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TEAM2
The willowlamp™ is the brainchild of the design duo
‘Team2’, Adam Hoets and Sian Eliot.
Sian Eliot studied Industrial Design at the Cape Technikon and
is also a jeweller. She has established herself as a distinctive
voice in the field of jewellery design through her innovative
meshing of traditional skills with technology. She has a natural
instinct and understanding for the materials she works with.
Adam Hoets is a registered Architect who has specialised in
Eco Architecture since graduating from the University of Cape
Town in 2000.
His architectural projects have shown a flair for progressive
and environmentally sensitive design – a focus that is
continued in his collaborative work under the umbrella of Team2.
Adam has an obsessive awareness of the intricacies of the willowlamp’s
construction. This manifests in a tightly conceptualised and
resolved final product that couples aesthetics and sensitivity
with technical design. |
DESIGN ETHOS
Our design ethos fuses organic forms with high tech elements without
compromising on a highly personalised level of craftsmanship. We
industrially manufacture the elements but each lamp is painstakingly
hand-assembled. Each of the hundreds of chain strands are cut and
attached by hand. Both artistry and technical development are evident
in the pieces.
The willowlamps are dynamic too – every movement of air can
be seen on their surfaces, suggesting something quite ‘impressionable’
and delicate.
WILLOWLAMP STORY
The genesis of willowlamp was an organic process of collaboration
between Adam and Sian. Adam was experimenting with ball chain
to create woven spheres and chain curtains. However, issues
with suspension forced him to find new alternatives to hanging
the chains, namely, a way to attach many pieces of chain to
a structure without the need of any fasteners. An elegant
solution was in store. Sian, who was simultaneously using
the process of laser cutting to create jewellery, saw the
potential link between these two media and the Willowlamp
notch was born. Team2 developed a tiny notch that when cut
into sheet steel would create a permanent method of fixing
the chains. The notch is now a registered patent of willowlamp™.
The ingenuity of a fastener free system, facilitated by the
notch and combined with the power of digital cutting allows
for great versatility of design and scale.
In August 2005, following six months of research and development
the first willowlamps were completed. The name and branding
of ‘willowlamp’ was also created during the course
of 2005 with the help of ‘Rex’ a Johannesburg
based graphic design company.
We were creating prototypes in our spare time while continuing
with our respective careers. Our first order came from Suburban
Films, a production company owned by Linda Notelowitz –
a keen supporter of South African artists. This gave us the
boost and momentum to launch the product at the Design Indaba
Expo February 2006. We were bowled over by the response from
the general public – people from all spheres and cultures
respond to this simple idea! |
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WILLOWLAMP
SERVICES
We offer a wide selection of ready-designed lamps which are
a part of our permanent collection. This collection of designs
grows each year and because of the many translations they
are never mass produced. All pieces are individually made
to order to the clients’ specific requests. For this
reason we move seamlessly into the ‘custom-made’
and offer a ‘tailoring’ service. Ours is a business
offering a brilliant opportunity for creativity both for ourselves
as artists, but also for our clients. We offer a professional
and comprehensive service in design and product development,
being the perfect link between the interior designer and the
manufacturing industry.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
We have a patent pending in South Africa and the US which
is in its final national phase of registration and approval.
We began this process in April 2005 when we registered the
‘notch’ idea for patenting at CIPRO in Pretoria.
In March 2006 we registered the idea internationally with
the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) in Geneva with the help
of Bowman Gilfillan attorneys. That gave us 36 months to test
the product’s viability, before we needed to register
in individual countries. |
PARTNERSHIPS AND GROWTH
At our first showing, we forged a link with the Amaridian
gallery in Soho New York – who have become our stockist
and representative in the US. They specialise in promoting
contemporary South African art and design and are helping
to break the stereotypical perception of ‘African’
design. Through their efforts willowlamps have appeared in
the New York Times, New York Vogue Living, US Interior Design
and other US design publications and magazines. They represented
willowlamp at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair
(ICFF) in New York in May 2007. Through the gallery we have
sent lamps to Puerto Rico, Mexico, Sydney Australia, New York
and San Francisco.
We continued to show our work at the Design Indaba (DI) taking
a stand again in February 2007 and will be showing our new
collection in February 2008. The DI is a wonderful platform
for emerging South African designers to position themselves.
It is the strongest ‘design community’ we have
in South Africa.
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In 2006-7we won the Elle Décor lighting
design of the year award for South Africa. (the EDIDA award)
We have gained a lot of experience in exporting by focussing
on contract work through various international interior
designers, galleries and procurement firms. We have sent
fittings to the USA, the America’s, Europe, the Middle
East, and Australasia. We are hoping to become visible in
the Far East and India in 2008. |
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