Milan 2016: rotating arms complete loops of copper to switch on these lights, which were designed by Odd Matter Studio to resemble electrical diagrams (+ slideshow).

The Amsterdam-based studio wanted to explain the making and breaking of a circuit, so created a series of lights that turn the line drawings of electrical diagrams into a 3D form.

"We looked at it in the most basic form of an electrical diagram; a line drawing that explains in a visual way how a lamp works," studio founders Els Woldhek and Georgi Manassiev told Dezeen.

Loops of copper are bent into different shapes to illustrate the course of the current. Rotating copper arms are designed to look like the switch symbols found on the diagrams, and turn the lights on and off by completing the circuits.

Lamp shades made from plaster and resin composite material Jesmonite are placed at different points along the circuit, resembling the circles of light symbols.

Jesmonite is becoming a popular choice of material for designers, with other recent examples of its use including Pinch's limited-edition Nim coffee table, a sculpture for London's Ace Hotel and side tables by Study O Portable.

Odd Matter Studio also used Jesmonite to cast balls located at either end of the lamp's arms, because of its "stone-like" quality.

One of these splits in half when the arm is moved and the circuit is broken, while the other functions as a handle for flicking the switch.

"The mechanism of the switch works by moving the arm, which is pivoted at the centre," said Odd Matter. "When it's aligned and the shape is closed the circuit is closed and the light goes on."

The duo, who also contributed vases to the female-focused retail platform No Sir, have currently created five versions of the lamp – with different numbers of light sources and colours of Jesmonite. They said that the concept allows for many more iterations.

"The copper is free to take any shape like the lines in the drawings," said the designers. "It is like planning out the light points in a space but instead of hiding their origin, using them to create compositions."

Woldhek from Holland and Manassiev from Bulgaria met during their MA studies at in Design Products at London's Royal College of Art.

Odd Matter exhibited the lamps at Spazio Rossana Orlandi during Milan design week, which ran from 12 to 17 April 2016.

Other lights that were showcased at this year's Milan design week include Vincent Van Duysen cast-concrete lamps for Flos and Nemo's reissue of Le Corbusier's Borne Béton design.

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