Airom Lampă de podea by Hiroto Nakamura is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award de Bronz in Design de Iluminat Competition Category.

BronzIluminat· 2026

Airom Lampă de podea

by Hiroto Nakamura

Client: H!roto_Factory

A' Design Award de Bronz Winner in Iluminat Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

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The Design

About Airom Lampă de podea

Airom este o lampă de podea de interior, independentă, care tratează aerul ca pe un element activ de modelare. Abajurul este realizat din hârtie de calc și își capătă forma doar atunci când este umplut cu aer. Hârtia este mototolită pentru a crea riduri fine care conferă profunzime și moliciune luminii emise. Piesele sunt tăiate cu laser și îmbinate cu doi adezivi pentru rezistență sporită, iar în procesul de fabricație nu se folosesc matrițe, astfel încât fiecare exemplar este unic. La instalare, volumul de aer este ajustat, iar abajurul este modelat manual. Structura este ușoară și se pliază plat pentru o ambalare compactă.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award de Bronz

Airom Lampă de podea a câștigat A' Design Award de Bronz, o recunoaștere extrem de prestigioasă acordată designurilor remarcabile care se disting prin creativitate, ingeniozitate și istețime. Câștigătorii Bronzului sunt artefacte din plin pricepute și izbitor de creative, care atestă experiența vastă, imaginația și resursele designerilor lor. Se așteaptă ca Airom Lampă de podea să fie un obiect foarte apreciat, admirat și prețuit, remarcabil de profesionist și inovator. Acest design câștigător al A' Design Award de Bronz încorporează cele mai bune practici din artă, știință, design și tehnologie și este excelent prin atenția la detalii. Airom Lampă de podea satisface splendid nevoile, atinge dorințele, vrăjește sentimentele și stârnește curiozitatea.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

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.
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.
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.
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.