Altera Mba'erendy Oñembojoajúva Puruharéndi

Press Kit

Unique Properties

Altera is an interactive lighting family that goes beyond illumination, offering a dynamic and personal experience. With rotatable marble wings, it allows users to shape both light and form by hand. By embracing diversity and individuality, it creates an emotional connection, making lighting an organic part of everyday life. With its simple design, Altera generates endless alternatives, offering a balance of function, aesthetics, and personalization while transforming spaces with ever-changing play of light and shadow.

Dimensions & Packaging

Dimensions of the Altera lighting fixture family. Width x Depth x Height in mm:
Floor Lamp: 320 x 320 x 1385 mm.
Wall Lamp: 240 x 320 x 420 mm.
Pendant Lamp: 240 x 240 x 420 mm plus cable.

Tags

Lamp, Floor Lamp, Pendant Lamp, Wall Lamp, Lighting, Marble, Rotating Panels, Interactive, User-Centered Design, Customizable

Production Technology

The design integrates thin-cut marble for controlled light diffusion, brass for structural support, and frosted LED diffusers. CNC cutting enables precise fabrication of the marble panels, mounted to vertical profiles through custom hinge components based on two-piece shaft collars seated in milled grooves. The panels are bonded with epoxy adhesive. The modular structure allows easy assembly, disassembly, and compact packaging. Waste marble pieces could be combined for sustainable marble panels.

Design Challenge

The biggest challenge in this project was developing a reliable rotating system for marble panels without the possibility of building a physical prototype. At the same time, the marble needed to be thin enough to allow light transmission while remaining durable enough to avoid damage during production and use. Balancing these structural and material constraints required extensive independent research, persistence, and iterative design decisions.

Research

This research examined the technical feasibility of a kinetic modular lighting system with rotating marble panels. It explored the material limits of marble, structural stability, and a balanced mechanism allowing panels to rotate freely yet stay in place. The study included research based on manufacturer specifications, ergonomic considerations, and rotating mechanisms. Proportion and structural balance analysis played a key role in developing a system supporting user interaction.

Inspiration

The delicate, fluid and almost translucent character of marble is often comparable to water. While exploring this relationship, waterfall walls emerged as a source of inspiration. The shimmering movement of water flowing over textured stone surfaces suggested the image of light filtering through marble elements. Humans long to touch nature, and a design they can shape and form a bond with can also touch their soul. This idea evolved into a modern, tactile lighting design that invites users to interact with the object and form a personal connection with light. With this aim, the expressive limits of marble were explored.

Project Duration

The project started in November 2023 in Verona and finished in July 2024 in Istanbul.

Operation Flow

Each wing manually rotates around its center vertically, allowing users to alter the direction, intensity, and overall composition of light according to their needs and aesthetic preferences. This adaptability transforms the fixture into a living design, constantly evolving with its user. Countless configurations are possible, making it more than just a lighting object; it becomes an extension of the space where function and emotion meet.

Image Credits

Image #1: Designer Dilara Özbent, Altera Lighting Family Render, 2024.
Image #2: Designer Dilara Özbent, Altera Lighting Family Render, 2024.
Image #3: Designer Dilara Özbent, Altera Lighting Family Render, 2024.
Image #4: Designer Dilara Özbent, Altera Lighting Family Render, 2024.
Image #5: Designer Dilara Özbent, Altera Lighting Family Render, 2024.