Bronze Lighting Products and Fixtures Design · 2026
Airom Lamp
- A' Design Award 2026 Bronze Winner in Lighting Products and Fixtures Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- CLIENT: H!roto_Factory
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 7,629
- Verification code 569721E8FD · Verify this award
About Airom Lamp
Airom is a freestanding indoor floor lamp that treats air as an active shaping element. The shade is made of tracing paper and gains its form only when filled with air. The paper is crumpled to create fine wrinkles that give depth and softness to the emitted light. Parts are laser cut and joined with two adhesives for added strength, and no molds are used, so each unit is unique. During setup the air volume is adjusted and the shade is shaped by hand. The structure is lightweight and folds flat for compact packaging.
HIROTO NAKAMURA's Airom Lamp emerges from contemporary lighting design discourse that privileges organic form language and atmospheric illumination over conventional task-oriented functionality, positioning itself within traditions of sculptural lighting that treat luminaires as architectonic interventions capable of transforming spatial character through both physical presence and luminous effect. The design demonstrates sophisticated formal achievement through its biomorphic diffuser volumes, which evoke natural phenomena such as cloud formations or organic cellular structures while maintaining the refined restraint characteristic of contemporary minimalist aesthetics, the sculptural quality elevated through generous scale that establishes the luminaires as substantial spatial presences rather than merely decorative accents. Technical accomplishment manifests in the elegant integration of concealed light sources within translucent volumes that achieve even, diffused radiance without visible mechanical components, suggesting careful engineering of internal structure and light distribution systems, while the slender vertical supports demonstrate structural efficiency and visual lightness that allow the diffuser forms to appear weightlessly suspended, as though floating independent of physical support. The chromatic sophistication resides in disciplined material and finish selection, the warm white diffuser material interacting with contained illumination to produce gentle glow approximating natural ambient light at comfortable color temperatures, while the natural timber bases introduce organic warmth and tactile authenticity that ground the ethereal upper volumes in material tradition and craft heritage. Compositional merit extends to proportional relationships between base diameter, stem height, and diffuser volume, creating harmonious vertical rhythms that suggest careful attention to golden ratio principles or other classical proportional systems, the overall silhouette reading as balanced and resolved from multiple viewing angles. The work invites contemplation of how contemporary design synthesizes industrial manufacturing capabilities with references to natural phenomena and traditional craft values, suggesting pathways for lighting design that serves atmospheric and psychological needs alongside practical illumination requirements. Material selection communicates values of sustainability through visible natural wood grain and apparent construction transparency, while the soft, enveloping quality of emitted light addresses human circadian rhythms and biophilic design principles that recognize innate human affinity for natural light characteristics. The Airom Lamp participates in broader cultural conversations about domestic environments as sanctuaries requiring carefully calibrated sensory conditions, positioning lighting design as essential contributor to spatial wellness and experiential quality rather than merely functional necessity. Scale relationships revealed through human figure presence demonstrate how the design transforms residential interiors into gallery-like environments where functional objects achieve sculptural significance, elevating everyday living spaces through design investment and aesthetic intentionality. One might observe how the gentle luminosity and organic morphology create atmospheric conditions conducive to contemplation, creativity, or restoration, inviting consideration of how thoughtfully designed illumination shapes not merely what we see but how we feel within inhabited space, and how such objects become daily companions in the ongoing negotiation between functional necessity and aesthetic aspiration that defines contemporary domestic life.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Airom is a lighting product that treats air not as a passive volume but as an active element that gently shapes form. Made of tracing paper the shade gains its shape only when filled with air letting light softly reveal a temporary and changeable state. Formed without molds each unit is inherently unique. Subtle wrinkles in the material give depth and softness to the light while the act of shaping becomes part of the lighting experience.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Airom is an indoor freestanding lighting product composed of tracing paper adhesive and an integrated LED module powered by AC 100V. Its air shaped form creates a soft irregular volume rather than a fixed geometry. Airom is available in three sizes Small W 600mm x D 600mm x H 1000 mm. Medium W 800mm x D 800mm x H 1700 mm. Large W 1000 mm x D 1000mm x H 2000 mm. The structure is lightweight and foldable for compact packaging. Laser cut parts and dual adhesives ensure precision strength and flexibility while a low heat LED enables safe operation.
