YURAMEKI

YURAMEKI is a pair of healing table lamps designed to bring a quiet “nature moment” into everyday interiors. Inspired by reflective time spent at Yusai-tei in Arashiyama, Kyoto, the lamp translates the feeling of still water and gentle ripples into an interactive lighting experience that encourages calm and presence. YURAMEKI was exhibited at Yusai-tei in late 2024, returning the work to its place of inspiration.
At the top, a spherical handle glides up and down to adjust brightness with one continuous gesture. Rather than feeling like a typical switch, the motion becomes a small ritual. As the light shifts, the lamp responds with dynamic, water-like shadows and refractive ripples that drift across the tabletop. This subtle movement offers immediate visual feedback and creates an atmosphere that can help people unwind, reset between tasks, or soften the transition into evening routines.
The form is intentionally minimal so the light can remain the focal point. A tapered translucent shade with a soft gradient diffuses glare and gently blurs the boundary between object and projection. Inside, a suspended optical core appears to float, reinforcing the sense of lightness and making the lamp feel more like a calm sculpture than a piece of equipment. The ripple effect is shaped by layered optical geometry at the base, refined through hands-on prototyping and iterative material tests to tune how light spreads and how shadows evolve.
Two finishes—matte white and glossy black—offer contrasting moods while preserving the same serene silhouette. Matte white reads soft and airy, while glossy black deepens contrast and enhances the perceived depth of the suspended interior. Together, the pair reflects the duality of day and dusk, stillness and movement.
Designed and prototyped as a working light object, YURAMEKI brings Kyoto-inspired tranquility into homes through touch, refraction, and the poetry of light in motion.