British designer Paul Cocksedge explains how customers can configure his new Gravity Chandelier for Moooi in this video Dezeen produced for the Dutch design brand.
Cocksedge's Gravity Chandelier for Moooi comprises a series of LED lights enclosed in crystal shades, which are attached to thin, flexible cables.
Each light is suspended from the ceiling independently so that the chandelier's form is shaped by the gravitational pull on the cables.
"You have these really thin delicate lines that are flexible, that curve upwards to crystal components that enclose an LED light and then a really thin wire that goes up to the ceiling, enabling gravity to shape the black lines of the chandelier," Cocksedge explained in the video.
Attached to a central ceiling rose, the flexible arms of the chandelier are embedded with electrical wiring and weighted to give the light a shape that references a traditional chandelier.
The lights can be suspended at different heights, allowing the user to configure the precise form of the chandelier according to their personal preference.
"I think the Gravity Chandelier is about allowing the customer to be involved in the creative process of the form of the lamp," the designer said.
Designed to be lightweight and easily packed and shipped, the ceiling light is a departure from traditional chandeliers that are typically large and difficult to handle.
"I wanted to re-engineer the traditional chandelier," Cocksedge said. "It's usually made out of rigid solid pieces of metal and so the Gravity Chandelier is a contrast to that."
The project was nearly a decade in the making, with Cocksedge experimenting with a host of different materials to find a combination that would create the smoothest curves.
"I sort of became quite addicted to trying to create this simplicity and that led to years of experimentation," Cocksedge said.
"I'm talking, getting wires and threading on beads and taking things I find in markets and just trying to hold these lines up until they had the flow and the grace that gravity was placing on them."
Cocksedge is known for his experimental and sculptural work that often attempts to test the limits of materials and technology.
He previously collaborated with Moooi on the 2016 Compression Sofa, a sculptural foam sofa that gives the impression of being pressed and shaped by a heavy marble slab acting as the seat.
Moooi often collaborates with independent designers on its products, such as a recent project with Andrés Reisinger, where they together produced a real-life version of the 3D artist's virtual chair.
In the past, the brand has collaborated with designers such as Edward Van Vliet, Simone Bonanni, Bernhard Dessecker and Joep van Lieshout, among others.
"I think that's what's really beautiful about working with Moooi, there's a respect for an idea and bringing it to life in the best way possible," the designer said.
Partnership content
This video was produced by Dezeen for Moooi as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen's partnership content here.