In contemporary lighting, technology is often concealed, hidden behind frosted diffusers, buried in housings, or tucked into recesses where its presence is merely utilitarian. The Printed Circuit sconce by American designer August Ostrow turns this convention inside-out. Instead of disguising the mechanics of illumination, the sconce makes electronics themselves the aesthetic centerpiece, revealing the beauty of a material more frequently associated with industrial devices than interior design.

At the core of the sconce is a flexible polyimide printed circuit board, a material prized in the electronics industry for its thermal stability, durability, and ability to bend without losing structural integrity. Commonly found within consumer devices, aerospace components, and advanced industrial systems, polyimide typically remains unseen, functioning behind the scenes as a backbone for electrical pathways. Ostrow repositions this substrate as both shade and light source, allowing the circuitry to take on a sculptural presence within the room.

Designer: August Ostrow

The traces, copper routes, and tactile surface details that usually operate invisibly now become the primary graphic language of the design. When illuminated, these pathways glow softly, revealing an intricate network that is part engineering diagram, part textile-like pattern. The sconce becomes a luminous map of its own function, offering viewers a rare opportunity to see the inner logic of circuitry elevated to decorative status.

This approach aligns with Ostrow’s broader practice of material exploration, challenging expectations of what electronic components can be when removed from their typical contexts. By bending the polyimide board into a gentle arc, the designer leverages its natural flexibility, allowing it to act simultaneously as a structural element, a diffuser, and a carrier for the embedded LEDs. The armature that supports the sconce performs dual duty as well: it physically holds the piece in place while also serving as the conduit for its DC power connection. The result is a clean, integrated assembly where function and form are inseparable.

The Printed Circuit sconce also speaks to a growing movement in industrial and lighting design where designers intentionally expose mechanisms, celebrate raw materials, and reveal inner workings rather than hiding them. The aesthetic of the PCB, once considered too technical or visually chaotic for interior surfaces, is reinterpreted here as refined, graphic, and unexpectedly elegant. The glow of the light accentuates the fine geometries etched into the board, producing an effect that is both futuristic and tactile.

Beyond its visual appeal, the sconce raises interesting questions about the relationship between technology and ornamentation. What does it mean when circuitry, traditionally understood as purely functional infrastructure, becomes decorative? How do our perceptions shift when we encounter electronic materials not as hidden hardware but as expressive, crafted surfaces? The Printed Circuit sconce offers a compelling answer: electronics, when thoughtfully framed, possess a structural and aesthetic richness worthy of display. In celebrating the circuitry rather than concealing it, the design offers a refreshing perspective, one that suggests beauty does not need to be added to technology; sometimes it only needs to be revealed.

The post This Printed-Circuit Sconce Turns Exposed Electronics Into Functional Sculpture first appeared on Yanko Design.

In the arid heart of Phoenix, Arizona, a once hardworking horse barn has been quietly reborn, a poetic fusion of history and modern design. Reimagined by The Construction Zone, this 750-square-foot guest house is an ode to restraint, light, and material honesty. What was once utilitarian now breathes as a serene desert retreat, proof that thoughtful design can honor the past while creating something entirely new.

Approached through a winding path from the main residence, the guest house emerges as a sculptural volume nestled within the landscape. The journey itself is part of the experience, a slow reveal that ends in an outdoor gathering space defined by a bocce court, a jacuzzi, and native desert flora. The scene feels effortless, yet deeply intentional: a study in proportion, texture, and place.

Designer: The Construction Zone

The architectural language is quiet but confident. A flat roof stretches outward, forming generous overhangs that temper the desert sun while framing long horizontal lines against the open sky. Beneath it, warm Douglas fir eaves run continuously from exterior to interior, creating a seamless ribbon of wood that guides the eye and softens the transition between architecture and nature. It’s this gesture, simple, fluid, and tactile, that anchors the design.

Inside, restraint becomes luxury. The layout is compact, yet feels expansive thanks to full-height, north-facing glass that floods the space with soft desert light. The open plan connects a pared-down kitchen, living area, bedroom, and bath, each space flowing into the next with a quiet rhythm. The material palette is kept minimal: concrete, timber, steel, and glass. Every surface feels deliberate, every junction crisp.

The kitchen exemplifies functional minimalism, sleek cabinetry, essential appliances, and a slender bar table that serves as both dining spot and workspace. Just beyond, the lounge invites stillness: low seating, framed views, and the golden tones of late afternoon light bouncing off concrete and wood.

In the bedroom, a poured concrete wall doubles as the headboard, introducing a sculptural gravitas that contrasts beautifully with the surrounding warmth of timber. The tonal palette, gray, muted red, and honey wood, evokes the desert’s chromatic subtleties, balancing cool industrial precision with natural intimacy.

The bathroom continues this narrative of quiet refinement. Matte gray tiles, a matching concrete vanity, and precise wood detailing keep the mood grounded yet elevated, minimalist, not sterile.

Outside, the transformation feels almost cinematic. The barnyard’s past life lingers only in memory; its present is one of calm sophistication. The bocce court stretches into the horizon, the jacuzzi glimmers under a desert sky, and a curated garden of cacti and succulents completes the sense of place.

This is not just a renovation, it’s an act of design empathy. The Construction Zone has created a dialogue between heritage and modernity, between shelter and openness. By retaining the barn’s essence and reinterpreting its form through contemporary sensibilities, the architects have crafted a living sculpture, one that celebrates the desert not as backdrop, but as collaborator.

What began as a working horse barn now stands as a refined retreat, an architectural meditation on light, texture, and history. By preserving the structure’s spirit and introducing a language of calm modernity, The Construction Zone has definitely created a guest house, but also a living dialogue between past and present, between the rugged desert and the comforts of modern design.

The post The Construction Zone Transforms A Horse Barn Into A Guest House In Phoenix, Arizona first appeared on Yanko Design.