Hello,

Please read below about my approach to design and sustainability.

I would appreciate your support in spreading the word about Yoca. You could share this website or engage with the design process I share on social media platforms. I hope the lamps and reliefs I sculpt will illuminate your home with good energy during the day and night.

Close up of Mask 1, a light brown relief wall sculpture

Sculpting

My sculptures are inspired by my identity and architectural background. I sculpt relief wall sculptures and lamps.

Reliefs are sculptures with a flat surface. Because of their flat surface, these artworks can be displayed as wall sculptures. The theme of my reliefs focuses on my identity through scale and form.

The reliefs and lamps are intertwined. Often, I would design and sculpt a relief which would later inform the creation of a lampshade. Like the reliefs, the lamps are sculptures.

Two photographs of ora table lamp positioned on a wooden desk with light on and off

Day and Night

I believe that light fixtures should shine day and night. At night, my table lamps illuminate. During the day, the lamps are sculptures, floating in space.

Regardless of the time of day, my lamps will become a statement piece in your home.

3D printing Ora sculptural sustainable lampshade

Sustainability

Sustainability is a fundamental part of my practice and approach to design. All sculptures are made in-house on demand. This reduces waste significantly.

The lampshades are produced from recycled bioplastic made from corn starch. This bioplastic material is made from renewable resources which use 65% less energy than other virgin materials.

The reliefs are made from plaster sourced locally in England. In traditional sculpting, the material is chiselled and carved. This leftover material often ends up in landfills. The reliefs I sculpt are made from hand-cast plaster using specific measurements. This means that material is added as necessary rather than removed. This considered sculpting approach produces minimal waste.

In addition to using sustainable materials, I use 3D printing to craft more sustainable lamps. In 3D printing, layers of cornstarch are seamlessly built on top of each other to form the lampshades. This technology avoids material spills that typically occur in industrial processes.

Making

Yoca uses both traditional and contemporary fabrication techniques. I learn from the past and celebrate the future. This synergy enables me to create new designs that celebrate our world and the unique individuals that inhabit it.

I make the sculptures in-house in London, UK, ensuring that every piece receives the attention and care it deserves. Because I adhere to my sustainable practice and because I make the sculptures on demand, I produce minimal waste.

Table show experimental reliefs and research by students at the architectural association

Research

I am a senior lecturer at the Architectural Association School of Architecture and Kingston School of Art. In academia, my research focuses on new fabrication techniques and materials that enable unique and sustainable designs.

At the Architectural Association and at Kingston I teach students how to sculpt reliefs. We are inspired by the Japanese landscape architect, Isamu Noguchi and the Zero Art Movement in particular.

Portrait of Yoav Caspi, founder and director of Yoca Design

Founder

Yoav Caspi is the founder of Yoca Design. Yoav is a sculptor, an architect and a senior lecturer. Architectural practice has shaped Yoav's design language.

Do you have any questions about my studio? Please refer to FAQs page or contact me at hello@yocadesign.co.uk.