Concept

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Bloom explores the relationship between light, transparency, and layering. Inspired by the experience of looking up through a tree canopy, I wanted to recreate the way overlapping leaves soften sunlight into an abstract composition of light and shadow.

As translucent layers overlap, they create subtle shifts in opacity and depth that continuously change with the viewer's perspective. Bloom translates this natural phenomenon into a lighting fixture, using intersecting glass forms to produce evolving layers of light that feel organic and alive.

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Challenge

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Traditional mold-blown glass naturally produces symmetrical forms defined by the mold. While this provides consistency, I wanted to push beyond those constraints and introduce movement and asymmetry without losing the precision of the manufacturing process.

The challenge became finding a repeatable fabrication method that combined CNC precision with handcrafted glass while creating a more dynamic final composition.

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Process

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From Observation to Form

Beginning with quick sketches, I explored how simple overlapping forms could recreate the layered qualities of natural light before refining the design into a manufacturable form.

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Designing for Manufacturing

Once the concept was established, I translated the design into CAD and developed a mold that could be CNC machined from cherry wood for the glass blowing process.

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After producing the glass forms, I designed a custom foam cutting jig that allowed each piece to be cut at an angle.

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By intersecting the two glass forms, the final composition moved away from the expected symmetry of mold-blown glass while creating layered shadows inspired by nature.

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