Pipe Beam & Bag Lamp
The Pipe Beam & Bag Lamp is a seminal piece that serves as a conceptual bridge between the FOUNDATIONS collection (2014) and the subsequent O.F.I.S. (Objects From Interstitial Space) series. Originally developed as the "Cultural Foundation," this lighting fixture explores the intersection of hidden industrial infrastructure and the creation of domestic culture. It represents the studio’s fascination with "bastard" materials—those components designed for the inner guts of buildings that, through a change of context, are elevated to the status of a totem in a living room.
The design team conceived this lamp as a study in balance and structural transparency. The project originated in the studio’s Eindhoven workshop, sparked by the disassembly of an industrial ventilation system. Among the debris, the team identified the aesthetic potential of L-shaped galvanized steel tubes. By reconfiguring these technical elements, the studio sought to shed light on the dual nature of our built environment: the same materials used to perform support and function are those we use to compose our cultural identity.
Technically, the Pipe Beam & Bag—also known as the Balance Lamp—is a masterclass in honest assembly. Its structure is composed of a standard industrial pipe that acts as a cantilevered beam. To achieve stability without permanent fixings, the design team utilized a counterweight system: a simple bag filled with construction sand or debris. This mechanical honesty allows the lamp to maintain its position through gravity and friction alone. This model was the precursor to the broader O.F.I.S. Tubular Lamp series, which achieved international recognition at Dutch Design Week for its ability to transform mass-produced ventilation components into high-end, collectible lighting.
As a significant research project, the Pipe Beam & Bag Lamp demonstrates the studio's "pro-cycling" philosophy. By stripping away the anonymity of construction materials, the team proves that design can act as a tool for recontextualization. This piece remains a definitive example of how the studio finds "hidden beauty" in the interstitial spaces of architecture, proving that the most utilitarian elements can become the most poetic features of a home.