crafted from dual-tone solid oak, TUPI lamp by estudio gris resembles bird at rest — Graphics Design

ESTUDIO GRIS SHAPES SOLID OAK INTO A LAMP RECALLING A BIRD AT REST

TUPI is a table lamp by Estudio Gris, the Medellín-based studio led by Gustavo Rodríguez and Estefanía Agudelo. The piece starts from a single observation: the stillness of a bird at rest, that moment when it stops moving and simply watches. The body is turned from solid oak in a local workshop in Medellín, Colombia, and assembled by hand. Its tapered silhouette rises to a rounded head, where a darker wooden beak extends forward, and a small turned eye completes the figure. The beak works as the lamp’s shade: the light source sits beneath it, so the glow falls softly down the oak body instead of reaching the eye directly.

DUAL-TONE WOODS AND FLUSH DETAILS ILLUMINATE OAK GRAIN texture

When switched on, the grain of the wood becomes part of the light. The studio’s approach, which it calls introverted design, guides every decision. TUPI does not try to dominate a room. It sits on a desk, a bedside table or a shelf as a quiet presence, and reveals its character slowly, through the contrast of the two woods, the proportions of the head and the warmth of the light it casts. A switch is set flush into the base, and a beige fabric-covered cable completes a palette of natural materials. Each lamp is made to order, so small variations in grain and tone make every piece unique.

designed by Medellín-based Estudio Gris, the TUPI table lamp captures the quiet stillness of a bird at rest

the lamp’s body is turned from solid oak inside a local workshop in Medellín, Colombia

each piece is assembled by hand, highlighting artisanal craftsmanship and natural material qualities

a beige fabric-covered cable complements the natural palette of the solid timber structure

a darker wooden beak extends outward to act as both a focal detail and a functional shade

the light source sits concealed beneath the dark wooden beak to prevent direct glare

tupi-table-lamp-estudio-gris-wood-bird-designboom-1800-2

the lamp sits comfortably on desks, bedside tables, or shelves as a quiet decorative element

contrasting light and dark wood species highlight the lamp’s sculpted proportions

warm ambient light projects downward, emphasizing the tactile qualities of solid oak

project info:

name: TUPI Table Lamp
designer: Estudio Gris | @estudiogris_

lead designers: Gustavo Rodríguez, Estefanía Agudelo

photographer: Simón Restrepo

materials: solid oak body, contrasting wood beak and eye

dimensions: 25 × 15 × 15 cm

weight: 1 kg

light: warm light

cable: beige fabric-covered cable, 100 cm

production: handmade in Medellín, Colombia, made to order

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. See more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: Christina Vergopoulou | designboom