raw metal and pure geometry form manu bañó’s OBJ-01 lamp

exemplifying mies van der rohe’s old adage of ‘less is more’  is this beautifully simple lamp designed by manu bañó of esrawe studio. marking the valencian designer’s first solo project, ‘OBJ-01’ is articulated by clean-cut lines and tactile metal. 

OBJ-01 in brass
images by alejandro ramírez

OBJ-01 is an object that needs no explanation. at a glance, it reveals its material, manufacturing process, function and use, and it operates with one simple gesture. a plate of raw metal, which can be steel, stainless steel or brass, is cut by laser and assembled by hand using a rubber hammer – no welding necessary. 

OBJ-01 in brass

the design responds to the commercial sizing of the materials and the final lighting fixture is built from pure geometric shapes; a rectangle, a circle, and a cylinder at the back that contains the LED spotlight. the circle, when cut out, adopts the function of a screen and can rotate 360 degrees to direct the light at will. 

OBJ-01 in raw steel

OBJ-01 forms part of an open collection of simple objects based on the purity of raw materials, industrial processes, and simple gestures that cause a specific function. manu bañó is co-founder of the design studio EWE and associate of the renowned furniture, interior design and architecture firm, esrawe studio, in mexico city.

OBJ-01 in raw steel

OBJ-01 in raw steel

OBJ-01 in stainless steel

OBJ-01 in stainless steel

OBJ-01 in brass

OBJ-01 in brass

OBJ-01 in brass

brass laser cuts

wax sealer

hand polishing

rubber hammer assembly

project info:

project name: OBJ-01

design: manu bañó

photography: alejandro ramírez

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.