- Tags
- Lamp, Lighting, Light fixture, Paper, Paper Balloon,
- Production Technology
- Airom uses tracing paper as its primary material for its balance of flexibility and soft light diffusion. The paper is first crumpled to create fine wrinkles that add depth and subtle variation to the emitted light. Parts are precisely cut using a laser cutting machine to ensure repeatable accuracy suitable for production. Two types of adhesive are applied to enhance structural strength. The shade is formed without molds by inflating air enabling a lightweight structure adaptable to variation and production.
- Design Challenge
- The main challenge was translating air an invisible and unstable element into a controllable factor within a lighting product. Internally this required redefining the structure of traditional Japanese paper balloons as functional design logic. Externally challenges included material strength safety with an AC 100V light source and mold free production. These issues were addressed through material testing and iterative prototyping.
- Project Duration
- The project started in April 2025 and was completed in January 2026. Design development and prototyping were carried out in Okinawa, Japan. The project has not yet been exhibited.
- Operation Flow
- Airom is completed through user interaction. During setup the user introduces air into the shade and shapes it by hand. The final form depends on air volume and gestures making each configuration unique. Even during use the form can be adjusted by changing the air volume allowing the lighting atmosphere to evolve over time.
- Research
- This design research explores air as a formative element in lighting. The objective was to redefine air from an invisible condition into a controllable design parameter. Based on the structure of traditional Japanese paper balloons material experiments and iterative prototyping were conducted using tracing paper and internal light. User interaction determines form and light quality shifting lighting from a fixed object to a participatory spatial experience.
- Inspiration
- We were inspired by clouds seen in Okinawa natural environment. Shaped by strong sunlight humidity and the surrounding sea clouds continuously change form while remaining suspended in the sky existing without clear outlines. To reinterpret this quality as lighting we focused on traditional Japanese paper balloons whose shape exists only through air and can be freely formed by hand. By combining these elements airom allows air to be perceived through light.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Creator / Designer [Hiroto Nakamura], Airom, 2026.
Image #2: Creator / Designer [Hiroto Nakamura], Airom, 2026.
Image #3: Creator / Designer [Hiroto Nakamura], Airom, 2026.
Image #4: Creator / Designer [Hiroto Nakamura], Airom, 2026.
Image #5: Creator / Designer [Hiroto Nakamura], Airom, 2026.
Colors of Airom Lamp
Grand Interview about Airom Lamp
The project originally began as an exploration of how to visualize air. Air is always around us, yet we rarely notice its presence because it is invisible. I was interested in making this invisible element perceptible through design. As I developed the project, however, my perspective gradually changed. Instead of simply visualizing air, I began to ask whether air itself could become the force that generates form. Through a series of experiments with air pressure, I realized that air was not just a medium but an active material capable of shaping the object itself. That realization fundamentally changed the direction of my research. Rather than imposing a predetermined form, I started designing a process in which the behavior of air could influence the final shape. This shift allowed me to move beyond designing with materials to designing through a natural phenomenon. For me, Airom Lamp is not just a lighting object—it is an exploration of how an invisible element can redefine our understanding of materiality and form.
One of my goals with Airom Lamp was to transform the user from a passive consumer into an active participant in the design. By inflating the lamp with air, the user helps create its final form, making each piece unique through their own interaction. I believe this process creates a stronger emotional connection with the object. Rather than simply using a finished product, people become part of its creation, and that experience gives the lamp a more personal meaning. I’m also interested in the imagination that the organic shape can inspire. Just as people look at clouds and each person sees something different, I hope the form of the lamp encourages individual interpretation. There is no single correct shape or meaning. Instead, the lamp leaves room for each person to discover their own associations, memories, or emotions. I hope this changes the way people relate not only to the object but also to the spaces they inhabit. Instead of seeing lighting as a purely functional product, I want it to become something that invites interaction, imagination, and a deeper awareness of our everyday environment.
