Studio Vantot’s repertoire of lighting invites experiences of novelty and fantasy

Light is an energy that does far more than just illuminate a space. As the intensity, colour, and orientation of light move across the spectrum of unending possibilities, so does our response to it, making lighting—natural and artificial—crucial. Although the first light bulb was realised centuries ago, innovation has been a constant comrade of lighting design, as it evolved with the growing understanding of the relationship between human psychology and light. In the contemporary world where electronic devices operate on surprisingly lower voltages, significantly decreasing their hazardous aspects, developments continue to illuminate new realms for old technology.

Based in the Netherlands, Dutch designers Sam van Gurp and Esther Jongsma who helm Studio Vantot are fuelled by an expedition towards the next, striving to find new applications for innovations in everyday life. Specialising in lighting, the design studio furthers its expertise in different categories of product design. A Dutch term that translates to ‘from to,’ Vantot focuses on the entire process, beginning with the technique and terminating the product. The designer duo’s interest is piqued not just by new technologies; antiquated techniques are put to good use in their oeuvre that benefits equally from today’s updated knowledge base. Vantot’s extensive body of work that dominantly features lighting, both indoor and outdoor, also dabbles with spatial design, craft techniques, and pottery, amongst others. Envisioning lighting as a sensory experience, and drawing inspiration from the rhythms of nature, Studio Vantot perseveres on creative exploration, a journey that the designers elucidate in an exclusive discourse with STIR.

STIR: What inspired the inception of Studio Vantot?

Studio Vantot: For us, LED light was a field of design that needed to be explored. Sam was contemplating light and how the sun's light is perpetual ‘on.’ The sun doesn't go out, it only goes on and off due to the motion of the Earth. Our graduation works from the Design Academy received a lot of positive feedback and attention, which inspired us to continue our journey in the design field. For example, our first collaboration was while we were still in college. Together, we came up with the collection Exploded View, a lamp whose LED module can be moved up and down, in and out of its shade, on wires, by means of a cunning weighted pulley system. The illumination of the surrounding area changes as the module rises and descends, producing a variety of ambient effects. The light was purchased by Microsoft for its Seattle headquarters. As lighting designers, we want people to experience the light by using their senses; helping people understand the novelties, memories, and fantasy, with the light designs is rather amazing.

STIR: How would you best describe your design philosophy? What drives the design process at the studio?

Studio Vantot: Our design philosophy is to stay connected with the things around us, we create artificial light based on natural light which reacts to nature that has its playful rhythm. We also value the freedom of perception, It is not about how we shape it, but more of how you perceive it.

STIR: The name ‘Vantot’ translates to ‘from to’ in Dutch. Could you elaborate on how this is implemented in your studio?

Studio Vantot: The name expresses the process of working on a design project from conception to production. Starting with ‘Van/From’ is the process of researching around a specific topic, such as light. And end with ‘Tot/To’ is the conclusion of the process, where we translate the idea into a tangible product. We always find and experience new applications for our products, using both modern and antiquated techniques in our design. Light is changing all the time and requires endless study. Creating light is an experience that works with your senses; the process of learning and creating products from different ideas is what we are truly passionate about.

STIR: Lighting design sees a constant flow of innovation and growth. What fuels the uniqueness and novelty of your designs?

Studio Vantot: As mentioned, we are drawn to the subject of light and its nature, and our philosophy is to be connected with it holistically. We humanise our products by combining a poetic design with a high-tech system, which makes them original. We make sure that people can connect to the product as if it was naturally part of the surrounding. For example, Mono, a brand-new collection, comes with a magic stick that you can use to, for example, dim or turn on/off the light by touching it with your fingertips. Also, we design lighting that can adapt to a space like the VVV collection. This transforms each space into a new experience. Imagine a large lobby that needs to feel inviting and personal, the presence of something unique will leave a positive impression. Lastly, we are extremely detail-oriented. We like to put thoughts into every single detail of our design.

STIR: Works like Floating Lights and Mono exude lightness irrespective of scale. How do you achieve these contrasting characteristics in the same design?

Studio Vantot: We are always in search of good materials that diffuse the light, which is better with LEDs. We find a way to create lighting that blends in with its surroundings, such as Floating Lights floating flawlessly through the wind. Furthermore, the Floating Lights collection is extremely light and consists of almost no material. Due to its lightweight, it also allowed us to create a bigger structure.

STIR: As a designer, how do you interact with the current conversation about energy efficiency and green innovation in design?

Studio Vantot: We recognize the importance of a sustainable future and feel a huge responsibility in this topic. We respond to it by creating sustainable designs; our works are being created first by hand, therefore, we have comprehensive knowledge about the materials that we use. For example, one of our newest works, Floating Lights, consists of almost no material. Using no material is an alternative way of working sustainably with materials, which we found a very inspiring starting point. Furthermore, We are currently working on (and growing) a plant with bioluminescence. All of this happens in the laboratory, in close cooperation with scientists. We feel it is really interesting to dive into the topic of bioluminescence in plants because if this living light emits light by existing, it would be really amazing for the environment to have a close system.

STIR: What are the challenges that Vantot considers addressing with lighting for a sustainable future?

Studio Vantot: First is working globally. It's incredible that our items are sold worldwide since we really believe in the value of spreading information throughout the world. But it doesn't always feel right when you consider the movement of materials or the product itself. We frequently consider and develop new method that offers everything in a unique way. We should investigate whether local production is the way of the future. The second is trends. We want to create lights that people may use for the rest of their lives and, even better, that last for several generations. Trends, therefore, challenge us because, while they should draw people in, they should not be the only thing that people find intriguing.

STIR: How do you envision the future of lighting and the circular economy at VANTOT?

Studio Vantot: We anticipate that lights will become independent. Only when necessary, it will provide light and interact with both people and the surrounding area, as the bioluminescence plants do already. It will challenge our company to create light in a cyclical way. Together with scientists and great thinkers, we are always working to rethink systems and envision the future. Certainly, as designers, we have a stake in this and I think we can make a difference in the context of the future of independent living light.

STIR: Pendulum and Sunseeker reimagine street lighting. What considerations do you make, in terms of material and techniques, to make such designs interactive and sustainable?

Studio Vantot: As for Interactive, we aimed for a poetic experience, we involved people in creating the light, finding out what they want, and using that as an inspiration. It is a people-oriented project. And as for materials, regardless of having a lot of rules to follow and a number of challenges, the advantage is that we can change every part of the Sunseeker which makes it easier to reinstall and fix.

STIR: In addition to lighting design, you also explore furniture designs, and multifunctional designs such as Cover Curtain, and textiles. Could you expand on how you explore each one individually?

Studio Vantot: The Cover Curtain was a coincidence. As we were creating the VVV modular lighting system, we found out along the way that we wanted to present our catalogue on something with a similar modular system, so we came up with Cover Curtain, a modular bookshelf/ room divider. As for Tangled-up, we wanted to learn more about textiles and Tangled-up was the result of the experiment. We enjoy creating multifunctional products and it was inspired by the architecture of most apartment complexes in The Netherlands, where they have natural light coming in from the front and the back of the room but not the side. We feel the need to give light to the darker side. You can build with light in a fashionable way, just like the way architects build with natural light, you can do it with artificial light.

STIR: What is NEXT in store for you?

Studio Vantot: We are currently busy with what we refer to as Pro-lights, plants that give light. We are constantly researching lighting-related topics and educating ourselves on everything about light, and continuously making new collections with different brands.