We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Heitor Lobo Campos about their original and creative Task Lamp design work. Heitor Lobo Campos is an award-winning industrial designer, that makes our world a better place with their original task lamp works.
Heitor Lobo Campos ("HLC") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Pluto Task Lamp. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
HLC : With Pluto I wanted to design task light that could have a dynamic form while still being manufactured with FDM 3d printing. My main inspiration for its silhouette were telescopes, specially due to their interesting but stable forms.
HLC : I wanted to explore the negative space in its form, to express more "character" in its design. The handle that orbits the main light shaft is one of the key features in completing its zestful outline.
HLC : For the near future it will still be sold and manufactured by Gantri, with their innovative digital manufacturing for designer lighting.
HLC : From initial sketches to final prototyping, it was designed for a good part of one year.
HLC : I decided to pursue it myself, I had many different ideas for task lights in mind, so I wanted to put them to the test. As it's clear now, Pluto was the most unique and interesting of the bunch.
HLC : It's being manufactured and sold by Gantri, a San Francisco startup focused on eco-friendly, digital manufacturing for designer lighting.
HLC : In the end of the day, interest, really. I had designed a lamp for the same company (Gantri) before. I enjoyed it a lot, very much so that I wanted to see how I could create a task light, as opposed to a wider area light.
HLC : I have many that influenced my work in general, mainly the Eames couple. But I would't be able to pinpoint a specific designer's influence on my ideas for Pluto.
HLC : I think Pluto is perfect for writers, illustrators or anyone who is particular about where-and-how their light source meets their working surface.
HLC : Pluto keeps the focus firmly on style. Its compact, aerodynamic cylinder is orbited by an elegant handle perched over an angled tripod base, making it easier to position with precision.
HLC : Pluto is named after the famous dwarf planet, since the design's form has a handle that "orbits" its main body and was inspired by telescopes.
HLC : Mostly sketching (digital and pen) for the first development of the idea, followed by CAD modeling software to further bring it to life.
HLC : Its elegant handle that orbits it's main cylinder, it makes it easier to position the light target with precision.
HLC : I worked with the engineering team at Gantri, they helped refine details, how to effectively manufacture it for 3d printing and advanced prototyping.
HLC : Pluto was designed to be manufactured with FDM on-demand 3d printing, besides using more sustainable materials, it was made to be printed in five different parts in order to curb the use of supports and other wasted materials.
HLC : There was a long process of back-and-forth on refining the final form and its angles, specially between the tripod legs and main body, that would allow it to be printed more easily and in fewer parts.
HLC : Pluto was the second light I designed for Gantri, so I had more experience when it launched, in general I saw that I received a lot more compliments from designers for it over my first lamp, and that gave me the confidence to submit it to a competition.
