This artistic pendant luminaire designed by David Wahl called ÖDLEBLAD pays homage to one of the most humble yet mighty tools in the world. It specifically puts the spotlight on IKEA’s signature Allen key.
It reinvents a simple tool mostly stored in tool boxes into a sculptural centerpiece in homes, offices, showrooms, and more. This sphere of light comprises of 60 pieces of Allen key-shaped parts crafted from birch veneer.
Ironically, ÖDLEBLAD offers a tool-free assembly. Its parts come flatpacked and click together seamlessly without a single fitting. It comes with five modules each made up of 12 pre-assembled parts that form a sphere.
When switched on, its shade changes expression. It emits a soft, subdued glow through the veneer. It creates a comforting ambient light, ideal for intimate settings, wind down, bedtime, or for reading.
Wahl, a designer at IKEA of Sweden and winner of the Red Dot Design Award for STARKVIND, said of his design: “It’s my homage to a tool that has shaped how people bring IKEA into their homes.” He shared that creating the lamp brought some challenges, especially on how to make its parts flatpacked while avoiding material waste.
The Allen key shape is a brilliant choice for designing ÖDLEBLAD, because it renders precision-cut parts with minimal waste. The pieces come together by its own geometry without any need for extra fittings. IKEA calls Wahl’s design “a glowing reminder of how one simple idea changed how we live, and a playful twist on the fact that this time, no Allen key is needed for assembly.”
Check It Out
Images courtesy of IKEA
