Artemis Kukui Papahele by Attiq Ahmed is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Hao in Hoʻolālā Kukui a me Lako Kukui Competition Category.

HaoKukui· 2026

Artemis Kukui Papahele

by Attiq Ahmed

Client: Turning Tables

A' Design Award Hao Winner in Kukui Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #179278

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Artemis Kukui Papahele

He kukui papahele ʻo Artemis i hana ʻia me ka lāʻau i puhi ʻia a me ka metala. He kino kūpaka kona e piʻi aʻe ana mai kahi kumu kaumaha no ka paʻa pono. Hana ʻia ka ʻili lāʻau pāpaʻa me ke ʻano puhi ʻo Shou Sugi Ban, e hoʻomaikaʻi ana i ka lōʻihi o ke ola a e hōʻike ana i nā māka a me ka hohonu o ka lāʻau. Hoʻolaha like ka malu i ke ʻano o nā lau ʻekolu i ka mālamalama, a hoʻokele ʻia ke kukui e kahi pihi hoʻā a hoʻopio maʻalahi. Ua unuhi ʻia ke kino mai nā wēkiu e kau ana ma luna o nā puʻu hale i ka hana kūkulu hale Mughal. He 72 ʻīniha ke kiʻekiʻe o ke kukui a he 22 ʻīniha ke anawaena.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Hao

Ua lanakila ka hoʻolālā Artemis Kukui Papahele i ka A' Design Award Hao, he ʻike hoʻohanohano i hāʻawi ʻia i nā hoʻolālā maikaʻi e hoʻokō ana i nā koi ʻoihana a ʻoihana hana i manaʻo ʻia mai nā mea hoʻokumu i hana maikaʻi ʻia. Hōʻike nā lanakila Hao i ka mākau nui, ka loea kiʻekiʻe, ka ʻike akamai a me ka hiki hana noʻeau o ka poʻe i hana iā lākou. Manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka hoʻolālā Artemis Kukui Papahele he mea hoʻokumu i mahalo nui ʻia, hoʻohiwahiwa ʻia a aloha ʻia e pono a hou. ʻO kēia hoʻolālā i lanakila i ka A' Design Award Hao e hoʻohui ana i nā hana maikaʻi loa o ka ʻoihana a loaʻa nā ʻano ʻenehana mākaukau i hui pū ʻia me ka ʻike hana a me ka makakoho. Mahalo ʻia ka hoʻolālā Artemis Kukui Papahele no kona nānā pono a ua hoʻolālā ʻia e hāʻawi i nā hoʻomaikaʻi ola e kōkua ai i ka hana ʻana i ka honua i wahi maikaʻi aku.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Artemis Floor Lamp is a sculptural lighting piece crafted from burnt wood and metal, defined by a vertically articulated form and a weighted, grounded base. The charred wood finish enhances durability while revealing material depth and texture. A trileaf-shaped lampshade softens and diffuses light evenly, while the restrained geometry balances craft and precision, allowing the lamp to function as both an ambient light source and a standalone object of design integrity.
Dimensions & Packaging: Height 72”
Diameter 22”
Tags: Artemis, burntwood, charred wood, Shisham, floor lamp, Sculptural lighting, Craft As Inquiry, Material poetry, contemporary craft, Pakistani design, modern craft, design as process, hand made design
Production Technology: Materials:
Indian Rose Wood
Metal
Techniques:
Wood lathe turning
Shou Sugi Ban (Japanese wood burning)
Design Challenge: The primary challenge was achieving a precise balance between proportion and stability within a slender vertical form. Referencing historical Mughal finials required careful scaling to avoid literal replication while maintaining visual hierarchy. Structurally, the lamp demanded a weighted base and refined transitions to ensure stability without compromising elegance, requiring multiple iterations to align form, balance, and functional performance.
Research: The research was exploratory and practice-based, aiming to translate architectural heritage into a functional object. The objective was to study proportion, balance, and symbolic form. The methodology involved visual study, sketching, and material trials. Tools included drawings, scale mock-ups, and prototypes. The process was designer-led. Results refined stability and form. Insights showed heritage can inform contemporary design, impacting craft practice and product identity.
Inspiration: The design draws inspiration from Mughal architecture, specifically the finials crowning domes, studied for their proportions, vertical hierarchy, and symbolic grounding. The project translates these historic forms into a contemporary object through material experimentation with burnt wood and metal, using controlled charring to enhance durability while retaining a clear architectural lineage and crafted precision.
Project Duration: The project commenced in September 2025 and progressed through both design development and fabrication over an estimated period of 20–24 days. Fabrication was completed in October 2025, culminating in a fully realized prototype that reflects the intended design intent and material exploration
Operation Flow: The lamp is operated by a simple on-off switch, allowing light to gently diffuse through the shade while the sculpted base remains visually stable. Its tall, balanced form guides the eye upward, creating a calm presence in a room. The layered base ensures stability, while the dark finish reduces visual clutter, helping the light feel warmer and more focused in everyday use.
Image Credits: Muhammad Ibrahim Butt