Respiro is a collection of metallic luminaires with soft plastic diffusers that explore how objects can become alive—attuned to our rhythms, breathing with us.

Inspired by the breath—its cycles, its slowness, its presence—each lamp softly inhales and exhales light, mimicking the tempo of a living body. These pieces invite us to slow down, to notice, and to inhabit space with more intention.

More than just lighting, Respiro is an exploration of intimacy, temporality, and the quiet emotional power of everyday objects. It seeks to blur the line between object and organism, questioning where function ends and affect begins. Each piece becomes a subtle companion—an extension of the body, pulsing gently with time.

This project reflects a broader desire to design with care—for materials, for energy, for attention. The lamps are made from humble components: metal structures paired with lightweight, translucent plastic diffusers. They are crafted through intuitive prototyping and material experimentation, allowing imperfection and adaptation to shape the final form.

In Respiro, light becomes breath, and the object becomes presence. It asks: what happens when we give time and sensitivity to the things that surround us? When we design not just for use, but for relationship?

Developed as my MFA graduation project at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Respiro was shaped through drawing, material studies, electronics, and many slow hours of testing and making. The result is not just a product—it is a living rhythm, a small architecture of care.