WhatsWhat: Constant Motion

(adam štěch) The Swedish studio of WhatsWhat presented a set of variable kinetic objects at Design Week in New York. Their pure form and precise workmanship immediately won our hearts

The debut collection of WhatsWhat, which explored motion and the utilization of luminous energy, represented the Konstfack Swedish Academy of Design at the trade fair. The three members of the new creative team met only a year ago. Even though John Astbury, Bengt Brümmer, and Karin Wallenbäck come from different countries, they share an interest in formally pure designs of Scandinavian traditions with a contemplative approach, which they acquired during their studies at the Academy of Design in Stockholm. Their first joint project, entitled Potential Energy, is a great achievement.

The collection consists of three lamps (suspension, floor, and table) and explores new possibilities of the use of luminous energy and its variable transformation for specific purposes. The designers turned various materials into pure aesthetical objects by changing their functional and luminous possibilities. Thus, the wooden floor lamp can be transformed by shifting the cable, on the end of which the shade and light sources are located. The user can push it either up or down and change the intensity of light. The shade can be pushed as far as the top of the wooden base. The table lamp with a concrete base can serve either as a typical lamp or as an intimate static light. The user can achieve something very different by a simple change of the settings on the big shade. Frilly suspension lights change their shape and intensity by pulling on a string. Thus, the suspension “skirts” can illuminate both larger and smaller spaces.

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