Vielle | Lillian Wray

VIELLE

Desk Lamp

Vielle is a battery-powered lamp developed for desk users seeking both focus and comfort in their workspace. Its rotating design explores how light can be shaped and controlled, offering a functional yet unique experience that adapts to different tasks and moods.

5 Week Studio Project
University of Cincinnati
Professor Isil Oyger

Skills: DFA, Snap-Fit Design, User Interaction

01. RESEARCH

Why is lighting such a powerful part of our work environment?

Emotional Impact

Lighting plays a significant role in shaping how we feel and how effectively we function throughout the day. Adequate lighting has been shown to improve mood, reduce feelings of depression, and support overall well-being. Because of this emotional influence, people value having control over their lighting to adapt it to their needs and environment.

Functional Needs

Light is essential for completing everyday tasks, especially visually demanding activities like reading or working at a screen. Task lighting provides focused illumination for precision and clarity, while ambient lighting supports comfort by reducing eye strain. A balance between these lighting types creates a functional and comfortable workspace.

Current Market

Standard Desk Lamp

Everyday desk lamps provide a focused beam of light for detailed work, but they often feel harsh and offer limited user control.

Side Light Floor Lamp

These popular floor lamps attempt to combine ambient and task lighting, yet their bulky frames make them less practical for the workplace.

Customizable Lamp

Smart lamps allow control over color, intensity, and direction, but this reliance on technology adds complexity that overwhelms users.

The gap lies in creating a lamp that adapts with the user.

How does material influence light type?

To create a lamp that adapts between task and ambient lighting, material choice becomes just as important as form. Materials determine how light is transmitted, absorbed, or blocked, and how it feels in a space. In this stage of research, I began experimenting directly with different materials to observe how they interact with light.

Through testing, I noticed that aluminum gave light structure and precision, while frosted acrylic transformed it into a softer glow. These contrasts revealed how materials themselves could guide the user’s experience.

Snap Fit and Battery Powered System Analysis

Disassembling an IKEA battery powered lamp helped identify the key circuit components while revealing how snap-fit features were engineered and used throughout the assembly.

Snap Fit and Battery Powered System Analysis