It seems to surface gently from the depths of the ocean to bring its warm and tender light into our living spaces. Between light design and marine biology: Ambientec presents “Cachalot”, the new portable lamp designed by Yoshiki Matsuyama.
Development: Yoshinori Kuno, Yasushi Eguchi, Mitsuhiro Yoshida, Masako Ito, Tetsuto Uchida (Ambientec)
Photo and Film Direction / Sound: Shunsuke Watanabe (uranographia)
Photography: Yume Takakura
Ambientec / Cachalot (Design:Yoshiki Matsuyama) May/2022 from 株式会社アンビエンテック on Vimeo.
Starting from its very name, the piece evokes the fluid and majestic image of a whale. Cachalot is an evocative and symbolic object, avoiding any cartoonish or overly-literal reference to the cetacean figure, while perfectly grasping its essential and familiar form. This portable lamp can be freely placed on a shelf, among books, on an end table, or surrounded by other favorite objects. Like all Ambientec pieces, it invites us to develop a genuine emotional relationship with it.
“As a child, I was enchanted by the whales and cetaceans in picture books and adventure novels. Today as a designer I find the shape of these ocean creatures fascinating: powerful and fluid, yet also warm and gentle. It is this majesty imbued with sweetness that I hoped to convey with Cachalot. Its soft light spreads into the night and makes time seem to slow down – just like how a whale moves through the depths of a silent sea, creating an atmosphere of peace and quiet,” explains designer Yoshiki Matsuyama.
Cachalot is a sculptural light, a fine example of the synthesis of cutting-edge illumination technology, precise artisan craftsmanship and high-quality materials that sets Ambientec apart, along with its poetic design.
The base is die-cast zinc with a copper plated finish. The lamp shade is made of pure, crystal-clear and durable acrylic, available in clear or dark gray. Inside, a tubular-shaped LED unit using unique proprietary technology produces a warm, gentle light.
“Cachalot” is an evocative declaration of love for the depths of the sea. This project is Ambientec’s first design inspired by nature. Yoshinori Kuno, CEO and founder of the brand, asked Yoshiki Matsuyama to develop a concept for a zoomorphic lamp. Drawing on his own personal experience, the designer turned to the shape of a whale. Unconsciously, his idea intersected with the passion for the seas that has always been part of Ambientec’s identity.
In his early entrepreneurial days Kuno created RGBlue, a brand of professional lights for underwater photography still synonymous with excellence. Now with Ambientec, his visionary spirit has brought that technical know-how into the world of design, creating wireless and rechargeable waterproof lamps.
“With Cachalot, Yoshiki Matsuyama has exceeded my expectations. With this poetic metaphor of the whale, he recalls Ambientec’s technical background and fully expresses our values: a deep love for nature and the sea, along with respect for the environment. Cachalot, like all our lamps, is also designed to last: this is the opposite of the “disposable object” mentality, and it comes thanks to our selection of ultra-durable materials and careful construction methods,” says Yoshinori Kuno, CEO of Ambientec.
Ambientec: supporting underwater photographers and marine biologists
Making the general public aware of the situation of the ocean environment and the creatures that inhabit it is an important step towards protecting this delicate ecosystem. Building on its experience with the RGBlue brand of underwater photography lights, Ambientec is marking the launch of Cachalot with the inauguration of a project to raise awareness of the documentary work done by marine biologists and underwater photographers to protect the marine environment. The company will donate 1% of Cachalot’s annual sales to charities supporting marine environmental protection programs. Initiative schedules will be shared on Ambientec’s website.