designed by Isamu Noguchi, 1951

Akari 55D by Vitra is a pendant lamp from Isamu Noguchi’s collection of light sculptures. Its rounded shade, made from traditional Japanese washi paper, casts soft, diffused light and brings a sense of lightness to the interior even when switched off. It works above a dining table, in a living room or as a striking standalone feature in an open space.

Each lamp is handcrafted at the family-run Ozeki workshop in Gifu, Japan. Bamboo ribs are shaped over wooden moulds and then covered with strips of washi paper made from mulberry bark. The delicate texture of the paper and the rhythm of the bamboo ribs give the lamp its distinctive appearance.

The shade measures 55 cm in diameter and 52 cm in height. The suspension cable is 220 cm long. The lamp has an E27 socket with a maximum wattage of 12 W; the manufacturer specifies a 4 W LED light source with a colour temperature of 2700 K. A stylised sun-and-moon symbol identifies authentic Akari light sculptures.