Sabine Marcelis Puts a Minimalist Spin on a Mathmos Lava Lamp
For their second collaboration, Marcelis and Mathmos have reimagined the iconic rocket lamp in a deep burgundy hue.
Rotterdam-based designer Sabine Marcelis has unveiled a second design with lava lamp manufacturer Mathmos, this time arriving in a deep red-purple hue.
Marking the second instalment of their collaboration, the new Astro Lava Lamp is drenched in a Bordeaux red – a hue seen across much of Marcelis’ work. The color has been applied across the hand-spun aluminum base and cap, which help to form the lamp’s iconic rocket shape, as well as the cord and switch.
For the glass section in the middle, the designer opted to use a frosted finish, which obscures the flowing lava within, while still allowing for a meditative view.
Overall, the soft, minimalist nature of Marcelis’ work elevates the recognisable design (first created back in 1963) – taking it from a teenage bedroom must-have to a grown-up statement piece.
“By simply stripping the design back to a single matt colour and introducing a haze matt finish overtop of the liquid bottle, a completely new effect was created. This is what I’m always looking for in my work – the introduction of a new effect that makes you wonder what is going on within a specific materiality,” Marcelis told Hypebeast. “It offers a new perspective on the way the lava flows around the bottle – with a soft glow that enhances the way the actual light disperses around the room also.”
According to Marcelis, the idea for the burgundy color came from the scheme she has created for a new installation at the VitraHaus loft in Germany.
“I am often asked to create new designs, where I feel there is just no need to introduce something completely new when there are already extremely amazing and iconic designs of the same category in existence. The Lava Lamp is of course one of these iconic designs,” she said.
“When Vitra asked me to imagine the loft of their VitraHaus as if I would live there myself, I wanted to include some of my own designs,” she added. “Because the colour palette is very specific for this project, it seemed a perfect opportunity to introduce another limited edition lava lamp, in one of the 7 VitraHaus Loft colours; Plum.”
As with the previous iteration, this piece will be limited to 1,000 editions, with each marked with an individual number on its base. They will be available to purchase through the Mathmos website in October 2024.
