Iron Lighting Products and Fixtures Design · 2025
Blocks Lamps Lighting Fixture
- A' Design Award 2025 Iron Winner in Lighting Products and Fixtures Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- CLIENT: Rio Chen Studio
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 14,939
- Verification code 98DC157454 · Verify this award
About Blocks Lamps Lighting Fixture
Blocks Lamps is a collection of sculptural table lamps inspired by urban architecture. The five forms draw on libraries, towers, townhouses, inverted pyramids and arenas. Each lamp is made of white oak, steel and mulberry paper. Wood grain textures taken from printmaking are transferred onto the shades, recalling the passage of time. When the lamps are placed together, the group resembles a city block and creates an interplay of light and shadow. The collection treats lighting as both a personal and an architectural object.
Rio Jiunyu Chen's Blocks Lamps Lighting Fixture series engages the enduring discourse surrounding light as both functional necessity and aesthetic experience, positioning these works within contemporary design movements that celebrate material transparency, modular construction systems, and the handcrafted object elevated to gallery-worthy status, the collection demonstrates notable compositional sophistication through its exploration of proportion, scale variation, and geometric abstraction derived from elemental forms including the cylinder, rectangle, trapezoid, and octagon, each permutation maintaining visual kinship through consistent material vocabulary, blonde wood platform bases suggesting Scandinavian craft traditions or Japanese aesthetic restraint in their clean lines and natural finish, mosaic tile bands evoking historical precedents from Roman tesserae work through Arts and Crafts movement tile artistry into contemporary ceramics revival, the chromatic achievement residing in the careful orchestration of earthy neutrals punctuated by jewel-tone accents, warm browns and ochres suggesting aged terracotta or weathered stone contrasted against cooler teal and emerald passages that activate the palette with unexpected chromatic vitality, translucent acrylic diffusers glowing with internal luminosity recall the soft radiance of paper lanterns or alabaster vessels while employing contemporary thermoplastic fabrication, the modular stacking principle visible in the layered wood bases suggests both practical shipping and storage efficiency as well as conceptual engagement with additive construction systems, the designer seemingly exploring threshold conditions between furniture and lighting, sculpture and utility, singular artwork and reproducible design object, technical facility evident in precise material junctures where tile meets acrylic meets wood without visible fasteners, the concealed light sources within each unit producing even diffusion through translucent shades demonstrating understanding of optical behavior and LED thermal management, these fixtures invite contemplation of domestic ritual and the psychology of ambient illumination, how we inhabit spaces transformed by warm glow rather than harsh overhead brightness, the varied scales accommodating different spatial contexts from intimate bedside illumination through substantial floor-standing presence, the mosaic tile surfaces suggesting narrative potential in their irregular patterning and tonal variation as each tile carries slight chromatic individuality within the overall matrix, one might observe how these lamps negotiate between minimalist restraint and decorative exuberance, between natural material warmth and geometric clarity, between artisanal craft tradition and contemporary design production, viewers are invited to consider how light itself becomes sculptural medium, how the glow emanating from each form activates surrounding space, casts subtle shadows, and transforms material surfaces into luminous presence, what does it mean for functional objects to assert aesthetic identity, how do we experience the intersection of utility and contemplation in everyday domestic objects, in what ways might these fixtures alter our perception of interior space through their gentle radiance and material warmth, how does the visible craftsmanship of the tile mosaic invite closer examination and appreciation of making processes often hidden within industrial production.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Blocks features a series of sculptural table lamps that evoke the geometry of city blocks. Each lamp combines minimalist forms with textured surfaces, offering a modular aesthetic inspired by Chen’s experience of constant relocation—from Taiwan to Chicago and New York. The designs capture the tension between permanence and transience, symbolizing how objects and spaces accumulate meaning over time.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Tower Lamp: 120mm x 120mm x 343mm, Library Lamp: 153mm x 280mm x 172mm, Pyramid Lamp: 228mm x 228mm x 178mm, Arena Lamp: 203mm x 203mm x 203mm, House Lamp: 120mm x 120mm x 203mm.
Material: White Oak, steel, and mulberry paper. - Tags
- Architectural Design, Lighting, Lamps, Wood, Blocks
- Production Technology
- The sculptural table lamps take cues from architectural forms, spanning libraries, towers, townhouses, inverted pyramids, and arenas. These shapes transform familiar structures into modular, intimate objects, blurring the line between furniture and urban design. The wood grain textures from Chen’s printmaking technique are integrated into the lamp shades, transferring the organic patterns of wood onto a new material surface. This approach reinforces themes of time, material memory, and transformation within the lighting design.
- Design Challenge
- Inspired by Chen’s personal journey relocating between Taiwan, Chicago, and New York, the collection examines the act of packing, shifting, and reassessing belongings—both physically and emotionally.
Blocks reflects an object-oriented perspective, questioning how we define value, space, and memory in our lives. The work suggests that cubes—whether seen as obstacles, pixels, cities, or cherished objects—shape our perception of place and belonging. - Project Duration
- The project started at the end of 2024 and was exhibited in Stockholm Furniture Fair Greenhouse Exhibition 2025.
- Operation Flow
- When assembled together, the lamps resemble a city block, creating a dynamic interplay of light and shadow that evokes the rhythms of built environments.
