Concept downlight shows how to be circular
A Strange Form (Xenomorph) from design house Matt Black is a concept to create the most circular downlight possible.
The idea – which has just won a prestigious Build Back Better Awards GOLD – originated in a search for singularity, says Murray Ward, founder of Matt Black. ‘What would happen if the design process focused primarily on the industry’s most popular luminaire in terms of the largest number of units shipped?’, the product designer asked.
The industry’s most standard unit is a circular downlight with a ceiling cut out of 120mm and ceiling thickness of 12.5mm.
As the product is intended to be designed around circular principles, the bespoke components are all recyclable and can be manufactured from recycled materials. The product can be dismantled with just one tool.
To help maintain the luminaire, it is essential that the main components are easily accessible. This is supported by an absence of springs and mechanical fixings, magnets which create a stress free installation and de-mounting process, damage-free removal from the ceiling on de-mounting, a quick installation guide pad printed on the heatsink.
Using the Optoga IoT LED module means that it is as easy to exchange the control unit (Casambi/DALI) and the light distribution by exchanging the lens. There is no external driver as all components housed within the luminaire.
The addition of a QR code gives the person disposing of the product the information they require to have the product reused, recycled or remanufactured.
There is a small component count, an efficient assembly process and the components are easy to procure with minimal secondary processing. Each component has been designed with transportation in mind and are therefore stackable and space saving. Where possible, the components are procured in the same country as where the luminaire is manufactured.
The product is adaptable and with modular accessories can be installed in both 25mm and 1mm ceilings. There is also a plaster-up version. By adding a clear or frosted disk to the reflector, the product becomes IP44.
For the customer, A Strange form (Xenomorph) delivers light quality, green credentials, efficient installation, value, no light leakage, adaptability and design freedom.
