Lighting in Design Q3 2023

From drawing to design One To One’s creative director, Martin Döller, explores the philosophy behind his design and creativity that has led to the Qalibra pendant.

C ape Town-based industrial designer and conceptual artist, Martin Döller, is crystal clear about the products he designs: “They must be functional. They must be aesthetic. These two aspects must blend seamlessly. That is what I want when I look at the end result. I want that harmony.” The design master’s latest creation is the Qalibra Pendant. “I started with a piece of paper. I had a few ideas about the shape I wanted. This is always a great starting point with any design,” says Döller. “That is not to say that what we have in our hands at the end of the process looks 100% the same as where we started, but initial form is always important when you are creating a new product.” One To One’s lead creative is hands on with every aspect of his products, revealing, “I guide my team. I am not an expert in every field, so I

have people working with me who are exceptional talents. They can see and feel my vision. I sit with the designers, I speak with the people who understand the raw materials, I have experts who are creative in their fields, and together we can come up with design solutions that innovate and captivate.” The Qalibra Pendant is such an example. “I took two elements – the physical design, and the core element of lighting – and combined them. But instead of the Qalibra being two separate constructs, I have managed to build the lighting mechanism into the actual bronze body. Even the way the pendant hangs, we spent months trying to evolve traditional suspension mechanisms until we were happy with it. Nothing about the Qalibra’s design and functionality has been left to chance. We have custom built this pendant, and we are excited about its potential.” Over the years,

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LiD Q3 - 2023