Niclas Jørgensen: Eternal Archetypes

Berlin-based Danish creative Niclas Jørgensen has worked in various sectors of the design industry. Integral to the foundation of Copenhagen-based Etage Projects gallery, the Design Academy Eindhoven graduate has recently returned to the craft of furniture and lighting design. Trained with seminal British master Michael Anastassiades, Jørgensen’s technical knowledge allows him to push logical boundaries. Working on his first independent collection, the designer’s approach exudes a strong sense of minimalism, Scandinavian Modernism, and the exploration of archetypical forms. TLmag spoke to Jørgensen about the silver iteration of his Stadium Light design.

TLmag: What is your affinity for silver as both a visual and material composite?
Niclas Jørgensen: Much like other elemental materials – gold, diamonds, wood and stone – silver has a strong haptic value. However, as a polished surface, silver gains a mirror effect and becomes an almost non-material. It begins to embrace the colours of the surrounding environment. As silver has no colour or materiality of its own, the composite metaphorically remains timeless and disconnects from trends.

How did your choice of material for Stadium Light allow you to adopt an iridescent, reflective or luminous effect within your design?
I was able to use a technique that left the material as it is. There was no need for coating. Focusing on a level of handicraft, I employed a very precise polishing process. The stainless-steel I used was sanded with a spectrum of different roughnesses until the finest grade revealed the material’s shine and mirror effect.

In what way can this silver quality extend the function of your design?
The reflective surface of Stadium Light appeals to both haptic and visual levels of perception. The design expresses a smooth tactility but also evokes a strong aesthetic sensibility. Together these elements work to emphasise the object’s minimalist form. Stainless-steel contains similar dualities: durability and fragility, endurance and ethereality.