Shape-transforming lighting fixture
Like the Lotus flower, which opens its petals in the presence of the sun and closes them in its absence, Hanabi opens its lamp-shade “petals” when its bulb is turned on and closes them after it has been shut off. Representing an innovative use of shape-memory alloy, the heat of the bulb makes the metal “bloom” whenever the fixture is illuminated. Hanabi is the Japanese word for fireworks and literally means flower fire. Like its namesake, the Hanabi light flickers between beauty and disappearance, embodying the Japanese appreciation of ephemerality.
Contact: Nendo Inc., Tokyo, Japan.
For more information, see Transmaterial 2: A Catalog of Materials That Redefine our Physical Environment