CLOUD Suspensions Hanging Lights

Frank Gehry, 2005

Their poetic character and great variety transform the fair-weather clouds CLOUD/MAMACLOUD, into an atmospheric light sculpture. Its durable high-tech material can be sculptured to make each light unique. Standard lengths range from 50cm to 7m – with other forms and sizes individually made. The energy-saving family of lights not only looks stylish in private households or public areas but with its glare protection, it is also ideal for workplaces.

Gehry wants CLOUD to be seen as a homage to Isamo Noguchi. CLOUD has the same sculptural quality as Noguchi’s famous paper Akari lamps. Gehry also shares with Noguchi a continued interest in paper, a material he has worked with intensively in his furniture projects. It came as no surprise, therefore, that the first prototype of the new lamp was made of complexly deformed packing paper cups, stapled together. However, for lighting and safety reasons, an alternative material was needed to produce the lamp in series. After comprehensive tests, a multiply refined polyester material was developed, which feels and looks like strong fibrous paper. Flexible, tear-free, flame-resistant and aging resistant, this material is easy to clean and therefore ideal for CLOUD.

CLOUD comprises several plug-in shell elements, which can be changed by bulging or indenting. As it has a modular structure, custom-made designs are available in addition to the standard sizes. The used material is a polyester membrane that has been made flame-resistant, durable and virtually tear-free through various refinement processes.