Designed by Japanese designer Kazuhiro Yamanaka, Tsubomi is a table lamp that starts out flat, ultra-thin, almost fragile, and then expands on its own until it reaches its three-dimensional form. At first glance, you could mistake it for a carefully folded sheet of paper, but just touch it, open it up, let it take in some air, and it immediately becomes a small design object animated by its own movement.

The secret of Tsubomi lies entirely in its structure: a special A4-size sheet of paper that hides three ultra-thin layers of technical material inside. On the outside, the texture recalls traditional paper, but to the touch it feels surprisingly durable. The inner plastic layer allows it to be folded, unfolded, and refolded endlessly without tearing or losing its shape. The material itself guides the design of this lamp, creating ripples and wrinkles that become part of the piece’s aesthetic.

When you open it, small air inlets at the base allow the structure to “inflate” slightly. It’s a minimal, almost imperceptible movement, but enough for it to find its own balance. A thin aluminium base supports it and houses a flat LED light source that gently illuminates the surface, emphasising the folds that appear during the assembly process.

This lamp combines the logic of origami with the functionality of contemporary lighting: minimalist, lightweight, and poetic in character. It can be chosen with plain white paper or with a grid texture, in black or pink, which adds a soft tone to the diffused light. In the coloured versions, the light takes on subtle nuances, creating an intimate, carefully calibrated atmosphere.