Dezeen Magazine

Buna Lamp by Bandido Studio

Bandido Studio's Buna lamp is shaped like a mushroom

The mushroom-like shape of this lamp was chosen by Mexican design studio Bandido after experimenting with a variety of fungi forms.

Puebla City-based Bandido Studio played with different designs that would create the desired diffused lighting effect for the Buna lamp. The team ended up choosing the edible buna-shimeji mushroom as its point of reference.

"Mushrooms were a constant thought to the studio since they are present in diverse ecosystems around Mexico," said Bandido Studio in a project description.

Buna Lamp by Bandido Studio

"The different forms we can find in the fungi world don't differ that much from each other since its primary function is to spread the fungi spores."

Bandido Studio, which was founded by Alejandro Campos and Joel Rojas, tested the effects of various stem and cap shapes on the light source before settling on the design.

The final product comprises a tubular stem that holds a bulb, and an overhanging, curved top that bounces the light down.

"The light it produces is constrained to the mushroom-shaped head," said the studio. "Nonetheless, it disperses and fills spaces with a discrete and delicate brightness as the main function of mushrooms on their ecosystem."

In order to create the "soft and rounded shape" like the fungi, the studio chose to make the lamp from metal.

The Buna lamp comes in two colours, including a soft brown that resembles the hues of mushrooms, and "indigo blue". The cap and stem come in matching tones, but the bottom tip is coloured slightly darker.

Buna Lamp by Bandido Studio

Founded in 2016, Bandido Studio has previously created a folded table lamp and a black table with a droplet-shaped marble base.

The latter was launched during last year's Design Week Mexico, and formed part of a trend for dark furniture and homeware, along with Davidpompa's black porous light and Esrawe's stained black wooden furniture.

Bandido Studio is also among a host of young practices that are emerging and flourishing in Mexico, many of which present work at the annual Inédito exhibition.