Core77

Andrew Thomson's Geodesic Pendant Lamp 2.0 and More

By Rain Noe - September 5, 2012

in Furniture Design | Lighting

A CNC machine, a thin sheet of what looks like birch ply and "100 or so rivets later" Andrew Thomson had the geodesic pendant lamp you see above. Thomson's an avowed Bucky Fuller fan; when last we looked in on him, he was turning old Coroplast electioneering signs into a geodesic precursor for the lamp you see above.

Thomson, by the way, is one of my favorite types of ID'ers: the unsung workaday guys who aren't looking to be the toast of Milan but are instead steadily developing their books and their skills in local applications. On his blog, Alabama-based Thomson documents projects he and his buddy Jared* have pulled, like turning wood from a local barn into a bed that looks better'n what you'd find in West Elm, and producing tables, benches and counters for local restaurants.

Best of all, he takes copious before and after pictures and isn't shy about documenting both the screw-ups ("The whole thing... got stuck in the planer a few times") and the glue-ups. And something about seeing shop photos where you can see the guy's hands working the router makes it all seem so do-able. See for yourself here.

*Jared, you need to nag Andrew to get your last name up on that site!

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Andrew

12 years ago

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If you go to the blog and read the posts- http://www.thomsonforthewin.com/
the dome pendant post does not reference CNC but says it was laser cut
the project that did use a CNC router is this one
http://www.thomsonforthewin.com/post/30768872067/ply-lamp-ply-chair-best-friends
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Ben Pearce

12 years ago

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We are talking about VERY different things here. A true artist or designer seeks to do what no man has done before. You can only be a producer or imitator if you can not respect the work of others. It is fine to be inspired by it sure, but to attempt to ride off its coat-tails is rather embarrassing. As a artist myself I would never tar my name like that. I think the market would rather an original, and I think you should of put the time producing this into some constructive reflections on the world around you (rather than design itself) to find your own inspiration.
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Warren

12 years ago

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Why so fighty everyone?
ID means different things to different people. Unapproachable embodiments which are the toast of Milan and the cornering of ownership of ideas to some, and to others a greater interest in the doing than the high art of it.
Can the Core not post articles to interest both, or a broad audience? Have they said they ascribe to only one approach? (Personally, i think they really should have mentioned the 'inspiration')
Mr Trubridge, do you have a patent for this design?
Is everyone really so limited in what they may do, as soon as someone's done similar? Even in relatively generic concepts and forms such as geometric spheres?
Is Mr. Thomson trying to sell these or screw anyone over? Or are we getting worked up over a story in a blog entry about someone who likes making things?
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Drew

12 years ago

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Correction to my previous comment
It actually does say it on his website.

http://www.thomsonforthewin.com/tagged/furniture
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Drew

12 years ago

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The bed sure seems to be almost identical to the Crate & Barrel atwood bed, not saying there is anything wrong with building something for yourself instead of buying it, but it should probably be mentioned so as not to look like you are trying to take credit for the design.

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/atwood-bed/f42064
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Andrew

12 years ago

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It is no suprise there are so many of these type of products around.
There is only so much you can do with profile cutting...

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Paul Dutch

12 years ago

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Well..
A friend pointed out that on Andrew Thompsons's website http://www.thomsonforthewin.com. he also found a copy of Roger Kelly's (Napier/NZ designer) 'Taylor Patio Chair' http://www.redorange.co.nz/products/index.php?cat=chairs&p=25
Aj..
The lamp is not the only knockoff then.
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David

12 years ago

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Stephen is bang on... CNC definitely defaults to CNC milling operations.
It's language man not mathematics! Maybe this guy just read that book and is really excited about this concept...

I checked out that Coral light and holy cow that's similar!
Really nice tables though... I like them.
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Derrick

12 years ago

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The Jared that is being referred to in this blog is Jared Fulton who graduated from Auburn in architecture and did a Rural Studio Thesis Project http://tinyurl.com/cj9xocd. He went on to work for KSW in Cambridge and to get a Master in Architecture from Harvard. Both these individuals are making good projects with other designers and builders in the area.
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Stephen

12 years ago

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To say "CNC'd" is to say "I don't know how to communicate with people that actually produce my designs."

Well, since I'm the one that actually does produce your designs, I can say that. Tell anyone in the industry "CNC" and they will default to a CNC mill. Tell your supplier you want something cut with CNC and they won't even think about putting it near a laser cutter.
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David Trubridge

12 years ago

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Thanks, those of you who posted, for your support! No thanks, once again, to Core77 who undermine their reputation by being very undiscerning in the cheap knock-offs they promote. They have done this before.
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- Robert Clark
  
  7 years ago
  
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  Maybe David Trubridge should be given credit for this design, also. After all there is some coincidental similarity that obviously only could have been stolen from him.
  
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- Robert Clark
  
  7 years ago
  
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  This sort of kind of looks like David's. Just to be safe, let's make sure David Trubridge gets credit for this design, too.
  
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Core77 Editorial Team

12 years ago

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For what it's worth, we've been through this before:

http://www.core77.com/blog/lighting/kent_blazeks_nexus_kitset_lamp_20388.asp

I guess you could say that the lasercutter is the true bridge to quasi-geodesic, spherical pendant lamp design.
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thomas

12 years ago

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When you have a laser around, it's really easy (and enjoyable) to make David Trubridge knockoffs. Anything that helps think away from the 2D nature of the cutting is, as an exercise, valuable.
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Paul Dutch

12 years ago

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Huh..
David Trubridge has been doing this for quite a while now:
http://www.davidtrubridge.com/Designs/lighting/kitsets/coral/

Almost identical!
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Jim

12 years ago

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Cool, but looks like David Trubridge work:
http://www.davidtrubridge.com/Designs/lighting/kitsets/coral/

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Derek

12 years ago

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Check out the coral lamp at www.davidtrubridge.com . This might be a case of inspiration vs plagiarism.
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Tyler

12 years ago

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A CNC laser sir! I did a couple of David Trubridge knock offs myself, with a Computer Numerically Controlled laser.
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CC

12 years ago

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The light is too much like a David Trubridge design to get any real respect and probably should have been left out of this post for that fact or at least retitled. Core77, you should be better with catching knockoffs or imitations. This happens too often with pieces that are far from obscure. As a website that promotes itself as leader for the design community this should not be happening. This is the best line "Thomson, by the way, is one of my favorite types of ID'ers: the unsung workaday guys who aren't looking to be the toast of Milan". So your favorites are the people that rip off ideas from those in Milan who dedicate their lives to coming up with something completely original. You guys are amateurs.
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goodmaei

12 years ago

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Stephen: I try not to nitpick, but this one bugs me to no end.

CNC means "computer numerical control" -- which encompasses a laser cutter (unless he free-handed it with a laser...right).

"CNC" is often used as a shortening of "CNC milling machine" which irks the heck out of anyone who has operated a piece of CNC equipment (e.g. mill, lathe, laser cutter, punch press, waterjet, etc).

To say "CNC'd" is to say "I don't know how to communicate with people that actually produce my designs."

Yes, it was laser cut. On a CNC machine. Just not a CNC milling machine. Check out "Design for Manufacturability" by Bralla -- it's targeted at mechanical engineers, but has great process info for people who want to design things that can be made.
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Aaron

12 years ago

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The Jared referred to is probably Auburn University assistant professor Jerrod Windham.
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Stephen

12 years ago

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A CNC machine, a thin sheet of what looks like birch ply and "100 or so rivets later" Andrew Thomson had the geodesic pendant lamp you see above.

That's laser cut. Not CNC'd.
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