THE NEOTENIC COLLECTION
Original BTC and Buchanan Studio present five new handmade lights making mouth-blown glass the irresistible hero.
Playful. Curious. Naive. Childlike. Sweet. Endearing. Nostalgic. Curvaceous. Petite. Proportioned. Bulbous. Approachable. Pastel. Smooth. Glossy. Whimsical.
Step into the world of Neotenic.
THE CONCEPT
The name Neotenic reflects the character of the collection: soft, curvaceous and playfully proportioned. During a visit to O.BTC’s glassworks, Buchanan Studio drew inspiration from traditional craftsmanship and the possibilities of the making process, designing a distinctive bullnose-shaped glass shade. Three delicious colours — Strawberry, Chocolate and Vanilla — were chosen for their mesmerising swirls within the glass, ensuring the light itself becomes the magical ingredient in an interior. The collection launches with a table, floor, ceiling, wall and pendant light.
THE CRAFTSMANSHIP
Neo is shaped through heat, movement and instinct inside our glassworks. At the bench, our makers gather and hand-blow molten glass, building each shade from an opal base and layers of frit colour, from soft pinks to warm browns, before sealing it beneath clear glass. The distinctive marbled pattern is formed as the hot glass is stretched and rolled, introducing controlled unpredictability so no two pieces are ever the same. Each shade is then mould-blown, slowly annealed, and carefully finished and assembled into a completed light.
THE COLLABORATION
Shaped by a mutual commitment to making in England and a spirit of creative curiosity, the collection reflects the values shared by Original BTC and Buchanan Studio. “Watching Sam blow and manipulate the glass was incredible. The time, skill and artistry involved is astonishing,” says Angus Buchanan. “The collection is firmly aimed at design and crafts enthusiasts, people who care about how things are made, who design them, and who makes them,” adds Charlie Bowles, director of O.BTC.
