Foster + Partners Industrial Design was invited to participate in the Værktøj exhibition, which asks participants to demonstrate how their identity as designers is shaped by the tools they use. Responding to this year’s chosen tool – the sewing machine – the studio has designed Lomme: a light comprising two flat stitched sheets of paper. The installation includes a pendant hemisphere and an archway light, in both floor standing and table formats.
The name ‘Lomme’ – the Danish word for pocket – reflects the spatial depth and form of the collection, which emerges through a simple act of connection. Stitching does more than connect components; a single seam defines a geometric fold which shapes the light and creates structure.
Through iterative prototyping, the team examined how flat sheets of paper could be transformed into three-dimensional forms, creating pockets, hinges, and expressive shapes. The studio worked closely with Foster + Partners’ in-house Materials Research Centre, exploring a variety of natural fibre papers and sewable sheet materials.
The studio also worked alongside the practice’s Lighting Design team to test material thickness and fibre density, developing the soft illumination that defines the collection. Light is integrated as a functional element and provides a sense of warmth, comfort, and wellbeing.
