Muuto’s Set table lamp puts a fresh spin on the familiar
The duo of the hour, Jamie Wolfond and Set, lensed at the designer’s workshop.
INDUSTRIAL AND SCULPTURAL aesthetics are bolted together beautifully in the all-new Set table lamp, launched in spring 2024 by the reputable Scandinavian design company Muuto. Instead of shaping something entirely novel, designer Jamie Wolfond devised an object all of us can connect with.
By transforming the intended use of a construction site staple, a screw thread, Wolfond made a statement piece befitting of a brand offering new perspectives on Scandinavian design. The Set lamp invites its admirers to interact and, here, intuition is key – by rotating the aluminum shade the light’s intensity and angle can be modified to meet your needs.
From rough sketches...
...to early prototypes...
...and, at last, the final product – Set in all its glory! Its integrated light source faces upwards, directing light toward the aluminum shade and resulting in a bright yet indirect shimmer.
At his treasured Toronto workshop, Wolfond leads liberated creative studies, unfettered by presupposed notions while experimenting with materials and mechanisms. In his designs, he seeks to explore what is interesting and what is useful in equal measure.
“Good designs are more of a question than an answer. Hopefully, this one is too.”
When creating the Set lamp, Wolfond investigated shared points of reference: “I think you need recognizable elements to communicate with people. I don’t want to make something altogether new because it won’t relate to anybody. Of course, it must be different or special in some way, but I really appreciate the experiences I have in common with the audience. Good designs are more of a question than an answer. Hopefully, this one is too.”
Thanks to previously collaborating with a partner particularly gifted at machining aluminum, Wolfond managed to morph the functionality of the rib of a screw from a fastener to a means of adjustment.
“A common misconception is that making something new requires new materials, technologies, or production processes. In fact, the most interesting ideas come from looking a bit differently at something very familiar. For this project, I chose to explore the screw thread as a tool for modulation,” the designer tells.
“The most interesting ideas come from looking a bit differently at something very familiar.”
The result of Wolfond’s exploration? A bold, sturdy design – a genuine conversation starter. The Set table lamp’s industrial look and exaggerated proportions make it a playful addition to homes of varying styles. Sure to stir up curiosity in admirers of different ages, Set is also an invitation to experiment and find joy in out-of-the-box technical innovation.
“Good designs are more of a question than an answer,” Wolfond shares with Design Stories.
How did the Set lamp come about? According to Wolfond, it was originally a piece made for a group exhibition in Toronto.
Jamie Wolfond Studio’s archive of designs includes furniture, lighting, and everyday tools for a wide range of clients.
Now that the luminaire is off the designer’s hands and out in the world, Wolfond remains curious to see how it is received and integrated into daily life: “It is really important to me that people find a way to interact with it. I hope that people can form habits around it and discover the many interesting ways of using the light.”
Seeing as the Set table lamp’s level of intrigue is in a league of its own, we at Design Stories predict it will find friends in an abundance of curious design aficionados!
See also:
• All products by Muuto >
• All new arrivals at Finnish Design Shop >
Edit: Eero Nurmi Images: Muuto
Published on 25 Jul, 2024
