THE OPPORTUNITY
The desk doesn’t need more light. It needs a better atmosphere
Haven explores ambient lighting as a gentler counterpoint to the brightness of screens: a small object that makes a workspace feel settled without demanding attention.
KEY INSIGHTS
01 / Workplace Burnout is widespread
65%
of U.S. workers report that work is a significant source of stress
02 / Support is often insufficient
45%
of employees feel they lack sufficient support for stress management at work.
03 / burnout is a persistent issue
52%
of employees experience burnout, emphasizing the need for effective stress management interventions.
Design takeaway: Stress-management support needed to feel immediate, low-effort, and integrated into the workspace rather than becoming another task to manage
https://www.osha.gov/workplace-stress
https://www.stress.org/workplace-stress
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/50-important-workplace-stress-statistics-manjuri-dutta-pufdc/
EXPLORATION
From light object to spatial object.
Early directions weighed open frames against enclosed volumes. The frame offered the clearest read: structure on the outside, warmth held within. It also kept the object visually light, which better supported the goal of creating a calming presence without adding visual clutter.
Early iteration / sketches
early iteration / quick cad modeling
REFINEMENT
Less frame. More light.
The chosen direction brings the diffuser forward while keeping the frame visually precise. The contrast makes the light feel contained rather than exposed.
PROTOTYPE + TESTING
Build the light before perfecting the object.
Prototyping focused on the relationship between the light source, diffusion, and frame depth. The working question was simple: how little visible hardware could still create a useful, even glow? Early material tests also revealed how diffuser depth and LED spacing affected hotspots, which informed the final enclosure proportions.
FORM STUDY / ENCLOSURE • DIFFUSER • LIGHT SOURCE
MATERIALS + CONSTRUCTION
Three layers. One quiet presence.
STABLE BASE
OUTER FRAME
LIGHT DIFFUSER
INTERACTION
The experience is intentionally spare: an ambient glow that supports the desk rather than competing with the work on it.
CMF
Dark structure. Warm atmosphere.
A restrained dark finish recedes against the workspace while the illuminated diffuser becomes the focal point. The material story is built around that contrast.
FINAL DESIGN
The final form holds a warm diffused center inside a crisp outer structure. Even when unlit, the slender frame remains a deliberate object in the workspace.
REFLECTION
The most important design move was restraint.
Haven turns a simple lighting need into a more considered desk experience. The project’s strongest lesson was to let the quality of light lead every decision about form.
User Research · Lighting Design · Experience Design · Form Development · Prototyping