Into The Light

Anandita Shah and Shiraz Noorani of lighting design studio 500 BC have illuminated their path into Indian homes with inspired works of art

- Tina Thakrar

Ancient art forms, cultural motifs, blurred photographs of Sugimoto, the abstraction of Malevich’s works, the colours of India, and the works of Ettore Sottsass, Oscar Niemeyer, Luis Barragan, Mies Van der Rohe and Alvar Aalto - the list of inspirations for Anandita Shah and Shiraz Noorani’s neoteric lighting and art-infused objects is endless.

Shah and Noorani are the founders of 500BC, Mumbai-based lighting, and object design studio that simply looks at lamps as works of art. Anandita, an accessory and handbag designer from the London College of Fashion, and Noorani, a civil and structural engineer from Imperial College London, first designed lamps for their own home, and then moved on to the homes of friends. Their subsequent decision to design lights commercially turned out to be a well-thought-out one, as their handcrafted, limited edition pieces found easy acceptance in Indian homes.

Their products comprise materials like aluminum, steel, brass, and wood, and their simple forms often have a strong backstory that justifies every twist and bend. The shapes and colors are identifiable and relatable, drawing heavily from geometric forms. The idea is for the lamps to not just occupy spaces, but minds.

EXCERPTS FROM OUR CHAT:

In your opinion, what role does light play in space?

Light brings space into being. Ethereally speaking, light creates space. Light reveals objects and casts shadows, lending depth and mystery to what we see. Light plays with our emotions. It can energize or desaturate; cast calm or stir motion. Light manipulates not only our spaces but also how we feel.

What does the name 500BC stand for?