A quiet presence
Light does more than illuminate a room. It shapes atmosphere, softens the edges of a space and draws our attention to the textures, materials and objects that surround us. Some lamps simply provide light. Others possess a presence of their own.
The AGOBAY Sugi lamp belongs to the latter. As its creator, French designer and craftsman Yann Antonucci, explains, “These lamps were born from a story of material before they became a story of light.” It is a philosophy rooted not in decoration, but in a lifelong relationship with wood.
Named after the Japanese word for cedar, the Sugi lamp is handcrafted from western red cedar, a material Yann has worked with for about three decades. The name reflects not only the wood itself, but also his admiration for the Japanese sensibility that regards the tree as a living presence worthy of respect. This philosophy naturally resonates with the history of western red cedar, long revered by the Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest as a tree of life and a symbol of protection, transmission and the enduring bond between humankind and nature.
“When a tree is worked with respect, it does not disappear. It begins a new existence.”
YANN ANTONUCCI, DESIGNER AND CRAFTSMAN
Yet something far more instinctive first drew Yann to the material: the experience of working with it. Long before he discovered these traditions, he had already formed a profound connection with the wood through its warmth, softness beneath the tool and unmistakable fragrance, which “accompanied every cut and every sanding – a deep, warm, resinous scent that evokes the ancient forests of the Pacific Northwest, where some of these trees have stood for centuries, even millennia.”
That same respect for the material is evident in every Sugi lamp. Rather than imposing a form upon the wood, Yann allows the grain, colour and natural character of the cedar to shape the finished piece. Each lamp remains unique, carrying forward the warmth, memory and individuality of the tree from which it came.
Standing 140cm tall beneath its gently proportioned shade, the Sugi lamp brings together sculptural simplicity and quiet functionality. Its warm glow is complemented by the rich tones of the cedar, while the distinctive fragrance of the wood subtly inhabits the room even before the light is switched on. As the years pass, the timber develops a natural patina, allowing each lamp to evolve gracefully alongside the spaces in which it lives.
Created in a strictly limited edition exclusively for AGOBAY, the Sugi lamp marks the next chapter in our growing furniture collection. More than a source of illumination, it is an object of enduring beauty, designed to accompany and enrich everyday life.
We invite you to discover the AGOBAY Sugi lamp at our showroom in Zurich or at AGOBAY Vitrine within OGATA Paris, where its quiet presence is best experienced in person.
