Rock Lamp

Project Overview

Rock Lamp explores the translucent properties of slip-cast porcelain to create sculptural lighting that bridges ceramics, electronics, and natural forms. The lamp uses electromagnetic induction for wireless activation—placing the ceramic rock on its base turns the light on, removing it turns the light off.

Material Exploration

The project began with rocks from my house foundation—irregular, weathered stones with distinct character. Porcelain, when cast thinly, becomes translucent, transforming these solid forms into vessels for light. This material quality drives the entire design: what appears opaque and heavy becomes luminous and ethereal when lit from within.

Fabrication Process

Creating the lamp required translating found objects into reproducible ceramic forms:

• Mold Making: Multi-part plaster molds captured the complex geometries of the original rocks
• Slip Casting: Liquid porcelain was poured into the plaster molds, building up thin walls as the plaster absorbed water
• Demolding and Firing: Once leather-hard, the ceramic rocks were removed and fired to cone 6

The challenge was maintaining wall thickness thin enough for translucency while ensuring structural integrity for handling and coil integration.

Interaction Design

Rather than using switches or buttons, Rock Lamp activates through proximity. Two electromagnetic coils—one embedded in the base, one in the ceramic rock itself—complete a circuit when brought close together. This creates an intuitive interaction: the physical act of placing the rock turns on the light. The absence of visible electronics preserves the sculptural quality while making the switching mechanism feel almost magical.

Technical Implementation

The wireless activation system uses electromagnetic induction between two coils. When the rock is positioned on the base, the coils align and couple, triggering the LED system. This approach eliminates physical contacts that could wear out or introduce design constraints, keeping both the rock and base visually clean.