Designer Johanna Hartikainen's Lunar luminaire is one of Woud's fall novelties. The sculptural pendant lamp is inspired by natural phenomena – and especially the night sky.
JOHANNA HARTIKAINEN originally designed the compellingly multidimensional Lunar pendant lamp as part of her design studies, and now the lamp belongs to the collection of the Danish design brand Woud. The Finnish designer says she got the idea for the luminaire’s distinctive shape from lunar phases: crescent and full moon.
Hi Johanna! Firstly, could you tell us how you became a designer?
“I’ve dreamed of working in architecture and interior architecture ever since I was a child. I remember drawing floor plans and dreaming that sometimes I would be able to do that as my job. I grew up in Hämeenlinna, in the south of Finland, and I still have folders and folders of my old drawings stored at my parents’ house.
I studied design at Savonia University of Applied Sciences, in the degree program in Interior Architecture and Furniture Design. In the beginning, my studies focused on interior architecture and spatial design, but going on a student exchange allowed me to delve deeper into furniture design. I am particularly glad that Savonia offered me the opportunity to go on exchange in two different foreign universities, as I had been dreaming of studying abroad for a long time. I spent my entire third year in exchange, studying in Norway, at the Bergen Academy of Art and Design, and in Copenhagen, at the KEA - Copenhagen School of Design and Technology.”
“The inspiration for the lamp came from the phases of the moon in the night sky.”
Where did you get the idea for Lunar?
“I created the Lunar pendant as part of the final project of my exchange in Bergen. I wanted to create a sculptural lamp that acts as an eye-catcher in the space. The inspiration for Lunar came from looking at the moon: how it changes shape in the night sky. The lamp depicts the different lunar phases, and the play of light and shadow creates beautiful reflections in the surroundings as the lamp moves.”
How did the lamp design proceed?
“The process began with pairing the form and materials. I did different experiments with shapes and found myself working on the same design language over and over again. Soon, I came up with the idea of a crescent and a magnificent full moon – it was a real epiphany!
During the design process, I faced some challenges with the materials, but I got help from the professor who supervised me and the workshop masters of the university. With aid from them and local businesses, I was able to build a gorgeous luminaire that I could only have dreamed of.”
“I found myself working on the same design language over and over again, and soon came up the idea of a crescent and a magnificent full moon – it was a real epiphany!”
How did you end up collaborating with Woud?
“Towards the end of my exchange in 2019, I had the opportunity to participate in the Stockholm Furniture Fair together with my exchange school and present the Lunar prototype at the Greenhouse booth of the fair. Lunar received a warm welcome and attracted a lot of interest. One of Woud’s founders and the brand’s creative director, Mia Koed, approached me and told me they would be interested in adding Lunar to their collection.”
Where do you find inspiration for design work?
“I am captivated by nature; its diversity and its ability to transform itself. I often get inspired by the organic forms I see in nature – how they are simultaneously delicate and strong.
I find furniture designed for a particular space really fascinating. It combines a need, a form, and a story. Lately, I’ve also been inspired by various openings in architecture and the resulting flow and behavior of light. A skillfully designed space with stunning details makes you want to stop and enjoy its beauty.”
What will you be working on next?
“I will continue with furniture and lighting design. I especially want to study the ambiance created by light and how to manipulate it, and utilize that in my designs. I hope I get to continue working with brands like Woud.”
See also:
• The Lunar pendant >
• All products by Woud >
Text: Emmi Ratilainen Images: Woud