Gweilo

Lead Designers PARTISANS

Entry Description

Gweilo is a new collection of custom ambient lights by PARTISANS. Inspired by the idea that light itself could be harnessed to create a physical sculpture, we developed a design that alters light at its source.

Each Gweilo is handmade using thermoforming, a technique that allows etched optical grade acrylic sheets to be custom-shaped while they are in their hot plastic state. The sheets are heated to just under 400°C until they become pliable. Once removed from the heat source, they are hand-sculpted to produce a variety of distinct folds and curves. When the metal extrusion containing an embedded LED strip is affixed to the cooled sheet’s edge, light is diffused across the etchings, amplifying the luminescent output.

As spectral sculptures that fold and bend like light rays themselves, Gweilo pieces function as accents, dividers, and centerpieces, gracefully delineating space to create an ethereal atmosphere.