Tracing paper was essential to the concept because of its unique combination of delicacy and functionality. I chose tracing paper because I wanted to create a soft, diffused quality of light. Its translucency gives the lamp a gentle presence that complements the concept of air. Once I selected the material, the challenge became how to allow such a delicate material to change shape while remaining structurally stable. To preserve the organic form of the lamp, I intentionally avoided using an internal frame inside the shade. Instead, I focused on developing the connections between each paper component. Through extensive prototyping, I found that using two different types of adhesive allowed the joints to be both strong and flexible. This means that even though the shade changes shape when it is inflated with air, the structure can accommodate those movements without losing its integrity. Rather than resisting deformation, the construction is designed to adapt to it. This process taught me that structural stability does not always come from rigid reinforcement. Sometimes, it comes from understanding the behavior of a material and designing a system that works with its natural properties rather than against them. I think this idea is central to Airom Lamp.
I didn’t intentionally set out to create a design that represented Okinawa. Looking back, I think the influence of Okinawa appeared naturally through my everyday experiences there. Living in Okinawa, I was constantly surrounded by expansive skies and clouds that changed shape throughout the day because of the strong sunlight, humidity, and the sea. Those scenes became part of my daily life, and I think they unconsciously shaped the way I think about form and transformation. When I started developing Airom Lamp, the idea of a soft, organic form that continuously changes felt very natural to me. It was only later that I realized this way of thinking had been influenced by the landscape I had been living in. At the same time, I found that the structure of traditional Japanese paper balloons provided an ideal way to realize that idea. I wasn’t interested in reproducing a traditional object, but in learning from its logic—how air can transform a flat surface into a three-dimensional form. I think the project became possible because these two influences came together naturally: my everyday experience of Okinawa’s landscape and the structural wisdom of Japanese craft. They gave the design a sense of authenticity that I don’t think I could have achieved from a more abstract starting point.
I believe one aspect that resonated with the jury was that Airom Lamp treats air not only as a material but also as an experience. Air is involved from the very beginning of the interaction. The user inflates the lamp by hand, creating its final form, but the experience doesn’t end there. Once the lamp is placed in a living space, it continues to respond to its surroundings. A breeze coming through an open window or airflow from an air conditioner gently moves the shade, so the lamp doesn’t only emit light—it also moves with the invisible air around it. In that sense, I wasn’t only designing a lighting object. I was also designing the experience of living with air. The lamp makes people aware of something that is normally invisible and encourages them to notice how natural phenomena become part of everyday life. Receiving the A’ Design Award reinforced my belief that innovation in lighting design is not only about new technologies or aesthetics. It can also come from creating new relationships between people, materials, and the environment, transforming an everyday object into an experience.
I don’t think there was a moment when I felt I had completely controlled air. In fact, that was never my goal. The turning point came when I realized that I didn’t need to control air itself. Instead, I needed to design a structure that could respond to its behavior. During the prototyping process, I experimented with different paper constructions and adhesive combinations until I found a system that was both flexible and stable. By intentionally avoiding an internal frame and carefully designing the joints, the shade could expand, deform, and move while maintaining its overall integrity. At that point, I stopped thinking of air as something unpredictable that had to be controlled. Instead, it became a collaborator in the design process. That experience changed the way I approach design. Rather than forcing materials or natural phenomena into a predetermined form, I’m more interested in creating systems that allow their inherent characteristics to emerge. For me, the innovation of Airom Lamp lies not in controlling air, but in designing with it.
