Celebrating the beauty of the handmade object, the Gem Wall Light is a luminaire that foregrounds craftsmanship and material expression. Designed by Melbourne-based industrial designer James Walsh for Alor Studio, the wall light is spare and restrained in form, marking Walsh’s first lighting design for the studio.
Alor Studio is best known for its timber tables and seating, and with the introduction of Gem, the collection expands to include lighting. While conceived to sit comfortably alongside the studio’s existing furniture range, the wall light is also designed to stand on its own, functioning as both a practical light source and a sculptural object.
The design draws inspiration from the organic qualities of gemstones, reflecting the inherent variation and individuality found in natural materials. Its asymmetrical, fluid form highlights the nuances of hand production, reinforcing the value of imperfection and variation in contemporary design.
Each Gem Wall Light is formed from a single cast-glass piece. During the casting process, air bubbles, flowing streaks and subtle distortions are intentionally preserved, ensuring that no two lights are identical. The finishing stage is equally considered. After molten glass is introduced to the mould, highly focused heat is applied using an oxyacetylene torch to achieve an even surface, before the piece is hand polished. The result is a lighting object that balances utility with a strong material presence.
Walsh’s broader practice spans furniture, lighting and object design, with work produced for his own studio as well as for Alor. His Tuck collection, comprising a sofa, lounge chair and tables, is distributed through Stylecraft, while bespoke pieces such as the Anthropic Bench are made to order. Across these projects, Walsh’s approach is defined by precision, restraint and attention to detail.
With the Gem Wall Light, Walsh extends his exploration of hand-finished objects, contributing a tactile and quietly expressive luminaire to the Alor Studio collection. It is a piece that speaks to the enduring appeal of crafted design and the subtle power of material-led thinking.
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