Tokyo, Japan
Apple’s former Chief Design Officer Jony Ive, Marc Newson, and Gen Terao, the head of the Japanese manufacturer Bamuda, have unveiled a new precisely engineered, beautifully crafted luminaire inspired by classic maritime design.
Driven by the Ive’s own struggles to find a portable LED light for his yacht, Sailing Lantern’s simple form is the result of meticulous design and engineering.
The soft, structurally robust lanyard is made from textured polyester that repels salt, sun and oil, and is fixed in place with a corrosion-resistant stainless-steel button.
Materials were chosen for integrity and longevity: flawless precision-ground and polished glass, and precision-machined stainless steel with mirror polished, texture-blasted and durable electroplated finishes.
A single dial controls both brightness and color temperature, from cool to warm. The quality of light suggests the warmth of flame, yet with the practicality of two LEDs, a rechargeable battery and digital controls.
“It has been a considerable honour and enormously enjoyable creating our lantern with Gen and his wonderful team at Balmuda,” states Jony Ive.
“As a young boy, I adored sailing and spending my time on water.”
“Our lantern was created and built for maritime conditions,” Ive continues.
“While the materials, form and product architecture are new, there is a reassuring familiarity to the nautical lanterns and Fresnel lamps of the past whose designs evolved to address the same unforgiving functional requirements.”
“When Jony first shared the Sailing Lantern, it felt like a time capsule –an ancient flame captured in modern form, states Gen Terao.
“The ocean has always called humanity to adventure, and this design protects that timeless light in sleek stainless-steel.”
“Collaborating with Jony and the LoveFrom team has been inspiring, and I’m grateful we could create something both romantic and enduring.”
Ive echoes the sentiment. “Gen is not interested in sailing, but we’re both interested in solving these tough, crazy problems,” he adds.
“When you make something, people focus very often on the tangible expression of it. But the other consequences are what you learn, and your relationship.”
The fixture is available in polished stainless-steel with a gold lens guard and component details.
The luminaire is easy to maintain, disassemble and repair, and to recycle at the end of a lifetime of use.
Sailing Light is produced in a limited edition of 1,000 pieces.
