Meet Juba: the emerging design practice making waves in Montreal.
With a halo of kaleidoscopic colors, the debut lamp from Montreal-based studio Juba feels almost otherworldly—like the surface of some alien planet or bacteria blooming under a microscope. What began as an exploration of LED and cradle-to-cradle manufacturing at Concordia University resulted in a sculptural table lamp with a distinctly cosmic aura and soft, yet striking, silhouette. Enter: the TL-1 Lamp, which made its trade show debut at IDS Toronto this past January.
“The purpose of the project was to explore circular manufacturing, and because acetate is such a hard material to get your hands on, I used acrylic for that first prototype,” explains Juba founder Nick Trudel about the early prototype. “So, I thought, ‘This is going to be an eco-friendly product one day, but right now, it is made with normal materials that I can buy locally.’”
Years later, his design has come full circle. Made of hand formed cellulose acetate, machined aluminum, and a cast mineral-composite base, TL-1 boasts high-quality materials sourced locally or fabricated nearby. The rounded reflector is made from a plant-based composite–wood pulp and cotton–that is processed in Montreal, and the cast stone base is poured in the studio. Built to order in their facility, each lamp is one-of-a-kind, bearing unique gradients and tonal variations.
“Sustainable processes are really important,” adds Trudel. “They aren’t the driving factor, but they’re like hygiene. I wouldn’t feel good making anything that couldn’t be repaired or that uses materials that don’t biodegrade in a reasonable amount of time.”
In light of this, all LED bulbs used for the TL-1 are replaceable. Plus, a textured dimmer knob produces a soft, low-level glare that mimics the slow entry and departure of sunlight—or even, the warm fading light of a classic incandescent bulb. Designed to emit a subtle, indirect light on both sides, the lamp offers an atmospheric experience emitting soft halos–one faint and one bright.
Available in two colourways, Heaven is a light-pink conch shell color (shown here) and Earth features deep greens and yellows.
“You’re meant to be able to stare into it and feel calm and relaxed and contemplative—like putting on a record at the end of a long day,” explains Trudel.
For the designer, Juba has even deeper roots. Named after the moniker he gave his daughter, the brand is deeply personal, rebelling against a commonly taught idea that designers don’t design for themselves. “My heart and soul are fully behind this,” says Trudel. And it shows.
Although his previous experience lies in architectural lighting–Trudel credits the launch of his practice in part to Bennett Dobni of Montreal-based lighting studio Lambert et Fils–he has plans to expand his scope into other mediums with the hopes of realizeinga full product line. Look out for his work at ICFF in New York in May, and at Salon Index-Design, the central trade show forming Montreal’s first ever city-wide design week at the end of April.
To learn more about the studio, visit juba.world.
Photography courtesy of Nick Trudel.
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