david trubridge: kitset lighting

‘coral’ image © designboom

in efforts to reduce our environmental footprint, new zealand-based designer david trubridge has redesigned a number of his lighting solutions as a means of distributing his products as kitsets, to be assembled by the owner rather than as an already constructed unit. this method of packaging and shipping his lights generally results in the kitsets being about 1/40th the volume of the same assembled light, minimizing overall weight and reducing freight.

each of the lamps’ forms are derived from nature, drawing on the flora and fauna of australia and new zealand. the components are made from thin flexible bamboo plywood which are attached to one another using small clips. each are available in 6 stock colors, painted on one side or white (painted on one or two sides).

the kitsets are part of what trubridge calls the ‘seed system’: ‘why fill a truck with one tree, when the cost to the earth is reduced by packing in boxes of seed? you receive the seed of a lightshade, and have fun and satisfaction making it grow yourself. your tree fills into the space; the patterns of its leaves clam with with their shade. it nourishes with its fruit, and keeps the balance of life. the idea ripples out and spreads to the world, which becomes a brighter place.’

‘floral’ image © designboom

‘kina’ image © designboom

up close image © designboom  

a look at some of the kitset forms unassembled image © designboom

kitset lighting packaging (‘floral’ shown here) image © designboom

‘floral’ kitset lighting components image © designboom

all the elements needed to build a ‘floral’ lamp image © designboom

image © designboom

clips used to attach the components image © designboom

instructions for building a coral / floral lamp:

an instructional video guiding you through the assembly of david trubridge’s hinaki seed system kitset lightshade. starring madeline knight. filmed and edited by david trubridge. music by steve reid ensemble.