past a lamp shop called Flat Lux Design, so I decided to go in and take some pictures. I saw many different types of lampshades in this store of different materials, like you can see in the images above, the lampshades I found in this shop were very artistic and modern, compared to lampshades you see everyday and they gave me an inspiration for a more unorthodox designing method for this project.
Research on similar products
A lampshade is a fixture that covers a lightbulb, and its function is to make the light that emits from it less bright (Lampshade). Lamp shades can be made for all kinds of lamps; table lamps, floor lamps, ceiling lamps etc. Friedrich Albert Winsor first came up with the idea of filtering gas light, by opal glass or light fabric shades in the first decades of the 19th century. Since then, lampshades have grown into a trend used by many. You will rarely come across any lamp nowadays without a lampshade.
There is an almost endless list of possible materials that could be used for a lampshade; opal glass, plastic, wood, plexiglass, paper, cardboard, metal etc. All of these materials could be used in different ways, for example a paper lamp shade could cover the whole lamp and the function of this lamp shade would be to dim the light internally. While for example the function of a wooden lamp shade might be to block the light from shining all around and causing all the light to shine towards the table for example (Lamp Shade).
Analysis
After researching the possible options within making a lampshade I have realized how many different types of lampshades there are and what options there are for me. For a client related lamp shade, I am considering making something that is job-related as he already suggested in the interview. Something such as a wine bottle candle light or so. I will do further research on my options later.
Research on similar client job-related products
From researching and browsing the internet I came across these three interesting designs that I could adapt to make my own lamp shade.
Design brief
What is the problem I need to solve? How do I plan to use the design cycle to solve this problem? What is the link between my AOI and this problem? Who am I designing this for? What materials and tools do I need to investigate? What are the safety issues I need to consider?
How can I make a lampshade that has an aesthetic function to its environment?
There is a whole process, called the design cycle, which I will go through in the process of producing a solution to my guiding question above. The main problem I have for this project is that I need figure out how to make a lampshade that has an aesthetic function to its environment. The first step is to investigate what the different types of lamp shades there are, I have done this and therefore I now have an idea what type of lamp shades there are, and what types I should be considering and find most appropriate for my client. My AOI is Human Ingenuity and its link to this project are human ingenuity questions such as, why and how do we create? what are the consequences? These are questions I will also need to take into consideration during the course of this project. The AOI, human ingenuity allows students to explore in multiple ways the processes and products of human creativity, which is especially needed for this project in the investigation, design and create phases. I am designing this for my client, his home work space. During the designing phase I will have to take proportional designing into consideration so that my client can be satisfied with my product. For this project I have already investigated many possible materials and tools that could be used but now I will have to narrow down my options based on what the preference of my client might be and what is realistic for me to make within the time we get to create our product. I need to consider temperature conditions for my lamp shade and if it is durable under the heat the light bulb or candle would offer it. I would also need to make sure my product has no dangerous bits that could cause harm to anyone that would be required to use it.
Design Specification
Test surveys:
Evaluation
Tasks that went well:
During the investigation I was able to research quite a bit about our project topic and interviewed my client which has both given me a clear sense of what I want to do in the further stages of designing my product. I also found information about potential products and how they could be made.
Suggested improvements:
To have improved my investigation, I could have researched more about how to make the type of lampshades I am interested in to get a better sense on whether the ideas that I have for the latter stages are feasible and whether I should be heading in another direction. I did not have researched on my chosen material as I do not want to restrict my options.
MLA Bibliography
Fig 1. "File:Paper Lamp Shade.jpg." Wikimedia Commons. Web. 21 Dec. 2011. <>.
Fig 2. "My DIY Wine Bottle Centerpieces | Weddingbee DIY Projects." DIY Wedding - Do It Yourself Wedding Ideas and Templates by Weddingbee. Web. 23 Dec. 2011. <>.
Fig 3. "Bordeux Style VinoLamp - VinoLights." VinoLights, VinoLamps, and LiquorLamps. Web. 23 Dec. 2011.
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Fig 4. "Wine Bottle Lamps » Home Blog." Home Blog » There’s No Place like Home. Web. 23 Dec. 2011. <>.
"Lampshade." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 7 Jan. 2012. <>.
"Lamp Shades." Birch & Willow :: Page Title. Web. 7 Jan. 2012. <>.