Japanese lighting design brand Ambientec has been producing bespoke professional lighting for underwater photography since its inception in 2012. The latest addition to its collection, Cachalot, a portable lamp, was unveiled at the Milan Design Week last year.
Founder and CEO Yoshinori Kuno started the company as AOI Japan CO Ltd in 1999. Initially, he focused on making protective underwater cases for professional photography equipment for major camera manufacturers before branching into underwater lighting, under the RGBlue brand – a mark of high quality.
Kuno’s fascination with light began at an early age. Having worked in digital imaging, he decided to pursue his interest in the ocean’s depths and started researching professional lighting for underwater photography. Two of the biggest challenges he found were the equipment wasn’t resistant to water pressure at 100 meters below the surface and the need for 100% waterproofing.
At the same time, Kuno wanted to move away from mass production and towards a more sustainable product. As a result, in all his designs, he uses durable materials that don’t deteriorate, such as stainless steel, brass, aluminum and crystal glass.
Attractive and High-Quality Products
By using manual and machinery grinding and polishing methods, Kuno has been able to create aesthetically attractive and high-quality products. Simultaneously, he keeps the use of inexpensive, large-scale production techniques, such as plastic molding, to a minimum.
Building on his knowledge of portable underwater photography gear that can resist high water pressure at extreme depths while still providing high-quality light, Kuno took his design one step further with the development of portable lighting for everyday spaces, ranging from the home and bathroom to outdoor and commercial settings, such as cafes and restaurants. Drawing his inspiration from 1960s and 70s designers, he came up with an inimitable product range of portable, rechargeable and waterproof lamps using high-quality, ultra-sturdy components and masterful precision.
“I am not a designer, nor am I educated as such, but I have great respect for things made in the 60s and 70s that have not faded away,” Masako Ito, overseas sales and promotion manager at Ambientec, said in an interview with ArchiExpo e-Magazine.
“For example, Dieter Rams’ Universal Shelving System and Ten Principles of Good Design, Bolle from Venini by Tapio Wirkkala and Camaleonda sofa by Mario Bellini. I also love and admire Richard Sapper’s TIZIO lighting.”
A Lamp for All Occasions
In the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake that struck in 2011, Kuno decided to create an indoor lamp that could be used in any space or situation. Balancing form with function, he produced a design that incorporates portability and durability with an integrated LED technology that gives off a light that is both warm and welcoming.
Thus, Ambientec’s first portable lighting product, Bottled, was born in 2012 and unveiled at the Interior Lifestyle Tokyo trade fair. Since then, the company has presented a new product every year at Milan Design Week.
“Ambientec’s collections are created through a process of defining the theme of what we want to achieve for what occasion, then finding the perfect designer and collaborating with them to create the collection,” said Ito. “The inspiration for the collection is drawn from each designer’s approach to the theme.”
Because the lamp is portable, the user can illuminate any location or create an atmosphere with minimal light. Used in a bathroom setting, for example, it produces an even brightness and nice ambiance. This creates a contrast between the light and dark surrounding it, giving the feeling of space and emotion.
Other notable launches include the Bottled Matte Silver in 2013, the Xtal lamp in 2015 and the award-winning Torr lamp in 2016. The Xtal Acrux and Xtal Becrux lamps, the Bottled Glossy White and the Turn lamp followed in 2017 and 2018 before the Hymn lamp was released in 2021. The latest release is Cachalot, a portable lamp designed by Yoshiki Matsuyama, which debuted at the Milan Design Week in June 2022.
Strong Production and Sales Network
Ambientec designs its products at the company’s development and support center at its headquarters in Kanagawa, outside Tokyo, while it manufactures everything through its network of partner factories across Japan and overseas. Supporting this is a 20-strong workforce.
To increase its global sales, Ambientec has established sales partners both in Japan and abroad. It has also exhibited its products at events such as Super Salone, a special Salone del Mobile in Milan, which attracted huge attention and enabled the company to introduce its brand name to a wider audience.
Kuno is clearly ambitious, with his goal for Ambientec to be known globally as a portable lighting brand. Beyond that, the plan is to keep pushing new boundaries in design and to expand into current and new markets.
For more information about Ambientec and its products, visit the official website.
