Drawing upon the city’s history of lighting innovation, New Objectivity architecture, and a re-contextualisation of a waste stream, The Lens Luminaire is the tangible convergence of inspiration and a physical expression of the development of Eindhoven’s city culture.
De Bruin Heer, (now named De Admirant) formerly served as the Philips head office, and is one of Eindhoven’s most iconic buildings. Now standing at the foot of the building is Mr Brown Specs & Beans, a luxury optician & coffee cafe. Through a close enquiry into the Optician’s process and production, Object Density have realised the opportunity to redefine an element of waste. Â
Mr Brown’s lens supplier Essilor, produces some of the most optically advanced lenses available, however as with any form of production, there are often surplus or dead-stock lenses that cannot be used. It is almost nonsensical for these technically precise, high-end lenses to become useless because their initial purpose cannot be fulfilled. The Lens Luminaire seeks to reinstate each lens’ inherent beauty and value, the distortion of the light source highlighting the unique optical properties of each lens.Â
Showcased in a structure derived from the detailing of luxury optics and the history of De Bruin Heer, this piece champions Eindhoven - it’s past and present, and how their interplay may shape our future.



