When you first look at the Melt Lamp, it will appear like an alien blob that’s either about to liquefy, explode, or fly out to attack a puny Earthling by latching onto the hapless person’s face. Fortunately, it isn’t. Instead, it’s just a trippy pendant lamp that looks like it’s melting right where it hangs.
Made by Tom Dixon in collaboration with Front, it’s not just the distorted shape that makes it so trippy. Far from it. It also bears a metallic appearance that makes you think it’s nothing more than a hanging sculpture. Until the light is switched on, you’re not likely to suspect it for a lighting element, making for one genuinely curious piece.
Melt is made using blown glass that’s mixed with small amounts of metal, in a process known as vacuum metallization. That causes a semi-metallized construction that allows it to be reflective (it looks mirror-finished) with the light powered off and translucent the moment it’s turned on. Because only parts of the surface actually contain any metal, the light ends up bouncing and reflecting around it, creating a dramatic display that the company accurately describes as “mildly hallucinogenic.” Seriously, it’s a pretty far out effect for an erstwhile pendant lamp with a conventional bulb.
Two sizes (50 cm and 30 cm) and three finishes (chrome, copper, and gold) of the Melt Lamp are available, each one bundled with a tubular support housing a braided power cord. No exact availability dates have been released, although pricing is set at $450 for the 30 cm version and $860 for the 50 cm model.