What happened when Herman Miller tasked the designers at Woods Bagot to reinterpret the iconic Nelson Bubble Lamp to articulate themes of diversity in design...

In reinterpreting the iconic Herman Miller Bubble Lamp to represent themes of diversity and inclusion, Woods Bagot began with an idea of creating a kaleidoscopic effect using colour, shape and movement, which evolved to include Indigenous starscapes and astronomy.

As a global studio, Woods Bagot is no stranger to diversity and often works across multiple continents and cultures. The Sydney office jumped at the chance to work on this project, seeing Herman Miller as a company that aligns with its values of inclusivity. “They design for the good of humankind,” says Woods Bagot Associate Kate Hogan Gillies. “To participate in that and layer our own contribution onto it was very important to us.”

The studio began with the idea of a kaleidoscope, using colours, shapes and movement to represent many cultures coming together. Adding to this a layer of cut-outs representing stars, the project looked to aspects of indigenous astronomy, where the spaces between stars make shapes. Stars are seen as “an enduring permanence in a time of great uncertainty,” says Kate, referencing the ways in which humans across the world have been united by the shared difficulties of recent events.

“It was a really natural design exercise and for us to try to imbue the layers of meaning that we’ve attempted to was quite a natural part of our process,” she says, adding that Woods Bagot appreciates the level of innovation in Herman Miller’s products. “You know they are on the forefront of the things that are important to us on a global level.”

Find out more about Herman Miller’s Purposes and Values.

Video feature courtesy of The Local Project x Herman Miller