Cachalot: a new portable lamp inspired by a whale by Yoshiki Matsuyama

Yoshiki Matsuyama has designed a new portable lamp for the company Ambientec, evoking the soft and magnificent forms of a whale.

It looks as if it gently rises from the depths of the ocean to bring its warm and gentle light into our living spaces. Blending the design of light with marine biology, Ambientec presents "Cachalot," a new portable lamp designed by Yoshiki Matsuyama.

From its very name, this work conjures a fluid and majestic image of a whale. Cachalot is an evocative and symbolic object, avoiding any caricatural or overly literal reference to the shape of cetacean creatures while perfectly capturing their essential and recognizable form. This portable lamp can be freely placed on a shelf, among books, on a bedside table, or surrounded by other favorite items. Like all other pieces in the Ambientec collection, it invites us to develop a genuine emotional connection with it.

"As a child, I was fascinated by whales and cetaceans in picture books and adventure novels. Today, as a designer, I am fascinated by the shape of these marine creatures: powerful and fluid, yet warm and gentle at the same time. It is this magnificence filled with tenderness that I wanted to convey with the Cachalot model. Its soft light spreads into the night and makes time seem to slow down, just as a whale glides through the depths of the silent sea, creating a completely different atmosphere," explains designer Yoshiki Matsuyama.

Cachalot is a sculptural lamp, an extraordinary example of the synthesis of advanced lighting technology, precise craftsmanship, and high-quality materials that make Ambientec unique, along with its poetic design.

The base is cast from zinc with a copper coating. The lamp's body is made of pure, crystal-clear, and durable acrylic, available in transparent or dark gray. Inside it is a tubular LED unit that uses unique patented technology to produce warm and gentle light.

"Cachalot" is an evocative declaration of love for the depths of the sea. This project is the first design by the Ambientec brand inspired by nature. Josinori Kuno, CEO and founder of the brand, asked Yoshiki Matsuyama to develop a concept for a zoomorphic lamp. Drawing on his personal experience, the designer turned to the shape of a whale. Unconsciously, his idea merged with a passion for the seas that has always been part of the Ambientec brand's identity.

In his early entrepreneurial days, Kuno created RGBlue, a brand of professional underwater photography lights that continues to be synonymous with excellence. Now, with the Ambientec company, his visionary spirit has transferred that technical knowledge into the world of design, creating wireless and rechargeable waterproof lamps.

"With the Cachalot model, Yoshiki Matsuyama has exceeded my expectations. With this poetic metaphor of a whale, he recalls the technical background of the Ambientec brand and fully expresses our values: a deep love for nature and the sea, along with respect for the environment. Cachalot, like all our lamps, is designed to last: it is a contrast to the 'disposable' object mentality, and that comes thanks to our choice of ultra-durable materials and careful crafting methods," says Yoshinori Kuno, CEO of Ambientec.