In 2025 designer George Singer (6-203) created Lua - a suspended light installation capturing the graceful movement of silk, commissioned for a private residence in North Vietnam.

Lua is made from over twenty thousand solid glass balls, each meticulously hand-painted in shades of amber and frosted white. Its form was inspired by the natural flow of silk, with gentle undulating curves and sweeping folds that create a sense of elegance, serenity, and grandeur.

Lua has since won three prestigious design awards; a Red Dot Award, an International Architecture and Design Award, and a Lighting Design Award.

Designed in collaboration with digital artists Onformative, Lua was developed using advanced simulation technology that translated the movement of silk into a sculptural form impossible to create by hand. The placement of each glass ball is guided by the 'tension' within the digital silk model, merging craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology.

Illuminated from above by John Cullen spotlights and lit from within by hundreds of fibre optic lights, Lua offers a dynamic lighting experience — from soft, tranquil evening mode to vibrant party mode — all controlled via a wall-mounted iPad.

Lua represents the future of suspended sculpture: a seamless fusion of technology, artistry, and contemporary beauty.

Lua is the Vietnamese word for silk.

Watch the short film (3 min 41 seconds) here: vimeo.com/1136108256
Watch the full film (8 min 46 seconds) here: https://vimeo.com/1136588879

Credits:
Design in collaboration with Onformative
Spotlights by John Cullen Lighting
Light controls by Harish Persad
Film and stills by Matthias Hoene