AATISMO to present ‘elements of light’ at salone satellite 2022

‘elements of light’ evokes ancient prayer tools 

‘Elements of Light’ is a series of lighting pieces launched by Japanese studio AATISMO. Each piece takes on a primitive shape resembling ancient prayer tools used by earlier civilizations to worship nature’s fundamental elements: water and wind, earth and fire, light and darkness. The studio has selected three of these elements — Aether, Air, and Water — and used them as motifs for their exploration of light. 

The collection will be exhibited at this year’s Salone Satellite, an event dedicated to young designers under 35, on the occasion of Milan Design Week 2022. Check out the complete guide HERE. 

Aether | all images © Shinya Sato

air, aether, and water: natural elements as motifs of design

The first piece, ‘Aether’, evokes the ancient understanding of a substance thought to fill the air and serve as a medium for transmitting light. With that in mind, AATISMO (see more here) crafted a translucent membrane floating inside a blown glass body to create a soft, all-encompassing glow, as if emitted by aether. The membrane receives and diffuses the light pouring down from a source above it. 

The second object, ‘Air’, is designed as a light-emitting origami structure that derives its energy from the wind. When a breeze sways the piece’s thin metal wings, a built-in piezoelectric device generates electricity and slowly emits a soft LED glow. This glow, in turn, reflects the shifting energy of the surrounding wind and flickers as delicately as a firefly, giving the impression of life unfolding within. 

As for ‘Water’ — the third piece of the ‘Elements of Light’ collection — the design represents the glow emitted by a full moon onto the surface of a water body. AATISMO used recycled glass pieces from fluorescent lamps, melting and shaping them into a bowl. Given new life, the glass contains tiny trapped bubbles and shard remnants on the surface; the resulting texture sets off a soothing glow like water under the moonlight.

Aether

Air

Water

project info:

name: Elements of Light
design: AATISMO

photography: Shinya Sato

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.