Bricks are great for a lot of things. Whether for building walls, smashing into an attacker’s face, or holding down that pile of paper in your desk, it can do the job like an absolute boss. Apparently, they’ll make for fine table lighting, too. At least, after you pair it with an accompanying LED just like the Brick Lamp does.
Designed by NYC-based outfit HCWD, it’s a custom-molded brick with one side holding a LED-based lighting element. Like any brick, you can use it as a paperweight to keep the hardcopies on your desk from flying around, except this one can be used to bring a little extra illumination to the same workspace.
Unlike most conventional lighting units, the Brick Lamp doesn’t come with switches or buttons. Instead, it uses an integrated sensor that turns the light on when the brick is stood by its sides (any of the four sides will work) and off when it’s laid with the face down. Sloping edges tilt the light at a downwards angle when the brick is stood, making it useful when reading or writing anything on a desk. It comes with an integrated 4,000 mAh battery that can power the panel LED for up to five hours in a single full charge.
Three versions of the lamp are available: one cast in concrete, another made from wood, and a last one cut in a solid anodized aluminum block. Dimensions are 19 x 13.5 x 4.2 cm, with varying weights depending on the material (650g for the wood, 900g for the concrete, and 1,500g for the aluminum).
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the Brick Lamp. Pledges to reserve a unit starts at $99.