Sha Yang's Magpie Table Lamp emerges from darkness as a luminous sculptural presence, its biomorphic form abstracting the elegant silhouette of a magpie in mid-perch through sophisticated reductive de

A streamlined cylindrical form rises with pronounced verticality from a matte dark base, its body executed in a warm metallic finish suggesting brushed brass or bronze with subtle golden undertones th

A luminous sculpture of organic form rises from a cylindrical pedestal in warm golden tones that suggest brushed brass or anodized metal, its sweeping curves creating an elegant ascending gesture remi

A vertical table lamp rises with dramatic sculptural presence, its form abstracting the silhouette of a magpie in flight through an elegant interplay of curved planar elements that cantilever from a c

Three sculptural table lamps emerge against a pristine pale ground, each exemplifying a sophisticated synthesis of avian naturalism and luminous functionality that celebrates both industrial design he

Silver Lighting Products and Fixtures Design · 2022

Magpie Table Lamp

by Sha Yang, Kaifeng Zheng and Yang Ma

A' Design Award 2022 Silver Winner in Lighting Products and Fixtures Design
Awarded April 15, 2022
CLIENT: Shanghai Art and Design Academy
Estimated Number of Design Views: 40,302
Verification code D9A37458CE · Verify this award

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About Magpie Table Lamp

Magpie is a table lamp shaped after a bird with folding wings. The lamp changes between three positions through a single contact button at the base of its cylindrical body. In the first position the wings stay folded and the light is small and soft, which suits use beside a bed. In the second position the head rises and the light becomes brighter, which suits office and study use. In the third position the wings open fully and a wider area is lit. The body is made of metal with a gold finish, and the shade is made of a translucent material.

Positioned within the evolving dialogue between functional object and sculptural art form, Sha Yang's Magpie Table Lamp embodies a contemporary approach to decorative lighting that draws upon deep wells of cultural symbolism while advancing material and formal innovation, the magpie holds significant meaning across numerous traditions as a harbinger of good fortune, joy, and auspicious occasions, and this abstraction distills the bird's recognizable profile into essential gesture without sacrificing the warmth and character that connects viewers to its natural referent, technically the work demonstrates sophisticated understanding of how light interacts with metallic surfaces, the warm champagne-gold finish capturing and redistributing ambient illumination while the concealed LED source within the bird's body creates functional downward task lighting through the carefully sculpted concave interior surface, compositionally the design achieves remarkable balance between vertical stability and horizontal dynamism, the cylindrical base grounding the piece while the extended bird form introduces movement and visual interest that transforms the lamp from mere utility into genuine decorative presence, the seamless construction suggests advanced manufacturing processes whether die-casting, precision machining, or additive fabrication, each possibility speaking to contemporary capabilities in translating organic complexity into reproducible form, thematically the work invites meditation on humanity's enduring relationship with the natural world, how we bring representations of birds and animals into our domestic spaces as talismans of connection to wilderness increasingly distant from urban experience, the warm illumination quality further softens this technological object into something approaching the comfort of firelight or candleglow, how might this synthesis of natural reference and contemporary craft inform our understanding of design's capacity to bridge ancient symbolism and present-day living

Press Kit

Unique Properties: The table lamp has three forms. The first form is the folded magpie homing. the light source is small and mild, does not hurt the eyes, and is also the most space-saving form. It is suitable for small night lights at the head of the bed in the bedroom; The second form is a vertical head stop as if looking around to take off, which can illuminate a larger area of space and is suitable for office space; The third form is the take-off spread wings and fly high, which is high and energetic.
Dimensions & Packaging: The diameter is 85mm, the total height is 410mm, the base height is 300mmm, the length of the head and tail of the bionic bird is 330mm, and the length of the wings is 170mm
Tags: Intelligent，Light, Magpie, Interactive, Bionic
Production Technology: It is manufactured by model printing technology.
Design Challenge: 1）Modeling of morphological structure.
It is difficult to find a smooth and beautiful curve and beautiful proportion. It is also one of the difficulties to show three different forms, especially the gap bite tightness during wing spreading.
2）Form display problem.
There are three different forms of“Magpie Lamp". How to make the three forms change smoothly without affecting the lighting is a big problem.
3）Integrated circuit problem, circuit series problem.
There are three forms of " Magpie Lamp". Under different forms, the circuit direction is also different, but there is only one switch. How to make the perfect splicing of internal circuits has become the biggest challenge of the project.
Project Duration: The project was started in July 2021 and completed in Shanghai, China in January 2022.
Operation Flow: It has a cylindrical body with a contact button at the bottom. Touching it can automatically switch the fuselage to another form. When you press this contact for the first time, the magpie lamp turns on in the first retracted state; When the contact is pressed for the second time, the magpie lamp automatically switches to the second vertical state, and the light becomes brighter; When you press the contact for the third time, the magpie lamp automatically spreads its wings and raises its head to spread its wings. Such dynamic modeling makes the desk lamp more scientific and technological, and can illuminate a larger area of space. Whether it is office lighting, study lighting or bedroom lighting, it has a good effect. There is a battery inside the fuselage for continuous lighting. It is made of metal and painted in gold. It is hard and luxurious. The lampshade is made of translucent transparent material, which will not cause discomfort due to direct injury to the eyes. This product is a product that meets the needs of a variety of people, both practical and ornamental.
Research: Magpies blend beautifully with nature. The purpose of this lamp is to show this beauty. The research purpose of this product is to study how to commercialize and materialize Magpies in nature.
Inspiration: As a symbol of happiness, magpie implies hope and happiness. Spread its wings with a positive attitude and full of vitality and passion. The combination of magpie and spreading wings not only has beautiful moral, but also does not lack life vitality. The simple form, placed in the living room, bedroom or various scenes, has no sense of conflict.When users see it, they will feel positive energy when using it.
Image Credits: Shanghai Art and Design Academy
Patents: Shanghai Art and Design Academy

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