Italian architect and designer Elisa Ossino pays homage to traditional Japanese lanterns with her Madco lamp for lighting brand Ambientec, whose headquarters are in the coastal prefecture Kanagawa just outside of Tokyo.

Ossino has distilled the classic luminaire into a simple sphere, the geometric shape she favours for its “iconic purity,” with a literal twist: positioned within an ultra-thin metal stand (that doubles as a handle for the portable lamp), the round diffuser can be rotated 360 degrees to allow for a multitude of lighting configurations; a metal cap on the bottom of the glass ball cleverly conceals the technical components and transformer. 

With Madco, Ossino is also introducing colour to Ambientec’s offerings for the first time, with a curated palette of five earthy hues – Olive, Peach, Terracotta, Mustard and Cherry. Rechargeable and suitable for use outdoors, the tiny table lamp can be used almost anywhere a little extra illumination is desired.