{"id":3278,"date":"2025-05-18T09:00:12","date_gmt":"2025-05-18T09:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laurenhwhite.com\/?p=3278"},"modified":"2025-10-06T11:05:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T11:05:13","slug":"eight-homes-illuminated-by-isamu-noguchis-sculptural-akari-lamps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/laurenhwhite.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/18\/eight-homes-illuminated-by-isamu-noguchis-sculptural-akari-lamps\/","title":{"rendered":"Eight homes illuminated by Isamu Noguchi's sculptural Akari lamps"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Noguchi<\/div>\n

The paper Akari lamps<\/a> by Japanese-American designer Isamu Noguchi<\/a>\u00a0have become modern classics that work in many different settings and interiors, as seen in our latest lookbook<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although first launched in 1951, the lamps are still made today using Japanese washi<\/a> paper and a traditional method from Japan’s Gifu region.<\/p>\n

Akari lamps come in many different shapes and colours, as seen in the interiors below, which range from a London house with a small playful orange light to a Kyiv home with a spaceship-like floor lamp.<\/p>\n

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring poured resin floors<\/a>, statement-making staircases<\/a> and kitchens with open shelving<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Living<\/a>
Photo is by Lorenzo Zandri and Christian Brailey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Energy-saving home, UK, by Architecture for London<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

This home in north London<\/a>‘s Muswell Hill area was designed to save energy, with solutions such as lime plastered walls to mitigate heat loss.<\/p>\n

Its minimalist interior<\/a> is enlivened by details such as Noguchi’s orange Akari 1AY light, which keeps watch over the hallway entrance.<\/p>\n

Find out more about the energy-saving home \u203a<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\"Bathroom<\/a>
Photo is by Justin Chung<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Duane House, US, by OWIU<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Design studio OWIU<\/a> refurbished this 1926 home in Los Angeles using mid-century modern and traditional Japanese design touches.<\/p>\n

In the airy bathroom, two Noguchi lamps have pride of place. A smaller light sits on a wooden side table next to a large bathtub<\/a>, while the large cloud-shaped 25N model was placed on the floor next to the room’s floor-to-ceiling windows.<\/p>\n

Find out more about Duane House \u203a<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\"S\u00e3o<\/a>
Photo is by Denilson Machado<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

S\u00e3o Paulo apartment, Brazil, by BC Arquitetos<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

This 1970s S\u00e3o Paulo apartment<\/a>, renovated by BC Arquitetos, showcases a large asymmetrical Akari light with decorative black dots.<\/p>\n

Its graphic design stands out against the flat’s monolithic concrete columns and walnut<\/a> panelling, adding a fun touch to the elegant space.<\/p>\n

Find out more about the S\u00e3o Paulo apartment \u203a<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\"Powerscroft<\/a>
Photo is by Jake Curtis and Elliot Sheppard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Powerscroft Road townhouse, UK, by Daytrip<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Design studio Daytrip<\/a> renovated and expanded this London home by excavating its basement, which it turned into a light-filled kitchen<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A lopsided Akari lamp sits on the room’s wood-fired stove, while gleaming stone floors match a white marble table.<\/p>\n

Find out more about Powerscroft Road townhouse \u203a<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\"Shelving<\/a>
Photo is by Yevhenii Avramenko<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kyiv apartment, Ukraine, by Yana Molodykh<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The spaceship-like shape of Noguchi’s Akari 9A lamp complements the many decorative objects on show in this Kyiv<\/a> apartment, which also features plenty of storage.<\/p>\n

With a colour palette of natural wood and cream, interior designer Yana Molodykh<\/a> wanted to create a bright and eclectic space in the attic flat.<\/p>\n

Find out more about the Kyiv apartment \u203a<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\"Reading<\/a>
Photo is by Fran Parente<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Flat 6, Brazil, by Studio MK27<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Vintage and contemporary furniture pieces by designers including Lina Bo Bardi<\/a>, Jorge Zalszupin<\/a> and Giuseppe Scapinelli<\/a> decorate this S\u00e3o Paulo flat.<\/p>\n

Among the many recognisable pieces is a small Akari lamp that illuminates a reading corner in the four-bedroom flat, which features ipe wood wall panelling and basalt stone flooring.<\/p>\n

Find out more about Flat 6 \u203a<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\"Oku<\/a>
Photo is courtesy of Freight Architects<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Oku House, Singapore, by Freight Architects<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Local studio Freight Architects referenced Singapore<\/a>‘s traditional shophouses for its design of Oku House, which also draws on the Japanese spatial concept of oku or inwardness.<\/p>\n

The minimalist interior was kept sparse and uncluttered but is decorated with Akari lamps in specific places, including the staircase<\/a> (above) and the light-filled kitchen (main image).<\/p>\n

Find out more about Oku House \u203a<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\n
\"House<\/a>
Photo is by Adolf Bereuter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

House B\u00e4umle, Austria, by Bernardo Bader Architekten<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Akari 9A lamp flanks a wood-fired stove in this Austrian home, which stands out for its blackened timber<\/a> cladding.<\/p>\n

Inside, designers Bernardo Bader Architekten<\/a> used lots of pale wood to create a light, airy interior.<\/p>\n

Find out more about House B\u00e4umle \u203a<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring poured resin floors<\/a>, statement-making staircases<\/a> and kitchens with open shelving<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

The post Eight homes illuminated by Isamu Noguchi's sculptural Akari lamps<\/a> appeared first on Dezeen<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The paper Akari lamps by Japanese-American designer Isamu Noguchi\u00a0have become modern classics that work in many different settings and interiors, as seen in our latest lookbook. Although first launched in 1951, the lamps are still made today using Japanese washi paper and a traditional method from Japan’s Gifu region. Akari lamps come in many different […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3280,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/laurenhwhite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3278"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/laurenhwhite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/laurenhwhite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laurenhwhite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laurenhwhite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3278"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/laurenhwhite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3278\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3290,"href":"https:\/\/laurenhwhite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3278\/revisions\/3290"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laurenhwhite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3280"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/laurenhwhite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laurenhwhite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/laurenhwhite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}