Eclisse Table Lamp
This project was a culmination of 3D design and understanding form and composition through reverse engineering, making, and fabricating an historically famous lamp. The design and fabrication process included material and product research, sketches, models, full-scale prototypes, and final design and reproduction.
Spring 2022
3D Design & Fabrication
Software: Rhino 3D
01 PRODUCT RESEARCH
The Eclisse Table Lamp - Vico Magistretti - 1966
The Eclisse Table Lamp is a relatively modern lamp and remains in production today. My research started by identifying the main form and functions of the lamp, including the three main sections: a base section, a fixed external dome, and an internal mobile shade which, by rotating, produces an “eclipse” effect to obscure the light source. I was able to find early manufacturer drawings of the lamp with accurate dimensions as well as artistic photos in numerous design catalogs. This research proved helpful in recreating a 3D model and understanding the scale, materiality, and finish of the lamp. The lamp is manufactured using a metal body, typically aluminum, which is shaped and then painted. The Eclisse was made famous because of its sleek aesthetic look as well as the innovation in giving the user the opportunity to diffuse and direct the light through the inner shade. It influenced much of the futuristic design of the 1970s.
02 SKETCHES
By sketching the lamp from different angles, I was able to understand how the individual components of the lamp might fit together. While I ultimately recreated an exact-size design of the Eclisse, I used sketching to help quickly communicate my ideas around my design and fabrication approach. This allowed me to externalize thoughts and see the bigger picture while receiving quality feedback on my process.
03 PROTOTYPE ITERATIONS
Knowing when to apply what fidelity of a prototype is an important aspect of design. Because I did not design the Eclisse Table Lamp, I used multiple prototype variations to help learn different pieces of information about different components of the lamp at different times throughout the process. From low-fidelity to high-fidelity, each prototype provided an opportunity to learn and test.
These prototypes included both physical and digital iterations and guided my final design decisions around material choice, fabrication methods, and finishing style and application.
Quick Prototype
Quick prototyping with easily accessible materials like paper and tape helped in understanding the size and scale of the lamp.
3D Print Iterations
By 3D printing, I understood how the individual components, including electrical, fit together, the steps needed to fabricate them, and to begin to test the paint prep, application, and finishing.
Paint and Finishing
The 3D printed model mimicked the original aluminum metal and provided a clean, sanded surface to apply an XTC-3D epoxy coating and spray paint mirroring original colors.
Process Photos
04 FINAL DESIGN & PRESENTATION
As with all design projects, storytelling is a critical component. My final lamp was presented in a traditional “desk critique” which highlighted the entire fabrication process including product research, initial sketches, and prototype iterations.
