Meet the next generation of the Noguchi light: washi paper pendants by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, the British duo who designed London's pierced metal 2012 Olympic torch. Known as Hotaru—which means "firefly" in Japanese—the new lanterns are made by hand by Ozeki & Co., the Japanese company that's been producing Noguchi's light sculptures since the early fifties.
“We have always loved the simplicity and beauty of Japanese paper lanterns and have often talked about designing them," say Barber and Osgerby, who have architecture degrees from London's Royal College of Art (and a client roster that includes Knoll, Royal Doulton, Vitra, B&B Italia, and Hermès). It was on a trip to Japan that Barber took a detour to visit the Ozeki workshop in Gifu province and learn about the craft. He struck up a conversation with the owner of the family-run business and three years later their first paper lights are now available.
Photography via TwentyTwentyOne, unless noted.
Above: Barber & Osgerby's Hotaru Lanterns are composed of mulberry bark washi paper over a bamboo structure. They're produced in collaboration with the London design retailer TwentyTwentyOne (currently the sole source), and come in two aptly named shapes, the Double Bubble and the Buoy, each in two sizes. Photograph via Present & Correct.
Above: The lights draw on the centuries-old Japanese art of lantern making—Ozeki has been in business since 1891—but are resolutely modern. Two spheres are fused in the Double Bubble design. The small size, 50 by 62 centimeters, is currently on sale at TwentyTwentyOne for £200 ($295.50) marked down from £235. The large size, 80 by 99 centimeters, is £552 ($815.61) marked down from £650.
Above: Hotaru Buoy Pendants are also currently on sale. The small size, 55 by 57 centimeters, is £212 ($313.25) marked down from £250. The large, 88 by 91 centimeters, is £591 ($873.25) marked down from £695.
Above: The lights work well as a group. Photograph via Dezeen.
Above: Each comes with a black-lacquered steel ceiling rose and two-meter long cloth-covered cord. See TwentyTwentyOne for recommended lightbulbs.
Above: Handmade paper is applied over bamboo ribs.
Above: Barber & Osgerby debuted the collection at last fall's London Design Festival in a reading room they set up at Somerset House. (Most of the furnishings here are Barber & Osgerby's for Knoll.) Photograph by Luke Hayes.
Read about Noguchi's Iconic Akari Lights in our Object Lessons column, and go to 5 Quick Fixes to see the extra-large lanterns in situ.
Want the look for less? Go to DIY Ideas for stacked, painted, and clustered paper lanterns.
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