Page 77 - Lighting Magazine December 2017

under thE radar
This award-winning manufacturer has evolved from making sleek desk and oor lamps to linear suspended lighting xtures and wall sconces. Now Koncept is ready to shine in a permanent showroom in the Dallas Market Center.
LInda LonGo: TeLL me a bIT abouT THe company.
Kenneth & Edmund Ng: Koncept was founded based on ideas (concepts) dreamed up by three design forces: our father, industrial designer Peter Ng, and the two of us \[engineers\]. We chose to spell “Concept” with the le er K instead of C be- cause the 3 strokes in the le er K represent the three designers, with the longer, vertical stroke representing Peter. Peter has been the lead de- signer in a number of our projects, especially the agship product Z-Bar.
LL: Was THere a voId In THe markeTpLace you WanTed To fILL?
K&EN: As product designers, we felt that there was a void in quality task lighting at reasonable price points. There was a huge gap between poor- ly made, low-quality products and the high-end designs with soaring price tags. Strangely enough, there was also a lack of color in lighting design. We also noticed that a majority of lighting designs possessed either functional characteristics or a beautiful aesthetic — but rarely both. Therefore, we adopted the philosophy of seeking balance between these two elements. Through Koncept, we’ve been able to bring quality, original designs to the marketplace along with competitive prices, the balance of form and function, and the unique- ness of interchangeable colors and nishes.
LL: HoW Has THe producT LIne evoLved?
K&EN: It all started with our Z-Bar desk lamp. As designers, we maintained the aesthetic simplic- ity of a task lamp with a small footprint, but have branched out to oor lamps, wall sconces, and more recently, ceiling pendants. Koncept prod- ucts have opened up the doors of creativity to interior designers and architects by allowing them to customize their own Z-Bar Pendant shapes and sizes using our custom Web application. To push boundaries even further, we are beginning to in- corporate smart controls (via downloadable apps) into our lights to alter the color temperature and brightness to best coincide with the circadian rhythms of the users.
LL: besIdes LIGHTInG sHoWrooms, WHere eLse can consumers fInd koncepT producTs?
K&EN: We do sell through other channels; our
The mr.GO! portable LED lantern features an arched light panel and curved hous- ing that acts as a natural handle for carrying the lantern. Charge the built-in ba eries using the USB port to enjoy the convenience of a cordless light. A standard USB output port is also available, allowing users to charge their USB devices on the go. The mr.Go! design won the Spark Award 2016 – Bronze, was an Interior Design’s Best of Year Honoree 2016, and received the iF Design Award 2017.
december 2017 | enLIGHTenment magazine 75
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