The initial, scrumptious thought I had upon viewing the new Ori pendant lamps that Lukas Dahlén designed for the Fiera Milano RHO at Salone del Mobile 2012 was… muffins. Why? I had to think about that. Clearly, the metal, origami-like structure of its shade is not edible, nor does it have what mean girls might refer to as a “muffin top”, but the thought wouldn’t vanish (even after having a snack). Only after planning for an upcoming trip did the Ori lamp’s resemblance to the small, metallic muffin pan liners, since I can never find them overseas.

Ori pendant lamps. Designed by Lukas Dahlén.

Origami Meets Metallics with the Glowing Ori Pendant Lamps

Found in Sweden, however, are the Ori pendant lamps made from solid brass with a black, a bronzed golden, or white finish. Hanging with power from their thick cord, the suspension lighting fixtures look bold and beautiful. Especially through Dahlén’s use of creasing does the thought of origami come to mind. And much to my delight, the designer himself says he experimented a lot with paper and watched numerous origami instruction films to understand the ancient technique. By becoming a master of the origami craft, Dahlén constructed his own pattern that he honored with a name derived from its inspiration.

“Sheet metal has the same characteristics as paper when it comes to folding,” says Dahlén of the brass material. In the wake of his learned art medium, what he calls “a lampshade that reflects the light downwards with a light coloured by the golden brass” was formed. To cut the thin, extremely durable brass material, the metal is cut with a photo-etching technique. It cut halfway through the metal sheet to create the creases necessary for a solid fold. In order to get each pattern to fold the way he wanted it to fold, a different pattern is used for each side of the sheet so it folds correctly.

While there were no muffins as an incentive to reporting on the new Ori pendant lamps to come out of the Salone del Mobile 2012, Lukas Dahlén’s crafting of the folded brass suspension lights would brighten any kitchen aesthetic with a look we can savor over and over again.

via Contemporist.

About the Designer: The Swedish designer known as Lukas Dahlén has studied everything from fine arts to architecture, earning a number of degrees from Uppsala University, Cumbria College of Art and Design and Konstfack University College of Arts. Forming his own company in 2006 that remains under his same name, Dahlén’s growth in furniture and lighting design gives him the design freedom while he continues to consult for the Stockholm-based Reflex Arkitekter in the early stages of architecture projects.