Project Aesthetics vs 20th Century Design

This is my current design for my final project. I shifted from my bedframe idea due to the cost and time constraints. I realized after my presentation feedback that I was greatly underestimating the cost and also I would have trouble getting access to the campus shops as the demand gets greater near the end of the semester.

I am planning to build a single lamp that can be used for focused light or atmospheric light. Fitting to its dual purpose functionality, the main aesthetic I am aiming for is a minimalist, Scandinavian, Bauhaus design. The lamp consists of a base made of alternating layers of a clear material (acrylic or epoxy) and wood. There will be a stained wooden arm coming out of the base with a bulb shaped lamp at the end. This is the focused light mode. The arm can then be bent down so that the lamp is pressed flush to the base, illuminating the epoxy layers from within, and creating an atmospheric light.

The lamp shade is very similar to the MT8 table lamp in the Baushaus style. I think that the simple cube base and arm made of 2 wooden dowels fit the minimalist/Scandinavian aesthetic. It is a very simple, clean design that follows the simple function of a lamp.

I sketched my lamp using 3 other 20th Century aesthetics; hi-tech, streamlining, and surrealism.

The concept here is the same. The cubic base is now taller and has hexagonal cutouts that are filled with blue epoxy. The sharp hexagonal cutouts and patterns it makes creates a more futuristic, almost alien, feel, and the blue lights are typical of the hi-tech aesthetic.

This concept is different than my design, but completes the same function. there is an angled base that is weighted at the bottom for support. A streamline, aerodynamic form is then attached to it on a hinge. The light is at the end of the streamline form. A portion of the top of the streamline form is also transparent. When the lamp is folded all the way down, the base reflects the light back up into the streamline form, creating an atmospheric lighting out of the transparent portion of the casing.

This final concept is very similar in design to my original, but with a sort of absurd nautical theme. The base here is entirely light blue epoxy with bubbles in it. This creates the feel of water or an aquarium when the lamp is face down, illuminating the base. The arm is a fishing rod, and the lap hanging off the rod is a jellyfish. This is a surreal, out of the ordinary design that grabs peoples attention. It could be a fun, kitschy addition to a beach house.