Silver Lighting Products and Fixtures Design · 2019
Thorn Lighting
by Yılmaz Dogan
- A' Design Award 2019 Silver Winner in Lighting Products and Fixtures Design
- Awarded April 15, 2019
- CLIENT: Qzens
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 58,452
- Verification code E66D888268 · Verify this award
About Thorn Lighting
Believing that it is possible to grow and differentiate organic forms in nature without disturbing their structure and expression by coincidences, and that human beings have an instinctive affinity for natural forms, Yılmaz Dogan said that while designing Thorn, he wanted to reflect growth with forms that emulate nature without any dimension limitation in illumination. Thorn, which is a source of inspiration for a natural branch of Thorn; grows in a random structure and forms natural, meets different needs and has no size limit as a good lighting design.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Thorn eliminates dimensional and formal limits and makes lighting installations possible in any dimension and form. Composed of only two different pieces, it offers a limitless diversity of form and a freedom of sizing in lighting design and production. The sculptural stance and dynamic structure differentiate it from every angle. This way, it can transform into any size and form in any kind of living space and meet diverse lighting needs. Thorn harmonizes random installations with innovation.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Since one of Thorn's main ideas is being dimensionless, it is not possible to define its sizes. It is possible to produce in different lengths, areas and volumes from 1 meter to 5, 10, 20, 30 meters, from 1 square meter to 20,10,100,200 square meters and from 1 cubic meter to 5,10,15 cubic meters. The boxed shipment of these products can be made freely as assembled or unassembled.
- Tags
- Lighting, Infinity, Thorn, Qzens, Wood, Steel, Modern, Minimalism, Installation, Innovation
- Production Technology
- Thorn is designed to maximize possible forms with fewest elements. It consists of a combination of only two different parts, while offering an unlimited form diversity and freedom of infinite dimensioning in lighting design and production. The backbone piece with 3 openings joining at 120 degrees constitutes the main structure, and it interlocks with the gear system. The sticks creating thorn figure are built by light massive wood lathe.
- Design Challenge
- The biggest challenge here was the form of the main backbone structure, which could form a large structure. Many forms have been tried to capture the right angle. In nature, we observed a 120 degree angle in many structures, from honeycombing to beech leaves. The main backbone part was a 3-span form and structure that best match the random results with 120-degree arms and geared connections.
- Project Duration
- The project was originally designed as a raw idea sketch in 2015 and put on hold. It was re-interpreted in February 2018 and completed in September 2018 in Ankara. In November 2018, we participated in Design Week Turkey with this project.
- Operation Flow
- With Thorn, you can create horizontal surfaces, curvilinear structures, bifurcated and branched structures or complex organic-geometric forms and parametric and symmetric surfaces. Thorn separates lighting elements and light bulbs with stick-shaped, lathed parts and creates contrasts by adding different projectional shadows to the space.
- Research
- The research began by imitating a piece of thorn branch merged with the question of "how can we overcome the differentiation of dimension, form and shape with the least number of piece?". While the size and form change in lighting products required new raw material inputs and design processes, Thorn allowed us to create an illumination that could offer endless combinations with only two parts.
- Inspiration
- The growth and differentiation of organic forms in nature without disrupting their holistic structures and expressions is possible by the randomness in their existence. Due to biophilia, humans have an instinctive intimacy for natural forms. This feeling of intimacy is one of the basic elements of inner peace. Thorn's main inspiration was the idea of reflecting lighting with forms that emulate the nature to grow without any size limit.
- Image Credits
- Image courtesy of QZENS Furniture & Design
- Patents
- Protection Type: Utility Model
Application Number: 2018/15998
File Number: 2018-Ge-454153
Invention Title: Decorative Lighting System
Invention classification: G06t 15/50
Protection Type: Design Registration
Application Number : 2018/06353
Registration Number: 2018 06353
Bulletin Number: 306
Application Date: 25.10.2018
Registration Date: 25.10.2018
Bulletin Date: 10.12.2018
PCT Submission Number: 050102
PCT Application Number: Pct / Tr2019/050102
PCT Reference : Py2018-15998
Colors of Thorn Lighting
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We create award-winning lighting systems that transform spaces through innovative modular design. Our customizable fixtures adapt to any dimension, offering unlimited configurations that blend natural forms with contemporary aesthetics. Experience lighting without boundaries.
