Nominator: Michal Froněk

TERIT

Terit is a series of ceiling lamps inspired by techno subculture. My goal was to express the spirit of this subculture through a lighting object that could subsequently become part of a stage design or fit into the interior of someone with a strong connection to this music genre.

For this reason, I worked with raw materials—steel, aluminium, and prefabricated borosilicate tubes that carry an industrial imprint. After casting the aluminium canopies, I preserved their imperfections, particularly the rough texture left by the sand mold and subsequent sandblasting. The glass tubes are sandblasted from the inside, as if capturing the smoke of raves—the intangible spirit of these ritualistic events enclosed within a fragile glass shell. The entire light is pierced by a steel profile left in its raw state, its vertical line referencing lighting elements frequently used in stage design.

The lights also include a small wall-mounted controller, which is similarly cast in aluminium. The controller allows users to adjust the light intensity via a potentiometer and switch between three modes: steady lighting, regular ambient pulsing, and a reactive mode. In the reactive mode, a hidden microphone inside the controller picks up ambient sounds and translates them into pulsating light effects.

KLAPSTOL

The design of the Klapstol chair stems from the idea of creating a folding chair that doesn‘t reveal its foldability, and where this feature does not compromise seating comfort. When folded, the chair looks as though it has been flattened—the resulting silhouette acts almost like a 2D illustration of a chair hanging on the wall.

My main focus wasn‘t the practicality of the folding mechanism itself, but rather introducing a fresh concept: creating an object that serves as a captivating interior element and maintains its visual appeal even when not in use. Meticulous attention to small details, such as flush-mounted hinges and the use of unmarked stainless steel screws with rosette washers, further elevated the design into a high-end product.

MORA

The main idea is the ability to play the instrument with both hands simultaneously, each in a different way. For example, the left hand can pluck a melody while the right hand, using a bow, creates a sustained tonal background. The resulting sound can be modulated by tensioning and bending a spring-like arm made of steel flat bar, to which the strings are attached via guitar tuning mechanisms. Additional effects can also be produced by the strings themselves. By playing on one side while pressing the strings on the other, the elasticity of the arm causes the tones to lower and stretch.

The design is based on the spring-like bending of a steel flat bar, where all curves arise purely from functional requirements. The upper part forms a lever that, when pulled back, increases the tension of the strings and thus changes their pitch. The lower inward-bent section serves a supportive role: under greater string tension, the part of the arm with the tuning mechanism braces itself, stiffens, and stops bending downward. At the same time, it retains the flexibility necessary for the aforementioned modulation.