Last year’s Tyvek Design Awards celebrated the Wagasa Lamp, known for its stunning design and engaging functionality. Inspired by umbrellas, it features a shade made of flexible Tyvek fabric and wooden rods. You can open or close the lamp like an umbrella, adjusting the brightness by revealing or concealing the space inside. This distinctive feature creates a delightful user experience, making it a hit with crowds. Plus, its Asian/Japanese aesthetic makes it a perfect fit for minimalist or oriental-themed homes.
The Wagasa lamp is made from only two main materials besides the bulb and electrical parts. It features a Tyvek shade, consisting of two sheets of the synthetic paper-like material, and a wooden frame to support the shades and adjust their position. Swiss-based Solenn Roch notes that the translucent Dupont Tyvek material softly diffuses light, resulting in a cozy and warm atmosphere.
The design closely resembles the cocktail umbrellas and operates similarly. A threaded base allows you to rotate a knob to adjust the openness or closeness of the umbrella, while the width of the outer umbrella cone determines the lamp’s brightness. When fully opened/horizontal, the lamp emits more light from the top and bottom, diffusing beautifully through the Tyvek shade. Closing it reduces the conical area and the illuminated space inside the lamp. The controls are not exact, but they are enjoyable, and you’ll often find yourself reaching for the knob to showcase the lamp to your guests!
The Wagasa lamp captivates with its simplicity and playful nature. While it shares similarities with the IKEA PS 2014 Pendant Lamp in functionality, the Wagasa lamp embraces a more nostalgic feel, reminiscent of a simpler era, combined with an elegant Eastern-inspired minimalist design.
