Trace Lamps
Portable home lighting designed to be easily manufactured from scrap and customized to extend its lifespan as a product.
@ CMU School of Design
14 Weeks. Spring 2026.
Portable home lighting, made
recycled, repeatable, and personal.
Electronic lighting waste is a massive problem, and so is our growing detachment from the things we own.
I designed Trace Lamps to outlast the alternatives. Each lamp can be fabricated from a variety of scrap and customized by its owner. Together, these qualities build a sense of ownership and open a dialogue between person and product.
Whether it be the choice of shade fabric or the way someone sews it on, the lamp is designed to be highly customizable. This establishes a history between the user and product, and therein increases is perceived value.
All components were designed to be machined and replicated easily, especially since the available material may differ in each batch.
Wooden Lamp Base
Sheet Metal Frame
Scrap Fabric Shade
CNC Wood Base. Designed with specific dimensions and features to be easy to apply to different wood species.
Sheetcut metal, with dimensions and specs simple enough to be machined and bent using a variety of scrap sheet metal.
Users can sew on any fabric they desire. Different degrees of transparency result in different qualities of light produced. Easy to sew on and off and in many dynamic styles.
Embraces the character of second-hand materials. All lamps are intended to be manufactured from scrap materials.
PROCESS
SKILLS
Industrial Design
DFM
Woodworking
Metalworking
Textiles
Wood CNC
Wiring & Soldering
Prototyping
TOOLS
SolidWorks
VCarve
Wood CNC
Wood Machinery
Metal Machinery
Adobe CC