It was actually an assignment during my Industrial Design studies. We had to combine a concept with an object. The object, a Volkswagen Beetle, was decided up front by the instructor, and the concept could be chosen by the student who in turn challenged the other students to guess what the concept was. I chose the concept of time. After the introductory class, we had to prepare some sketches at home, but I immediately made a VW Beetle out of clay and stuck two hands from an old clock on it. I was very satisfied with the creation since the other students could guess right away what my concept was. The instructor, on the other hand, saw things differently. This was, after all, the biggest assignment of the year. So, I went back to the drawing board. I then came up with a game that incorporated every element related to time including the most indispensable one, the sun. To truly integrate it into the project I wanted to create a 3 dimensional sun. My upstairs neighbor had a sun on her doorbell; the familiar images of a smiling face with bright rays all around. This inspired me to make the wavy sunbeams 3 dimensional so people could clearly recognize the image of the sun. I'm pleased to say it worked! In my original design, I built a sun in two pieces which were then glued together with a visible seam. This irritated me to no end. It took a lot of hard work to come up with the current design, but once I did I was really pleased with the results. Voila!
The basic principle is reasonably simple. I use small pieces of paper that I glue onto a mould. Glueing lots of thin layers over and mainly through each other forms one thick mass, and after the necessary drying time it solidifies. Of course it's no coincidence that I always use round shapes in order to create a self-supporting unit. But this alone doesn't produce the ultimate result; the most important ingredient is talent.
Every one of us is part of a greater living entity. In biology class we all learned that life as we know it started with single-celled organisms. These reproduced endlessly, but once in a while an irregularity occurred and variations formed. Some of these variations joined together in symbiosis. In time this activity produced multicellular organisms. This went on and on and still does today. We are no longer just a collection of individuals; we're all part of a bigger picture. Certainly since the arrival of modern communication, our connections are so entwined, that we couldn't survive anymore without society. This fact brings a number of consequences with it.
One of the effects is that we each have a lot of responsibilities, that we are required to follow certain laws, and that we must share most of our energy with the rest of society. Although absolutely necessary, it's not always easy. That's why I created "Zonneke”!
By offering my vision of the warm power, the life source, and the positive energy of the sun, I hope to make more people happy in the world. Because we have to keep on going, each and every day. And after a busy day full of obligations it's nice to know the sun is waiting for you at home to lighten up your personal space.
With pleasure, especially if it's a difficult challenge. When it comes to orders for public places like shops, restaurants, pubs, etc. I make it a rule to create one of a kind design. Like the one I made for Babbaloo in Grimbergen. In principle, I do this in order to protect my originality, but mainly because I just love creating new designs. In this way the customer has the advantage of knowing the lighting is one of a kind and at the same time provides an exclusive radiance to the general atmosphere. For private individuals I regularly get requests for specific adjustments according to the location or the existing interior style. In general, these are issues of minor changes like size or color. Naturally, this is no problem. What's more, there's no additional cost to the customer.
All pieces are available via this site. The collection models are also available through better lighting shops and designers (listed on this site) and the exclusive models are for sale via this site or during exhibitions that are held regularly throughout Europe. If you'd like to be notified of upcoming shows, just send an e-mail to be added to the mailing list. Alternatively, if you'd like to contact me personally for an appointment to discuss a more specific order request, you'll find all the necessary details on the contact page.
They are surprisingly strong and durable. Although they're made of paper, the multitude of thin layers on top of each other forms a thick mass. Additionally, the form is always round, making it even more solid. On top of that, they're saturated with epoxy; an improved version of polyester. The epoxy serves mainly to make them water resistant, so you can keep them clean with a wet cloth. Naturally, the pieces should be treated gently; you wouldn't play football with a beautiful vase, would you? If an accident should happen; apart from when the piece is completely crushed, something only possible if you would stand on top of it, repairs are possible.
Yes, that's the main reason they're treated with epoxy. Epoxy is an improved version of polyester, an artificial resin. It adds to their sturdiness, but the original consideration was to protect the pieces from dust and make them water resistant, so you can wipe then off with a damp cloth. Clean away!
Of course. Personally, I find the cold white light of fluorescent lamps less cheerful, but these days they're producing softer colors too. This is only applicable to the white pieces, because in the yellow pieces you'll hardly notice the difference between a traditional bulb and a low energy bulb.
The technique and the combination of materials we use are new and therefore don’t have an official name yet. Laminate is plasticized pressed wood.
Our material isn't exactly the same because it isn't pressed wood pulp, but still, it's glued paper that is made of wood anyway, and through the dry process is then pressed. After that it's finished off with a layer of epoxy. Like laminate.
Every model is available in plain white or in degradations: for the sun this means that the points of the rays are red and gradually go from orange to yellow at the center of the sun, for the moons and flames this means that drawings on the pieces themselves are in red and orange hues.
Of course there are other colors and a few possible choices, but you'll need to specially request them via contact
There's a difference between the collection pieces and the exclusive pieces. The collection pieces are the sun, moon, stars, heart, femininity, and the flame. There are so many different sizes, varieties, and colors available that I've lost count.
The exclusive pieces, on the other hand, are all one of a kind; and since I've been doing this a couple of years now; there must be a few hundred already. Although I haven't kept a meticulous archive of all of these works, I do have a photo of most of them.
Sure, party lighting has actually remained one of my main hobbies. I still have a wide variety available, some of which are exclusively designed for events. My giant suns, in particular, with a diameter of 60cm, sunbeam length of 50cm, and a total diameter in all directions of 160cm, are even equipped with special built in light effects. All this together constitutes a fully fledged light show.
That's the reason my lights have already enhanced the parties at Café d’ Anvers, Cruises to Pleasure, Now & Wow and are soon to go on tour with
Moodlex XL, see events.
Strictly speaking, yes, if you purposely set fire to them, they will burn. But with correct use, they aren't inflammable.
Although they're made of paper, the many layers form a single thick object. Along with that I always use a high quality base which keeps the lamp firmly in the middle; preventing any contact with the outer shell. Furthermore, the pieces are treated with epoxy. According to the laws of physics, paper, in thin sheets, only catches fire at a temperature of 1250 degrees; while the soldering that seals and keeps the space vacuous at the lamp can melt at 450 degrees. So, if the lamp ever gets warmer than 450 degrees, the soldering will melt, filling the bulb with air and burning the filament, thus eliminating the heat source itself. Subsequently, there is no fire risk.
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