Delicate balance | The Cocoon expands on willowlamp’s love affair with nature

For 2020, willowlamp is excited to announce the addition of some new members to the willowlamp family of lights. The new collection will comprise not only three additions to the flagship chandelier range – the unmistakable showpieces of the brand – but also an entirely new line in the form of wall lights. A decided brand extension, this new wall-mounted direction aims to offer something more versatile for homeowners and interior aficionados who lack enough room for a big statement piece but who also want to celebrate collectable South African design in their homes.

Central to the new collection, as always, are the chandeliers. These statement pieces are willowlamp’s calling card and offer the kind of spectacle and drama that turn a room from mediocre to memorable.

The Cocoon, one of the three new chandelier pieces enjoying their debut this year, offers this sense of occasion in spades. An evolution of the existing ‘Pod’ type pendant lamps – more specifically a custom version with a wide, basket-shaped form – this piece serves as a horizontal, elongated chandelier.

‘I’m always trying to fill in “gaps” in my collection where it suits a design typology,’ says willowlamp creative director and founder Adam Hoets of the thinking behind the new pieces. The Cocoon, as with many of Hoets’ pieces, draws inspiration from the world around us, and forms occurring in nature.

As the name implies, it takes its shape from a chrysalis – the magical space where the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly takes place. ‘There is something quite powerful and evocative about these forms which symbolise transformation and rebirth. The simplicity of the form gives it a minimal feeling – sleek and elegant – and therein lies its beauty. A purity that is found in and inspired by nature,’ says Hoets.

The simplicity of the piece belies a somewhat more technical design process, however, and while the key to the success of the end result lay in paring it down to the fewest possible elements, this in itself was a journey. The technical drawing required that every piece of chain be inserted into a 3D wireframe model and painstakingly cut to an individual length and assembled by hand.

‘My team of artisans has become well accustomed to this though,’ says Hoets. ‘The mainframe bows under the weight of the chain which is counterbalanced by the upper suspension, and the electrical system is totally separate and freed up from this structure,’ he explains. All this goes towards making the design as efficient and elegant as possible.

The lamp bulbs are a simple row of ‘balls’ in a slight arc that subtly mirrors the shape of the light. ‘We tried first with a straight row and found it too severe, so we modified the composition. So, there was a bit of experimentation and adaptation during the prototyping, which allowed the design to arrive at its final form,’ says Hoets.

This process of metamorphosis is a fitting metaphor for a piece of its name, and one that beautifully illustrates the organic nature and inspiration found in willowlamp’s pieces.

willowlamp’s catalogue is an ever-evolving organism, where designs develop organically, and the range grows naturally over time. Hoets continuously works on new pieces and refines existing forms in order to expand the brand’s vision and offer variety for design lovers.

Expect more great things as the willowlamp 2020 collection is unveiled in stages during the course of the year.