I promised one more post about my new work space, because I need to talk about the concrete desk lamp from Frontal Factory.
I spotted this concrete and brass beauty at Design Junction. It belongs to a series called Form Follows Function. I got in touch with the designer behind Frontal Factory, Mehmet Birtane, to see if there was any way I could get my hands on one. My concrete desk lamp was one of a very limited number. Fortunately, though, I was able to buy the one from the show (on the right below).
On their Facebook page, they shared a video showing the making of the lamp, which I geekily think is super cool.
Consumers rarely get to see the process behind design, and I love this little insight into the manufacturing process. I was able to briefly meet Birtane, and I asked him a little more about what inspired the design. He explained:
The idea behind the Form Follows Material series was to create a harmony between form and material while exposing the flexible character of concrete. As a result of the process, I have designed and made three different lighting elements that each have a distinct taste but are made of similar materials.
I also wanted to know how he was able to get such a perfectly round, smooth concrete base. He said:
There is no surface treatment on the product. It is completely about the surface quality of the mould…the better mould surface you make, the better-finished products you get.
I’m a stickler for details, and the switch on this concrete desk lamp is just gorgeous, and really heavy. The little things can make a huge difference!
Birtane began his career as a product designer in Instanbul. He recently moved to London to study an MA in Design Products at the Royal College of Art. He’s currently designing a new product range for Frontal Factory, set to launch this coming May.
The Form Follows Material range is set for large scale production. I’ll be sure to update you as soon as it’s available for purchase.
This post is written in collaboration with Frontal Factory. All opinions are my own, as always. I only share things I love, and hope you will too.