- Research
- Blocks is a design-driven research project exploring architecture, material memory, and movement in object design. Inspired by relocation, it examines how urban landscapes and modularity shape emotional connections to objects. Drawing from libraries, towers, and townhouses, the lamps resemble cityscapes with wood grain-imprinted shades that capture time’s passage. The project reimagines lighting as both personal and architectural, bridging design, space, and memory.
- Inspiration
- The sculptural table lamps take cues from libraries, towers, townhouses, inverted pyramids, and arenas, transforming familiar structures into modular lighting pieces. When assembled together, the lamps resemble a city block, creating a dynamic interplay of light and shadow that evokes the rhythms of urban environments. The wood grain textures from Chen’s printmaking technique are integrated into the lamp shades, transferring natural patterns onto a new medium and reinforcing the theme of time.
- Image Credits
- Image 01 and 02: Studio 57
Image 03: Rio Jiunyu Chen
Colors of Blocks Lamps Lighting Fixture
Get Blocks Lamps Lighting Fixture
Sculptural Lighting and Furniture Design
We create architectural lighting and furniture pieces from our Brooklyn studio. Blending woodworking, metal fabrication, and printmaking techniques, we transform urban narratives into functional sculptures. Each design explores materiality, form, and the stories objects carry through space and time.
G0E3 ShopDesign Interview about Blocks Lamps Lighting Fixture
The main principle behind my design is to merge emotional memory with architectural thinking. I draw inspiration from personal experiences—moving between Taiwan, Chicago, and New York—and from the visual language of urban planning and popular culture. My work seeks to create objects that feel both familiar and reflective, grounding users in a sense of place and time. I believe design should tell stories, evoke emotion, and offer thoughtful engagement through material choices, form, and process. That’s where beauty and meaning intersect.
My main focus in designing the Blocks Lamps was to create a deeply personal yet universally resonant object. I wanted to translate memories of cityscapes into sculptural lighting, using warm materials to evoke comfort and reflection. The goal was to blend emotional storytelling with architectural form.
I plan to expand the Blocks Lamp collection by exploring new scales, functions, and materials—possibly venturing into furniture and larger installations. I’m also developing a limited edition that pays tribute to New York City, continuing to evolve the narrative and emotional depth embedded in each piece.
The initial concept for the Blocks Lamp took about three months, evolving from simple block forms into a fully developed lighting collection. Each iteration involved sketching, modeling, material testing, and refinement. The process was both intuitive and deliberate, shaped by personal experiences and architectural inspirations along the way.
The Blocks collection began as a self-initiated exploration of form and emotion. I used squares, cubes, and blocks to symbolize moving boxes—visual metaphors for my experiences transitioning between cities and countries. It was a way to process personal movement while shaping the foundation for a new design language in my studio practice.
All Blocks Lamps are handmade by me in Brooklyn, NY. Each piece is unique due to the natural variation in wood grain and the hand-stamping process I use, which adds a personal, tactile warmth to the object. I currently produce them myself and plan to continue doing so.
I designed the Blocks Lamp as a way to merge emotional storytelling with functional design. Moving between Taiwan, Chicago, and New York left deep impressions on me, and I wanted to capture those feelings in physical form. Blocks—simple, architectural, and symbolic—became the perfect vehicle. Their modularity allowed me to explore composition and memory, while lighting added warmth and life. It’s a reflection of my design philosophy: building narratives through form, material, and emotional resonance, grounded in both craft and concept.
The name Blocks carries multiple layers of meaning. Beyond representing moving boxes, it also symbolizes mental blocks—obstacles I’ve encountered throughout my life and creative journey. It reflects the challenges we face, whether physical or psychological, and how we overcome them. Additionally, the name evokes the concept of a city block, tying the design to urban landscapes. This is why the lamps evolve into a city-like arrangement, with each block contributing to a larger structure. Blocks encapsulates both personal struggle and the growth that emerges from it, much like building a city or overcoming obstacles.
The most unique aspect of the Blocks Lamp design is its hand-stamped pattern on mulberry paper, which captures the natural wood grain and evokes the passage of time. This tactile process, combined with the use of repurposed scrap wood, gives each piece a one-of-a-kind narrative, merging craftsmanship with emotional storytelling.
Technology in this design lies in the subtle transformation of materials and processes. The transition of wood grains onto mulberry paper becomes a poetic visualization of time—squares echo growth rings, and moving boxes evolve into layered patterns. The precision in cutting and repurposing scrap wood also reflects a technical approach rooted in sustainability. While not overtly digital or mechanical, the design embraces a quiet form of technology—one that honors material life cycles, craft techniques, and the narrative potential of process-based design.
After exhibiting at the Stockholm Furniture Fair, I was encouraged by the enthusiastic response from an international audience. It made me realize that my work resonated beyond local circles. Although I hadn’t seriously considered entering design competitions before, the positive feedback in Stockholm gave me the confidence to take that step. Submitting to an international design competition became a way to challenge myself, share my story on a broader stage, and connect with a global community of designers and makers.
Designing the Blocks Lamp taught me patience, precision, and the value of thoughtful craftsmanship. The repetitive, time-consuming processes—like hand-stamping patterns and folding and assembling the paper lampshade—became meditative moments that deepened my appreciation for detail. I learned how even the smallest decisions in pattern placement or material handling could significantly affect the final outcome. This project sharpened my sensitivity to material behavior and reinforced my belief that the emotional impact of an object often comes from the care embedded in its making.