Blazer Isibani Esilengayo by Ninglu Zhang

Blazer Isibani Esilengayo by Ninglu Zhang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2024 Umklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award in Ukudizayina Ukukhanyisa Competition Category.

InsimbiUkukhanyisa· 2024

Blazer Isibani Esilengayo

by Ninglu Zhang

Client: Nzhang Design

Umklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award Winner in Ukukhanyisa Category

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Colors

The Design

About Blazer Isibani Esilengayo

I-Blazer iveza umqondo wesibani esilengayo esenziwe nge-felt esigqama ngokuhlanganiswa ngaphandle kwamathuluzi kusukela kushidi le-felt elilicaba, esinikezela ukunweba okulula ekukhiqizeni ngobuningi kuyilapho kunciphisa imfucuza yezinto, ngenxa yomklamo walo wesikwele eside obushelelezi. Idweba ugqozi emigqeni ebukhali yokusika kwangaphambili kwesudi yebhizinisi, okuvezwe kakhulu ngombala obomvu ogqamile ukuze kuhehe ukunaka, isithombe se-Blazer esilula siqondisa ababukeli ochungechungeni oluvumelanayo. Kuthuthukiswa izinkinobho ezimnyama, lomklamo uphawula ngobuchule lo mlandeli oshelelayo, wengeza ukuxaka nobukhulu.

The Recognition

About the Umklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award

Blazer Isibani Esilengayo iwinile uMklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award, ukwaziswa okuhloniphekile okunikezwa imiklamo emihle ehlangabezana nezidingo zobungcweti nezemboni ezilindelekile ezimpahleni ezihlelwe kahle. Abawinile beNsimbi babonisa ikhono elikhulu, ubungcweti obuphezulu, ukuqonda kochwepheshe namandla okudala abadali babo. Blazer Isibani Esilengayo ilindeleke ukuba ibe yinto exatshwa kakhulu, edunyiswayo nethandwayo esebenzayo nenezinto ezintsha. Lo mklamo owinile uMklomelo Wensimbi we-A' Design Award uhlanganisa izindlela ezinhle kakhulu zemboni futhi unezimfanelo zobuchwepheshe ezifanelekile ezihlanganiswe nolwazi nethalente. Blazer Isibani Esilengayo iyahlonishwa ngenxa yokucophelela kwayo futhi ihlelelwe ukulethela izinguquko zomgangatho wempilo ezisiza ukwenza umhlaba ube yindawo engcono.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Blazer is a felt hanging lamp that can be assembled completely tool-free from a flat felt sheet and can be easily mass-produced with minimum waste of materials due to its clean rectangle shape. Inspired by the business suit cut on the front, with its bright red color to catch people's eyes, Blazer's simple shape creates a flow and sequence for the viewers to follow, and the black snaps can give the design a highlight and pause the flow.
Dimensions & Packaging: Dimension:

Flat: 380mm x 1525mm x 5mm (W x D x H)
Assembled: 787mm x 254mm x 432mm (W x D x H)
Tags: Light fixture, Felt, Lamp, Mass production, easy assemble, Red
Production Technology: In the progress of prototyping, many adjustments was made on both the material and position of details. AutoCAD was used to draft out the plan drawing of Blazer, including the felt dimension detail to help later hand cut and the water jet cutting drawing of the customized metal washer.
Design Challenge: The fact of mass-producing with limited facilities access is the most challenging part of the design process. During the height of the pandemic in 2020, public crafting studios were largely shuttered or inaccessible, posing significant hurdles to obtaining necessary facilities.
Research: The Blazer project represents applied research focusing on environmentally friendly production practices within both handcrafted and assembly line industries. Data on material waste and pollution created were collected from online resources. Started by making variable paper prototypes, the shape of Blazer minimized the waste of material, and the final selection of material controlled pollution that could be potentially created.
Inspiration: Blazer the lamp is inspired by the cut on the neckline area of the blazer cloth. Clean cut and elegant folding on the cloth blazer was once leading the trend of the fashion industry. The meticulous tailoring and attention to detail is very inspiring. It has a significant and interesting historical importance, particularly in the context of fashion and social culture.
Project Duration: The project started in August 2020 in Iowa, USA and finished in December 2020 in Iowa, USA, and was exhibited in Salone del Mobile in June 2022.
Operation Flow: To transform the Blazer from flat to functional lamp, the process initiates by laying it flat on a surface, then mimicking the method used for crafting a Mobius ring by grasping both ends of the felt twist and securing them in position using the button.
Team Members: Ninglu Zhang
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer Ninglu Zhang, Blazer, 2020. Image #2: Photographer Ninglu Zhang, Blazer, 2020. Image #3: Photographer Ninglu Zhang, Blazer, 2020. Image #4: Photographer Ninglu Zhang, Blazer, 2020. Image #5: Photographer Ninglu Zhang, Blazer, 2020.