Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Graduates
Jingwen Gu
BS in Product Design — Product DesignCourse:
PACIFIC RIM 17
Faculty:
Penny Herscovitch & Dan Gottlieb
Term:
2024 Fall
Yurameki — Healing lights
Yurameki is a pair of therapeutic table lamps designed to bring a soothing, ambient glow into everyday spaces. Inspired by the calm sensation of fingertips touching still water, the lamps translate the soft movement of ripples into light and shadow. Brightness is adjusted through a sliding handle, allowing users to tune the atmosphere to different moods and moments. As the light rises and falls, dynamic shadows drift across the tabletop like gentle waves.
The collection balances a sleek, minimalist silhouette with a warm, emotionally grounded experience. Working light prototypes were developed using 3D-printed resin to represent glass and validate diffusion and proportion. A gradient shade enhances the floating interior and softens the glow. The two finishes—matte white and glossy black—offer contrasting personalities while remaining part of a unified visual language, reflecting a quiet duality of day and dusk. The project is also informed by the restorative atmosphere of Yusai-tei in Arashiyama, Kyoto, and is proposed as a design experience that can live within similarly contemplative settings.
Process:
I began with sensory research on the emotional qualities of water and translated ripple behaviors into form and light studies. Through sketching, CAD, and scale models, I refined the silhouette and the relationship between the handle, shade, and base. I produced working resin prototypes to test diffusion, shadow behavior, and brightness control through the sliding mechanism. Iterative CMF exploration led to two complementary finishes that express distinct moods within one cohesive collection.
Learning Outcomes:
This project strengthened my ability to translate an emotional, nature-based inspiration into a functional lighting experience. I developed skills in balancing sculptural form with user interaction, especially through refinement of the sliding brightness mechanism. I also gained practical experience in light diffusion testing, resin prototyping, and CMF storytelling across a small collection, ensuring each variation had a distinct identity while maintaining brand-level cohesion.
Project Website: