Project: NOVA
Designer: Esben Bala Skouboe
Year: 2025
Category: Lighting / Industrial Design
Manufacturer Frandsen
Production: Denmark
Recognition: Dezeen Awards 2026 Public Vote Winner
Approach: Biomimetic geometry, digital design and advanced manufacturing
Inspired by the mathematics of nature
There is an extraordinary beauty in the way nature creates form. From the spiral growth of seashells to the geometry of flowers, complex structures emerge from remarkably simple mathematical principles.
NOVA began as an exploration of this hidden order.
Guided by the golden ratio and the Fibonacci sequence, the pendant consists of eight spiralling cones that come together in a sculptural composition. The translucent surfaces transform light into soft, evolving gradients, creating an object that feels both mathematical and organic.
The ambition was to create more than a lamp. I wanted to explore how the mathematical beauty of nature could become a physical object that brings a sense of poetry and atmosphere into everyday life.
From digital geometry to physical form
Digital design tools allow us to explore geometric complexities that would have been almost unimaginable just a few decades ago.
Through a series of computational studies, physical models and 3D-printed prototypes, NOVA gradually took shape. Each experiment revealed new relationships between geometry, material, light and the practical realities of manufacturing.
The process was an ongoing dialogue between digital precision and physical experience.
Making the impossible possible
What appeared harmonious and effortless in the finished design proved extraordinarily difficult to manufacture.
Production possibilities were explored internationally, but the complexity of the geometry created significant challenges for conventional tooling and production methods.
The breakthrough came through the expertise and ingenuity of Danish toolmakers, who developed the advanced manufacturing tools needed to bring NOVA into production.
For me, this became one of the most fascinating aspects of the project.
A form inspired by nature, developed through advanced computational design, ultimately depended on human knowledge, material understanding and exceptional craftsmanship to become a reality.
NOVA is designed, manufactured and assembled in Denmark — a celebration of the connection between imagination, technology and craftsmanship.
Designed to last
I believe good design should create objects we want to live with, care for and keep.
NOVA is produced in high quality opal PMMA, chosen for its translucent qualities and ability to transform a central light source into a soft, atmospheric glow. PMMA last the UV rays from the sun, and keeps its silke white texture. Its sculptural appearance is intended to remain engaging and playful also when the light is switched off.
Beyond its aesthetic qualities, NOVA was developed with longevity and repairability in mind, allowing individual components to be replaced rather than discarding the complete lamp. Also the light source is a standard E14, which allow for easy replacement when needed.
For me, designing responsibly is not simply about finding new materials or production methods. It is also about creating lasting relationships between people and the objects they surround themselves with. I hope that the NOVA pendent will trigger inspiration and facination in may homes.
International recognition
In October 2026, NOVA won the Dezeen Awards 2026 Public Vote in the Lighting Design of the Year category, following an international public vote.
The recognition celebrates the collective efforts of everyone who helped bring the project from an experimental idea to a manufactured product.
It is also a reminder of what becomes possible when artistic curiosity, technological ambition and exceptional craftsmanship meet.
Acknowledgements
With appreciation to Frandsen and the Danish toolmakers and manufacturing specialists who helped realise NOVA. Also thanks to Rafael Araujo for a visualisation of the geometrical relationships in the lamp.
Discover more
For new design collaborations: ebs@poesis.dk
"The Nova lamp is all individual jet when placed in a cluster they all seems different".