The ToFU lamp was designed in 2000 by Japanese designer Tokujin Yoshioka for Yamagiwa. The design is a representative sample of Japanese Design: minimalist, strict, geometric and striking in its own unique way.
It is made from a monolithic block of transparent methacrylate, cut with absolute precision to accommodate an aluminum tube that houses a halogen lamp. The light travels through the transparent acrylic and is diffused by all sides, creating an elegant bright rectangle. The ToFU table lamp (similar to the popular Japanese food) is a successful study in minimalism, an understated ode to refined simplicity and timeless elegance. The significance of the ToFU Lamp is manifested through light, not the lamp.
Tokujin Yoshioka is one of the foremost practitioners of refined minimalist design and art. The ToFU lamp is a fine example of hisa design philosophy. It expresses the essence of good design and pays perhaps homage to the minimalist art of Donald Judd.Tokujin.
Tokujin Yoshioka started his international career in 1987 collaborating with Shiro Kuramata and Issey Miyake and founded his own design studio in 1988. He has completed several Projects for the Issey Miyake house in the last 20 years, as well as important projects for well-known companies such as HERMES, BMW, TOYOTA, KDDI and SWAROVSKI. Moreover Yoshioka’s works can be found in important industrial design collections, such as the MoMA permanent collection the Vitra Collection and the Centre Georges Pompidou collection.
