Kooi was inspired by the poetry and sensibility inherent in Chinese Shan-Shui philosophy, which embodies a sense of inner flow. We give tangible form to this inner flow through the interplay of contrasting elements.
In traditional Chinese thought, the world is composed of constantly interacting forces. These forces are commonly referred to as Yin and Yang. The interaction between Yin and Yang causes opposing elements to be interdependent and to generate one another.
In English, “Shan-Shui” refers to mountains and water. Like Yin and Yang, they symbolize two opposing yet complementary elements. The interaction between these two extremes is the very source of balance.
Glass and metal. Light and heavy. Black and white. Thanks to the contrast between the glass diffuser and the metal structure as a frame, lights and shadows become the protagonists of continuous visual effects and unprecedented changes of perspective. The Shan shui spirit becomes a suspension lamp.
The design emphasizes a continuous process. Here, “form” is not always visible; rather, it is presented through an alternation of the visible and the invisible — it is clearly visible while simultaneously dissolving into its opposite.
The poetic sensibility that Kooi evokes is both “unique” and “universal.” This means it transcends cultural boundaries and resonates with people's innate aesthetic sensibilities.