2021
2026

Do We Need So Many Lamps?

jinlin yang

jinlin yang

Parsons The New School for Design

Parsons The New School for Design

Parsons The New School for Design

Parsons The New School for Design

2021
2026

Do We Need So Many Lamps?

jinlin yang

Parsons The New School for Design

Parsons The New School for Design

Parsons The New School for Design

Parsons The New School for Design

2021
2026

Do We Need So Many Lamps?

jinlin yang

Parsons The New School for Design

Parsons The New School for Design

Parsons The New School for Design

Parsons The New School for Design

Many homes contain multiple lamps designed for different purposes, such as table lamps, wall lights, and small ambient lights. But do we really need so many separate lighting objects? Do We Need So Many Lamps? explores this question by rethinking traditional lighting typologies through a modular system built around a single adaptable light module. Instead of designing multiple lamps for different roles, the project proposes one light that can transform depending on its support structure. The core light functions independently as a low, 360-degree ambient light that sits at the center of a table and provides soft surrounding illumination. When paired with interchangeable supports, the same module can transform into a table lamp for directional lighting or a wall-mounted fixture for vertical spaces. By revisiting familiar lamp types and reorganizing them into a flexible modular system, the design gives new life to traditional lighting forms and demonstrates how something old can become new again.

Do We Need So Many Lamps?