Ohm Collection

Design by Kauppi & Kauppi for Ifö Electric

A celebration of the material, production and the century long heritage of Scandinavia’s only factory producing pressed porcelain

Ohm is a porcelain luminaire collection for all kinds of situations and living spaces - indoors as well as outdoors. The first grand collection by Ifö Electric in more than ten years, launched 2019 and 2020. Inspired by old porcelain insulators, the soft curves and restrained silhouettes references the company’s century long legacy. Introducing the first table lamps and the first splash safe pendants in the company history.

“We were seduced by the fascinating soft shapes of insulators and connection boxes, some of the first products manufactured by the company. We wanted to bring these silhouettes back into the assortment by creating something new, carrying some of its identity. The fascination was not only a matter of aesthetic, the soft shape proved to be highly functional for both bases and glass with great ability to diffuse light”, explains one of the two designers Nina Kauppi.

The wide collection includes splash safe light fittings for walls, ceilings, facades, suspended pendants and a special heat proof range for sauna interiors. In addition to Ifö Electric´s traditional lighting range, the collection also introduces the company’s first table lamp. Contrary to the fixtures for permanent installations, the added family member is designed for a flexible use within an arm’s reach, on tables, next to a bed or in a window.

“Our design contributes with soft shapes to the assortment, something which is partly visual, how the luster of the glaze is reflected in the rounded silhouettes. What we mainly wanted to add is a sensory and tactile dimension to the products. So that the advanced industrial production can be experienced by the hand. The relationship we build to objects through our hands, is important”, Kauppi & Kauppi concludes.

Ohm Pendant Indoor and Ohm Pendant Outdoor (introduced in 2020) widened the assortment further, opening new possibilities for how and where a pendant can be placed. In addition to installations in bathrooms, the soft curves and the restrained silhouette invites the luminaire design to blend into various situations – from the balcony to the bistro to the bedside.

Ifö Electric is well renowned for their porcelain production in the south of Sweden. The company history started in the beginning of the 1900s next to the island Ivö, where the Kaolin clay was excavated. The company has played an important role in the Swedish industrial history with its production of insulators, fuse links connection boxes, and durable porcelain luminaries. The lighting fixtures have become Scandinavian classics and can be found in many homes and institutions. Designs by Sigvard Bernadotte in the 60´s, Knud Holscher in the 80´s and Duoform in the 00´s - are still in use and still in production.

Small clay grains containing 15% humidity are used in the process. A hydraulic press will create the entire fixture base, with all fine detailed threads and mounting holes, in a single stroke. The process of drying and high temperature firing the clay will shrink the base - with remained precision in all details.

All fittings are designed so that all components can be replaced if necessary. If the lighting technology changes in the future, new parts can be added. This means that the luminaires, together with the material's own durability, have the potential to achieve an exceptionally long life-cycle. Neither wind, water nor strong sunlight changes the glazed porcelain surface.

“We like to see our design process with Ohm as 'Slow Design'. Construction, tooling and preparations for pressing porcelain takes time, but is also allowed to take time. The extensive efforts are made with a long term holistic perspective in mind.  Once the products are done, they will exist and function over a great period of time. Porcelain luminaires will survive styles and trends with a potentially longer lifecycle than many buildings. An aspect of the sustainability that ought to be more discussed”, continues Johan Kauppi.