Marrying function and artistry, this five-metre bespoke pendant was designed by Nightworks Studio as a centrepiece for a dramatic double-height space within a sculptural blackened steel stair.
The house, located on the estuary in Christchurch, was designed by Matt Wilkie of W2 Architects, who came across Nightworks Studio after a piece of theirs was used in another project.
“I loved the fact that they are locals making beautiful pieces here in Christchurch. I took the team and we went down and had a look at their work and got quite excited about the possibilities. We were looking for something to fill the whole space; we wanted to be able to customise something specifically for it. It was a great process and the result is absolutely stunning. The house is in neutral tones as the owners have a wonderful art collection. The pendant sits against the blackened steel stair so we worked with Nightworks to create a specific bronze finish for the rods. The rest of the house has a Cerano plaster finish to it, which is captured in the sandstone elements of the pendant. The shapes are beautiful — it’s a beautiful thing.”
Entirely handmade, the pendant was crafted from Ōamaru stone, mouth-blown globes and Nightworks’ signature Midnight Brass rods. “The materials are thoughtfully arranged to create a striking visual narrative, with the globes and stone pieces effortlessly connected by the hand-patinated brass rods,” Nightworks Studio’s co-founder and lead designer Ben Wahrlich says.
“The pendant’s presence is further elevated by its placement within the blackened steel stair, which was designed by W2 Architects and fabricated by Hall Fabrication. The staircase, with its 6mm thick steel construction and matching Midnight Brass patina, forms a cohesive and captivating interplay with the pendant, marrying function and artistry in a truly unique way.”
The result is a space that beautifully balances contrasts — soft and hard, light and dark, solid and porous — blending steel, stone, and glass into a harmonious whole. “It’s a space that not only reflects the passion of our clients who are avid art collectors but also the meticulous attention to detail and dedication of everyone involved in bringing this vision to life,” Ben explains.
Code is a system of modular lighting components, arranged in a multitude of ways to create a range of different linear designs, inspired by the dots and dashes of Morse code. The code system is also completely customisable and scalable, allowing for entirely bespoke applications such as this captivating five-metre piece.
