Lightn’ Porcelain

"Lightn’ Porcelain" is a research project exploring the integration of organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) with 3D-printed porcelain to create new material atmospheres. The project is a collaboration between a lighting architect and a ceramic designer specializing in 3D printing with the aim of investigating how light and material can inform each other across design and architectural scales.

The project employs 3D-printed patterns to examine the combination of porcelain and OLED light sources, focusing on how small-scale illuminated objects can inspire architectural applications. The iterative process involves both digital and analog representations, utilizing photography to refine and iterate the illuminated porcelain objects.

Key questions include the operational scales of illuminated 3D-printed porcelain and the atmospheric effects it can evoke. Drawing on Gernot Böhme’s concept of atmosphere, the project examines how light and 3D-printed objects can merge to create "light-like objects." These objects are scaled using figures of various sizes to explore their architectural potential through photography.

The study concludes that the developed atmosphere depends on iterative processes, feedback loops, and adjustments related to the OLED light source. The interaction between the OLED light and the porcelain's translucency, glaze, and structural openings creates a distinctive atmosphere characterized by shimmer, brightness, and shadows. The concept of scalability and representation is crucial for envisioning new architectural possibilities, emphasizing the importance of shifting perspectives and media during the design process.

The project has been presented at The European Architectural Envisioning Association conference 2023 and exhibited at the Royal Danish Academy 2023.

Research Publications

Bülow, K. & Hansen, F. T., 2023. Lightn’ Porcelain: Envisioning scales of light and material in the realm of 3D-printing. Envisioning Architectural Scales in the Analogue and Virtual Representation of Architecture: Proceedings of the 16th EAEA conference. Kreutzberg, A. (ed.). Copenhagen: Royal Danish Academy - Architecture, Design, Conservation, p. 353-363 11 p.

Research Exhibition

Hansen, F. T. & Bülow, K., 2023. Lightn’ Porcelain – Exhibition. Royal Danish Academy – Library. Copenhagen, Denmark.