Good things come in tiny packages with the updated Scoop Lamp, by artist Analuisa Corrigan for ethical home goods fabricator Wooj. But the implications of bringing this formerly one-off ceramic sculpture to market by way of 3D-printed, recycled plastic is far greater.
The first iteration of this timeless design – a petite spherical base with a classic lampshade hovering atop just hiding the orb’s crest – was a maquette for the concept of a larger table lamp made solely out of concrete, which debuted at Corrigan’s 2022 Stroll Garden Gallery installation in Los Angeles, California, where she designed and built a living room vignette entirely out of concrete. Scoop’s playful size, the public’s positive response to it, and a shared ethos with the artist garnered the manufacturer’s attention.
“They’re a small team of lovely, creative, and talented people passionate about bringing sustainable and accessible lighting into the home,” Corrigan says of the collaboration. “They care about their process, products, and customers in such a genuine and honest way, which I’m not sure I would have found in a larger, mass-production lighting company.”
In the shift from ceramic to 3D-printed plastic, the luminaire achieves added durability and functionality with this new material language and production methods. Of note, all of Wooj’s designs are made to order, 3D printed, and hand-assembled in their Brooklyn, New York studio. Working with a few third-party suppliers, the company is able to procure PLA plastic from food trays and other forms of packaging in ready-to-print filament spools – with aspirations to melt down and re-recycle their own manufacturing waste in-house.
The function of its fabrication informs the fixture’s design, articulating a unique seam that runs up the object from base to shade as the printer extrudes a layer of filament, stops, and then moves to the next layer. “The presence of a seam was necessitated by the type of print but the shape is an homage to our signature pattern and logo. Since the Scoop is such a smooth form, we knew the seam would be visible and quite prominent,” Wooj says. “We were intent on making sure this design was enhanced and not just enabled by the properties of 3D printing, so turning a necessary part of production into something beautiful and playful made the product much more unique.” The now iconic squiggle was hand drawn, refined, and incorporated into the process, imbuing the artifact with the tactility of Corrigan’s craft.
Squatting at only six inches tall and available in two soft hues, eggshell and blush, the final piece is deceptively simple and slightly ethereal casting a warm glow that takes the edge off its contemporary material choice. But the research and development to arrive at such a nearly flawless furnishing is far from minimal. It takes surgical precision, perseverance, and a certain level of dignity to execute contemporary home goods that enhance spaces rather than add to clutter.
When asked about future concoctions, Corrigan hinted at the potential for another serving: “Let’s just say we’re workshopping recipes for some new Scoop flavors.”
For more information or to order the Scoop Lamp x Analuisa Corrigan, visit wooj.design.
