The Story Behind the New Works Tense Lamp: A Cloud, A Vision, and a New Way of Living
Suspended lightly in the room, the Tense Lamp looks like a drifting cloud—soft, weightless, and impossible to ignore. But its beauty is only the beginning of its story.
Behind this floating sculpture lies a thoughtful journey shaped by innovation, new lifestyles, and the creative minds of Swiss design duo Stefano Panterotto and Alexis Tourron.
This is the story of how the Tense Lamp came to life—from a simple idea to an entire collection of luminaires now admired around the world.
A Design Born from a New Way of Living
Panter & Tourron have always explored the changing needs of a younger generation—people who live more freely, move more often, and value practicality without sacrificing beauty. Their work reflects a lifestyle where spaces are lighter, more flexible, and filled with meaningful objects.
The original Tense luminaire was introduced at Milan Design Week 2019, alongside a full collection of five essential interior objects. Each piece shared the same philosophy:
In an age where people relocate frequently, the designers wanted their pieces to become lifelong companions—objects that feel personal, functional, and emotionally significant.
As Panterotto explains,
“A piece of furniture is like a piece of art. It’s something you want to take with you, and maybe even pass on, because it holds the story of how you lived.”
Research, Inspiration, and the Search for the Perfect Material
Before the Tense Lamp took shape, the designers explored an array of industries outside traditional design. They studied:
The lamp had to be functional, but it also had to be beautiful—whether switched on or off. It needed to fit into different types of interiors, from minimalist Scandinavian homes to contemporary urban spaces, while adding personality and atmosphere.
This led to the most important question of all: What material could be durable, light, sustainable, and still soft enough to diffuse light beautifully?
Tyvek – The Heart of the Tense Lamp
The answer came in the form of Tyvek, a non-woven material that behaves like a poetic blend of paper and fabric.
Tyvek offered everything the designers needed:
Because Tyvek is so light, the designers were able to suspend the lamp from just a single cable, which carries both the structure and the electricity—another detail that adds to its “floating cloud” illusion.
The result is a lamp that feels gentle yet strong, minimal yet expressive, simple yet innovative.
From Concept to Global Icon: The New Works Collaboration
The vision of Panter & Tourron reached a wider audience when the project teamed with the Danish design brand New Works, known for its craftsmanship and sculptural approach to contemporary interiors.
Under New Works, the Tense family grew beyond the original pendant lamp. Today, the collection includes:
Each variation carries the same DNA: lightness, softness, atmosphere, and the unmistakable beauty of Tyvek. The Tense Lamp has become not just a lighting fixture, but a symbol of modern living—flexible, poetic, and deeply connected to the story of the people who own it.
Tense is more than a light source; it’s a reflection of modern living—where simplicity, function, and atmosphere come together.
With its clean geometry and warm presence, the lamp adapts effortlessly to any space, enhancing daily moments with subtle elegance.
To explore the full story and discover Tense in detail, please visit the link below: Tense: the story of a lamp designed for contemporary living | DesignVille
