Press Release August 2011 – Designer interview

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE DESIGNERS OF THE EVERGREEN LAMP -
JENS PRAET AND VIBEKE SKAR.
PRESS RELEASE – AUGUST 2011

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How did the lamps come about?
The Evergreen lamp series is an initiated project by a collaboration of our two design studios, studio Jens Praet and studio Vibeke Skar. The prototypes were produced in Norway on own initiative and
presented in Milano during Fuorisalone 2010 in Ventura Lambrate. We presented the lamps and prototypes to Northern Lighting right after the show in Milano, the follow up was very quick since the
company’s internal board approved the designs immediately.

How did the initial idea behind Evergreen emerge?
We were actually talking about an ice installation we wanted to create in Norway winter 2010 – this installation would have consisted in a bench made of ice illuminated by an industrially shaped lamp. The lamp would have been a reflection on the industrial revolution’s major after-effect, the global warming, provoking glacier ice-melting and therefore also the melting of the bench. However, we decided not to continue with the ice-installation because of timing and organization, but were convinced that both the industrial lamp and the bench could have become real products instead of just an installation… From that moment on we started developing two different concepts, the Evergreen lamps and the Arctic collection (http://www.jenspraet.com/projects_arctic.html) which we presented for the first time in Milano during Salone del Mobile 2010.

Why a pulley fastener and a rolling wheel?
We were looking at photographs from around the industrial revolution era, and we discovered that the pulley was part in almost every photograph we found. Then we idealized it would have been a very
iconic, yet playful feature to include on the lamp, giving its user more freedom in terms of height. The fastener became an obvious choice to fasten the wire of course.

The very first prototype – how and where did you make it?
The first prototype was made at Hadeland Glassverk in Norway. Vibeke had already worked with this company, so they became our first choice for the prototype. We were both at the factory during the
days the glass shades were blown – we both had the small and the big version blown in 3 different colours (white, grey and black ) – we then did the outersandblasting at the factory.

What has been the most challenging in this project?
A very challenging part of the lamp has been to get the mouth blown glass to hang straight. Through a lot of testing, failing, technical support from Frost Produkt and Tron Andersen at AHO we found a good solution functioning well and became a nice detail on the glass shade. The Evergreen prototype has been carefully designed in all its details, from the glass shade, to the fastening and pulley system now in place.

What would you say is the most special thing about Evergreen?
We believe it reflects a lamp in its most iconic shape which gets enforced by the pulley and fastening system – we both designed this lamp to fit easily in almost every surrounding.

What projects are you currently working on, and do you plan to work together on new development projects also in the future?
At the studio Jens Praet we are currently working for the Cassina Lighting Division Nemo, Poltronova, Iznik and for Industry Gallery Los Angeles on a second US solo show to name a few. We are also
designing the interiors of a villa in Tuscany these days. Studio Vibeke Skar is currently working for Porsgrund, designing tableware in porcelain, 4th collection of shoes for fashion designer Fam Irvoll, and a glass light lamp in cooperation with Ida Noemi and Hadeland Glassverk for 100% Norway in London.