Nomo Project Lighting Design for Everyday Life

Letong (Fiona) Xu: Design as an Ongoing Journey

Letong (Fiona) Xu, an industrial and product designer working between China and Canada, is renowned for her thoughtful approach that blends necessity, craftsmanship, and sensory experience. Her philosophy is based on the idea that design is not merely about immediate solutions or fixed outcomes, but a continuous process of refinement and subtle influence. This concept is clearly reflected in her latest work, the nomo Project.

The nomo Project: Lighting as a Temporal Sensation

The nomo Project is an innovative lighting collection aimed at enhancing awareness of the present by creating a gentle rhythm in daily life. Rather than merely fulfilling the traditional function of lighting, the project seeks to create a tangible sensory experience for the user, making every moment of interaction with light a unique experience.

Integrating Traditional Materials with Digital Technology

The collection consists of two types of lamps: a table lamp and a floor lamp, each combining tangible materials with modern digital technologies based on Arduino. This blend of traditional tactility and smart technology allows each piece to emphasize sensation and experience as much as practical function, reflecting a contemporary design approach that goes beyond form to focus on the user experience itself.

Rhythmic Light and Its Psychological Impact

At the core of the nomo Project lies the use of gradually changing rhythmic light. This approach goes beyond a mere visual effect, contributing to a calming atmosphere akin to meditation. Through this dynamic lighting, users can enhance awareness of their body’s natural cycles, adding a psychological and experiential dimension to the daily lighting experience.

Promoting Healthy Routines and Connection with the Environment

Moreover, the project helps establish a clear psychological boundary between work and rest, encouraging a healthier daily routine and deepening the connection with the surrounding environment. In this way, light transforms from a traditional functional element into a tool that promotes mental balance and self-awareness, reflecting Fiona Xu’s fundamental design philosophy based on sensory experience and subtle influence.

Simplicity as a Central Element in Design

Fiona Xu’s design emphasizes presence and contemplation. The simple wooden frames and soft lamp shades provide warmth and tangible quality, inviting users to touch and interact with each piece. This enhances the sensory experience, making it an integral part of daily interaction with light.

Seamless Integration of the Tangible and Digital

The design also features a seamless integration of digital components, employing technology in a way that feels natural to the piece rather than a mere mechanical addition. This approach ensures that the light experience itself remains the focal point, maintaining a balance between physical simplicity and smart interactivity.

Inspiration from the Tension Between Presence and Absence

The nomo Project draws its inspiration from the subtle tensions between presence and absence, and between natural rhythms and the pressures of daily productivity. In a fast-paced world, it is easy to lose our sense of time and become disconnected from the surrounding environment.

Light as a Reminder of the Present Moment

nomo addresses this disconnection by offering a gentle reminder of the present moment, using light as a calm indicator of the passage of time. Through this approach, the project not only supports productivity but also enhances relaxation and contemplation, turning light into a tool for balancing mental activity with environmental sensitivity.

Balancing Craftsmanship and Technology

The nomo Project highlights a thoughtful balance between traditional craftsmanship and modern technology, giving it a distinct edge in contemporary design. The project reminds us that design can be both beautiful and purposeful, contributing to well-being in subtle and profound ways.

Light as an Invitation to Contemplation and Slowing Down

Through this approach, nomo becomes more than just a lighting collection; it is an invitation to slow down, notice the present moment, and find balance in daily life. This transforms the experience with light into not merely a visual encounter, but a sensory journey aimed at enhancing calm and rhythm in the home or workspace.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

From an architectural standpoint, the nomo Project offers unique opportunities to utilize light as an experimental element within interior spaces. The gradually changing rhythmic light is not merely aesthetic; it can be integrated with the architectural environment to enhance the user experience, whether in homes, offices, or recreational spaces, enabling deeper interaction with both space and time.

The project also reflects a balance between traditional tactility and digital technology, opening avenues for architects and designers to explore how technology can enhance human experience without compromising spatial aesthetics. This demonstrates that lighting can become a psychological element, supporting contemplation or productivity depending on the nature of the space, rather than serving merely a functional purpose.

The use of Arduino for light control highlights possibilities for integration with smart systems, such as sensors or sustainable energy systems, making spaces more interactive and sustainable. However, the nomo experience is somewhat limited in larger spaces and may require adaptation for effective implementation in public or complex environments.

From a design perspective, the simplicity of form and focus on the light experience provides an important lesson for architects: fundamental elements such as material, shadow, and texture can be more impactful than complex details when applied thoughtfully. nomo can also serve as a future reference for architects and industrial designers to develop products and spaces that interact with users in a sensory and flexible way, expanding the conceptual use of lighting as a tool for guidance, psychological balance, and multifunctional roles within architectural design.