Looking back on Airom Lamp, I originally thought I was designing a product that used air as a material. Now I realize that I was actually designing the experience of interacting with air. This realization has also changed the way I think about the relationship between designers and users. By allowing users to shape the final form, the object becomes more personal, and they become part of the creative process. At the same time, I don’t believe the designer should simply hand over all creative decisions to the user. If everything is left open, it could also be seen as the designer stepping away from the responsibility of design. What interests me is expanding the boundary between the designer and the user by exploring the space between these two extremes. I want to design frameworks that invite participation while still expressing a clear design intention. For me, the role of the designer is not to control every outcome, nor to leave everything open, but to carefully shape the conditions in which meaningful experiences can emerge. This way of thinking also influences how I approach nature. Rather than incorporating natural phenomena directly into my work, I want to learn from them. Nature offers countless hints about transformation, movement, and relationships, and I hope to translate those observations into new design approaches rather than simply imitating natural forms. Looking ahead, I hope to continue creating work that is not defined by a fixed final form, but instead evolves through the relationship between people, materials, and the environment. For me, the future of design lies not only in creating objects, but in designing meaningful experiences and expanding the possibilities of how people engage with them.
The original idea for this project began with a simple question: How can we make air visible? Air is physically invisible, and in our daily lives we rarely think about it. Yet it is always present and absolutely essential to our existence. Looking back, I now feel that Airom Lamp became more than a product made with air. It became a design for experiencing something that is normally transparent in our everyday lives. By interacting with the lamp shaping it with air and watching it gently respond to the surrounding airflow—people become aware of a presence that is usually overlooked. What interests me is how design can give form to things that we normally cannot perceive. Rather than simply creating an object, I want to make invisible relationships perceptible and encourage people to notice the unnoticed. In that sense, Airom Lamp is an attempt to transform something transparent in everyday life into something we can consciously experience. Ultimately, I hope the project encourages people to see ordinary experiences from a new perspective. For me, that is the deepest meaning of the work and the message I most want to communicate.
At first, I considered defining the fully inflated shape as the ideal or “finished” form of the lamp. However, I realized that if I did so, every other state—when the lamp contained less air—would inevitably appear incomplete or less beautiful. In our daily lives, we often associate beauty with perfection. When a pristine object is scratched or its shape changes, we tend to see it as damaged or diminished. I wanted to question that assumption. Instead of designing a single perfect state, I wanted every stage of transformation to have its own beauty. That is why I intentionally crumpled the tracing paper before assembling the shade. The wrinkles prevent the lamp from being defined by one ideal form and allow it to remain visually compelling whether it is fully inflated or only partially expanded. They also enrich the character of the lamp, creating subtle variations in the light and giving the object a sense of warmth and depth that a perfectly smooth surface could never achieve. More broadly, this reflects how I think about design. I am less interested in creating a fixed image of perfection than in creating objects that remain meaningful as they change. For me, beauty is not a single finished moment—it is something that can exist throughout the entire process of transformation.
One thing I learned from developing Airom Lamp is that participation should have a purpose. Simply allowing users to change a product is not enough. Their actions should contribute to the concept of the design and deepen their relationship with the object. In Airom Lamp, inflating the shade is not just a functional step for assembly. It is a way for people to experience air as a material and become aware of something that is normally invisible. The interaction exists because it supports the idea behind the project, not because it is interactive for its own sake. I also think it is important to find the right balance between the designer and the user. I am interested in expanding the boundary between them, but not removing it entirely. The designer should provide a clear concept, structure, and direction, while leaving meaningful room for people to participate and interpret the work in their own way. Since I am still early in my own career, I don’t think I am in a position to give definitive advice. However, one thing this project has taught me is that if you want to design with human participation, you need to be both a designer and a user. When we spend a long time designing, it is easy to become trapped in the mindset of a designer. We begin to think about concepts, functions, and details, and can gradually lose the fresh perspective of someone encountering the work for the first time. I realized how important it is to keep that sense of curiosity and empathy—to continue experiencing the work as a user as well as creating it as a designer. I believe the most meaningful experiences emerge when a designer can move between these two perspectives. By thinking both as the creator and as the person who will ultimately live with the object, we can design interactions that feel more natural, intuitive, and emotionally engaging.