What makes a good design? For Jan Kleihues, the answer lies in the right choice of materials, the design details and the quality of craftsmanship. He explains in an interview how he implemented these requirements when developing this lighting range.
You presented the product “NEO” at the “ID_Berlin” design exhibition. What’s the concept behind it?
NEO is a lighting range which I was commissioned to design by the Berlin manufacturer Semperlux. When developing the range, I was interested above all in the way they would be mounted and suspended, as this is usually unsatisfactory with most of the lighting available on the market. I’m talking about those filigree metal fastenings that look so delicate at first glance. They usually have at least one electric cable wrapped around them, which simultaneously acts as a dust collector. Generally speaking, these metal fastenings are also attached to the lamp housing at an apparently undefined point.
In the lighting range NEO, the lamp housing is suspended from pendant tubes culminating in clearly defined attachment points at the end of each lamp. Once developed, this fastening concept enabled me to develop a modular system for joining several lamps together. Variations include a straight row of lamps as well as a design for going around corners using a hinge element adjustable from 0°-90°. The lamp elements can be freely combined for usage in a wide range of areas.
What were the requirements placed on the design?
The challenge was to develop a lamp based on a profile of 90 x 90 mm. It was really all about precisely defining the housing and the suspension points. After I had positioned the suspension points at the ends of the lamp, it was exactly this which led to the idea of combining them in a rigid or moveable way. The result was a flexible lighting range with housing contours that appear to virtually dissolve because of the minimalistic profile and the resulting all-round lighting characteristics.
What do users like most about the design?
Users like the appearance of this lighting range. The lamps, hinges and pendant tubes have a satin shine finish. We use polished aluminium for these elements to make sure the lamps look neither pretentious nor cheap, as is often the case with designs in chrome or brushed aluminium. Instead, the selected materials express value and durability. In 2008 we received the Good Design Award from the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design.
Jan Kleihues
Degree: Studied architecture at the Berlin University of Arts
Role model designer: At school I was impressed by Dieter Rams, who designed the record player famously nicknamed ‘Snow White’s Coffin’. He was the leading designer in Germany of his time and his signature can still be seen today. He has always remained true to his style, despite short-lived fashions and trends.
What is the fundamental task of design? My personal goal is to find the appropriate expression for every product which nevertheless goes beyond the necessary. What counts is therefore the right choice of materials, the detail and the quality of craftsmanship.
What importance does Berlin hold for design? Berlin is extremely attractive for creative individuals from the international scene. As someone who was born in this city and grew up here, I think this is great because the many difference influences can be very inspiring. However, you should not let yourself become sidetracked by all this variety.
About Jan Kleihues
Jan Kleihues works as an architect for buildings and interiors, and as a product designer. The symbiosis of these areas produces a timeless aesthetic. As a result of his holistic approach to architecture, the subject of industrial design has always played an important role, inspiring his interest and commitment. His designs include office and home furniture, street furniture, door handles and matching coat hooks, a series of spectacles and, of course, lamps for different areas of use.
Contact
Jan Kleihues
Schlickweg 4
14129 Berlin
Telephone: 030 399 779 - 0
E-mail: berlin@kleihues.com
Website: http://www.kleihues.com