G0E3 ShopGrand Interview about Thorn Lighting
Nature was not used as a decorative reference but as a structural principle. Instead of copying the appearance of branches and thorns, I studied how they grow, connect, and create resilient systems through simple rules. This inspired a modular lighting structure that appears organic while remaining highly rational in production. The contrast between sharp silhouettes and soft illumination became the project's defining idea, transforming a symbol of protection and resilience into an object that brings warmth, atmosphere, and emotional value to architectural spaces.
The greatest challenge was reducing the system to only two components without limiting its creative potential. Every element had to perform multiple structural and visual functions while remaining easy to manufacture and assemble. My civil engineering background strongly influenced this process by encouraging efficiency through geometry rather than complexity. Like structural systems in architecture, a limited number of precisely designed elements can generate countless stable configurations with minimal material and maximum flexibility.
The decision to use a 120-degree geometry emerged after studying recurring patterns in nature, from branching systems to cellular formations. I was fascinated by how this angle repeatedly appears where efficiency, balance, and growth coexist. Rather than treating geometry as decoration, I adopted it as the project's structural language. It allows each module to expand naturally in multiple directions while preserving visual harmony, making every composition appear spontaneous despite being governed by precise geometric logic.
Scalability was a fundamental objective from the beginning. Thorn Lighting was designed as a modular system that can expand from a small sculptural installation to large architectural compositions without changing its core elements. This flexibility allows designers to respond to different spatial requirements while maintaining a consistent visual identity. Because every new module follows the same structural logic, larger installations preserve both their physical stability and their balanced organic appearance.
Light and shadow were considered as important as the object itself. The angular geometry creates changing shadow patterns that evolve throughout the day, making each installation visually dynamic. At the same time, the lighting performance had to remain comfortable and functional rather than purely sculptural. By carefully controlling the relationship between the illuminated surfaces and the structural elements, the fixture produces atmospheric compositions while delivering balanced light suitable for architectural environments.
The development process between 2015 and 2018 allowed the concept to mature rather than simply evolve. Early ideas focused on creating a sculptural object inspired by nature, but over time the project became a modular system adaptable to different architectural contexts. Winning the A' Design Award was not the end of this journey. The research and development process continued to prepare the product for the market, and it still evolves today by integrating emerging technologies and new production possibilities. For me, good design is never static, it continuously grows and improves.
Parametric thinking played a fundamental role in the project because it allowed a limited number of components to generate countless compositions. Rather than designing fixed fixtures, I designed a system governed by geometric relationships and repetition. Symmetry provides visual balance, while parametric flexibility allows controlled irregularity that resembles natural growth. This mathematical approach makes Thorn Lighting adaptable to different spaces without losing its identity, ensuring every installation feels both unique and structurally coherent.
I believe modularity will become increasingly important as architecture demands more adaptable and sustainable solutions. Thorn Lighting demonstrates that a lighting system can evolve with a space instead of being designed for only one configuration. By combining a minimal number of components with unlimited compositional freedom, the project encourages designers to create site-specific installations while reducing production complexity and material waste. This balance between flexibility and efficiency represents an important direction for future lighting design.
Wood was chosen because it reinforces the dialogue between nature and industrial production. While the geometry is sharp and contemporary, the warmth and texture of wood introduce a human quality that softens the composition. It also reflects the project's central narrative of transforming natural inspiration into a functional design object. Rather than competing with the lighting technology, the material creates balance, allowing the fixture to feel both sculptural and approachable within architectural interiors.
My advice would be to study nature as a system rather than as a collection of beautiful forms. The most meaningful inspiration comes from understanding how natural structures grow, adapt, and achieve efficiency with remarkable simplicity. When these principles are translated instead of copied, the result feels authentic rather than decorative. Designers should also embrace iteration, because the strongest balance between organic expression and functional performance usually emerges through careful refinement rather than a single creative gesture.