
London Design Festival 09: designer Philippe Malouin presented a collection of furniture inspired by architectural cross-braces at The Dock in London last week.

Called Gridlock, the collection of prototypes includes lighting and a low table.

A bare bulb is trapped and held within the metal structure to form the lamp, while a stone top is added to the metal grid to create a table.

Malouin presented the project as part of an exhibition called The Dock, initiated by designer Tom Dixon at Portobello Dock.

More about Philippe Malouin on Dezeen:
Tent Sofa for Campeggi
Hanger Chair

See all our stories about London Design Festival 2009 in our special category.

Photos are by Oliver Holms.
Here’s some information from Malouin:
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During London Design Festival, we will be introducing prototypes called Gridlock. This new range of furniture is inspired by architectural cross bracing, a system used to reinforce structures. However, this collection transposes the grid system to fit within the domestic scale.
The structure itself both encases and showcases elemental materials trapped within. A bare light bulb is caged within its respective void, revealing a lamp, whilst a honed stone slab rests atop the structure, to form a side table.
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Posted by Rose Etherington


September 30th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
I don’t quite know what to think about this. It kinda fits perfectly well into Philippes portfolio ( that I like a lot ) .. but I don’t want to have it. It’s one of those projects that you don’t have to make on a 1:1 scale. Just make a drawing .. maybe make a hundred more drawings and find a more surprising shape.
September 30th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
I really like the mechano look
But it takes away from the concept of efficient engineering.
September 30th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Must be lots of fun to replace that light bulb after it burned out.
The table makes more sense to me though.
September 30th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Disappointing. A far too literal translation of an idea with the result a little clumsy and lacking in form or beauty. The result is entirely unremarkable and looking a little like a 1980’s wine rack!
October 1st, 2009 at 9:36 am
i was expecting not to like this but i do like the light. i can imagine the great shadows you’d get from it across the walls in your sparsely furnished warehouse space.
it would definitely be a weekends work to change that lamp though, even fluorescents give up and die eventually.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:37 am
I love it. It’s minimal and elegant and very artful. The table is beautiful .
October 4th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
To me, this work is artful but does not address basic needs that would characterize design. The unshielded light source causes specular glare and relamping appears to require major dis-assembly. For such a primitive lighting result, it displaces an extraordinary volume and footprint. Yes, the fixture does have a very high ‘coolness’ factor, but can you imagine trying to keep it clean?