Candelabra is a design research project I done in collaboration with David Boira and Zoe Coombes, based on the work with minimal surfaces and genetic organization I did in Bill Macdonald’s studio at Columbia. The intention was to produce a chandelier that relies on its architecture rather than its technology for its performance. The curvature of the components was optimized to refract light as well as to connect seamlessly at its edges either in plane or offset. This logic allows for multiple configurations that were in the end sampled from the refractive behavior of digital flocking patterns (very Bill Macdonald). Best of all, its black.

The pieces themselves are made from vaccum formed plastic and fiberglass, covered in tons of bondo, sanded, and finished with primer and auto body paint. They and are attached at the edges by laser cut petg plates. They were made in a very intense 4 day spell in the MOMA PS-1 workshop under the premise that we were building prototypes for their summer jam series.

Photography courtesy of Isa Wipfli.