Hasta La Ideas

Lighting designs these days seem more like sculptural masterpieces. And Toronto based design firm PARTISANS’ latest set of lighting fixtures, Gweilo, is no exception. Gweilo is a collection of architectural lights, the result of an attempt to manipulate and harness light. “We have been trying to create light that is light itself… this is about getting as close to the source as possible. Can light be a moving object? Why can’t light pool, drip, or drape?” said Alex Josephson, the co-founder of PARTISANS. And it seems they’ve been quite successful at it.

The family of luminaries manages to capture the fluid and dynamic movement of light, giving an ethereal, otherworldly appeal and living up to its name, Gweilo, which means “white ghost” in Cantonese. The lighting fixtures function as accents, centerpieces or dividers, and come in a range of five sizes XS, S, M, L, and XL.

However, the process behind creating these pieces are equally interesting! The lights are brought to life using a technique called Thermoforming, which involves custom shaping and molding optical grade acrylic sheets when they’re super hot. At just under 400 degrees Celsius, the sheets are sculpted to mimic waves and curves. LEDs are then embedded within the sheets, producing magical silhouettes that resemble rays of light. Winning a LAMP Award in 2015 and the AZ Award for Best Lighting Installation in 2016, the luminous hand-sculpted pieces are truly a wonder to look at, and a heavenly addition to any home.

Designer: Alex Josephson of PARTISANS