Interaction Collection by MOAK Studio

Every once in a while, we come across design objects that are not only beautiful and functional, but also urge us to pause and think about the way we live our lives. Such is the case with the Colombian MOAK Studio and their ‘Interaction Collection,’ which we stumbled upon during Milan Design Week’s DIN Exhibition at Lambrate Design District.

With Interaction, a prototype collection featuring two very distinct lamps and a speaker, MOAK studio aims to shed light on the physical interactions we have forgotten in the digital era – in an effort to bring us closer to the physical world and appreciate the movements that allow commonplace objects to function.

Dina Lamp: a lamp that brings awareness to the value of light

With the first product, MOAK aims to remind users of the value of light by making them pay for it. That’s right, the Dina lamp requires money to turn on, and inserting a coin is the only way for it to light up.

Dina is a conceptual but functional prototype, with a 3D printed body and shade, and top and bottom lids made from natural ash wood. Photo by Mauricio Sanin Mazuera.

We have become light dependents and without it we would have long, sad and in-officious nights, but we have forgotten that it is a resource that we must pay for and we even misspend. What if a lamp helps us to be aware of the value of light, energy, and money? DINA needs money to activate, coins are the ones who transmit power to let it shine. It is more than just a lamp; it is a different way to light up our consciousness. When the coin is inserted, the electrical circuit is activated and the bulbs light up, but not all coins can turn it on. To stand out the concept of the value of light, it only works with large and medium size coins, which usually represent the highest denomination in most currencies. Small ones do not manage to make the necessary contact to turn on the light. When we want DINA to stop illuminating, we simply pull the wooden sphere and our coin is saved. Not only it awareness us of the value of light, but we can also save money for future wishes.

To function, a medium-to-large sized coin is inserted to activate the electrical circuit, and when we want DINA to stop illuminating, we simply pull the wooden knob on the side to recover the coin. It’s a thoughtful reminder that nothing is for free!

Volé Lamp: a new way of interacting with a familiar object

In contrast to the Dina Lamp, which functions when a coin is inserted, Volé turns on when the user blows on a windmill-like feature on its side. MOAK took advantage of this functionality to subtly remind us that there are different ways of relating to the objects around us, that deviate from conventional experience. Volé generates dim, ambient lighting for a calm and cozy atmosphere.

Hilo Speaker: a reminder of tangible technology

Finally, the Hilo Speaker is not meant to be revolutionary but rather nostalgic, referring back to the now old-fashioned way of manually raising and lowering the speaker volume by means of a knob, a function that has been replaced by a digitalized experience since the advent of smart phones. moakstudio.co

HILO makes us use objects again with our hands, to feel them, to understand them, to analyze them and, why not? to question and show us different ways to interact with them. Technology should bring us closer to objects and ward off from the comfort we have come to, by controlling most of the things around us through a single device, our cell phone. By manually raising and lowering the HILO knob, we control music’s volume to achieve the mood and ambience we wish. It is not a speaker that revolutionizes the world of sound or has the lastest technology component, it is a simple and nostalgic form loaded with symbolism that invites us to interact in an intuitive way with the volume, to leave it at the exact point where our ears can enjoy the sound.

Location: Cali, Colombia
Phone Number: +57 312 259 1226; +57 317 429 9882
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