Space Age to Steampunk

My upcycle project is guided by the principles and aesthetic of space age design. Visually, this aesthetic prioritizes streamlined, flowing lines and smooth geometries inspired by spacecraft and jetliners. Materials are lightweight and high tech both in terms of structure and function.The aesthetic as a whole leans towards the future; it is advanced and elegant while remaining outwardly simple. 

The steampunk aesthetic is a good example of what the opposite to the space age aesthetic would be. Steampunk designs lean toward the past, focusing on steam power as the name suggests. Materials are heavy, cold and industrial. Forms in this aesthetic are marred by rivets, exposed hardware, gears, protruding tubes and primitive linkages. 

There are many examples of steampunk lamps on the market today. They all share the same industrial aesthetic, and most derive their structure from the piping itself. All appear more visually complex than what they functionally are.

Below is a quick sketch of what my space age lamp could look like if it were designed in the steampunk aesthetic .

The steampunk lamp would be constructed out of thin aluminum sheeting, bent around a central frame and painted to look weathered. Instead of containing the wires inside, the wires are routed externally and covered with copper piping to resemble steampunk steam plumbing. The outermost housing is designed to resemble a larger pipe, cut at an angle to allow control over the lights direction.

Instead of LED lights, this lamp will use a traditional incandescent bulb and a simple controlling circuit with a lever style switch reducing internal complexity. An exposed gear serves as a simple dimmer.

Conclusion

Although both my space age lamp and this steampunk lamp serve the same general function, they could not be more different.

Sources:

Ego Hair Salon, Beijing, 2021, designed by IS Architecture and Design. © Shawn Koh.

https://industrialkonzept.com/blogs/editorial/space-age-retro-futurism

Steampunk City

https://bpb-ca-c1.wpmucdn.com/blog44.ca/dist/0/610/files/2017/01/IMG_1151-2lxx402.jpg

Steampunk Lamp

https://machineagelamps.com/products/steampunk-industrial-lamp-antique-steam-gauge-brass-oiler-gear-racine-wi-lamp-1755