project—Monterrey, N.L., México | 13.05.26

Balance built through collaboration and light

eclipse

transforming material, light, and collaboration into a balanced system
revealing Mexico’s hidden brilliance beyond shadow and perception

The concept for this lamp stems from an exploration of Newspaperwood and its relationship to balance and collaboration. The pieces illuminates indirectly, generating a soft, ambient light that emphasizes the interaction between its elements. Each component is essential for achieving stability: no piece functions on its own, but together they construct a balanced system where each contributes support from a distinct perspective. The hammered copper basin acts as a central element, reflecting light and symbolizing a focal point. This gesture represents the idea that, through collaboration, it is possible to build a more solid and hopeful future.

Why Copper? Outside of Mexico, the dialogue about the country is often saturated with shadows: news of danger and a narrative dominated by organized crime that raises a barrier of prejudice for those who observe it from afar. This lamp materializes that perception in its black and austere exterior, representing the stigma that often obscures our reality. However, its polished, gleaming copper interior reveals a side of Mexico rarely discussed on the international stage: a country where the brilliance of its culture and the warmth of its people far outweigh its challenges. By choosing copper crafted by artisans from Michoacán, we sought to represent the true essence of Mexico at this design fair; a deep, resilient brilliance steeped in history that offers the world a richness deserving of recognition beyond superficial obscurity.

the piece

This geometrically designed light fixture comprises two triangular structures, each 40 cm high and 20 cm wide. These intersect to create a solid structure which, together with a cylindrical aluminum shaft (18 cm high and 5 cm in diameter), provides the piece with complete stability. The structure culminates in a 34 cm diameter convex disc at its center, achieving perfect visual and structural balance.

process

First, we developed the newspaper wood material by layering sheets of newspaper and applying white glue until reaching the desired volume. At the same time, we contacted a Mexican artisan to produce us a hammered copper disc. After that we bought a warm light tube lamp that matched our original design.
Now that we had the lamp tube, we modified it from a ceiling fixture into a desk lamp by cutting the tube, creating an opening for the wiring, and assembling it with an independent cable. After finishing stacking the newspaper wood material, we pressed it together and allowed it to dry to ensure all layers bonded properly.
Once the material was ready, we created templates to guide precise cuts according to our initial prototype. The pieces were cut, sanded, and later refined by hand for a smoother finish. Lastly, we worked on the surface by experimenting with patterns. We decided to apply additional layers of newspaper to achieve a unique texture and the desired final appearance.

designers

Matias Romero
Diana Ruanova
Diego Gonzalez
Jorge Garcia

copper artisans

Workshop: Artesanías Pamatz
Artisans: Leobardo Rauda, Marco Antonio Rauda, Gerardo Pamatz.
Place of origin: Santa Clara del Cobre
State: Michoacán, México
Elaboration time: 2 days
Manufacturing methods: Hand hammered, Direct fire finishing

specs

Newspaperwood
(created from recycled newspaper)
Hammered copper
(hammered copper platter, sanded black patina finish)
Aluminum
(black exterior, gold interior finish)