Light and faith have long been intertwined symbols of life, our circadian rhythms tethered to the sunlight that greets us each day. Across cultures and centuries, light has signified purity, warmth, revelation, and at times an almost blinding transcendence – qualities drawn from the very star that holds our solar system together. It’s no surprise, then, that those regarded as divine on earth – prophets, saints, and other sacred figures – have so often been depicted with halos, visual echoes of celestial bodies that suggest clarity, reverence, and otherworldliness. With the Nimbus Vase, designer Ben Peng turns that symbolism toward nature itself, positioning the organic world as both guiding force and quiet source of the sacred.
As designers, we carry a responsibility to create with intention. It’s no longer enough to simply stamp a recycled label onto plastic objects – consumers and buyers alike have become far more literate in material innovation, sustainability, and the narratives embedded within the things they bring into their homes. In turn, designers are tasked not only with making, but with educating and inspiring through form itself.
Here, Ben Peng reinterprets familiar iconography through a sculptural lens: a vessel carved from the silhouette of a halo, its metallic ring extending gently behind the form to frame whatever it holds. Whether supporting an elaborate arrangement or a single stem, the piece transforms flowers into something quietly reverential.
Simplicity in form is quite difficult to maintain. The slight curvature of the back not only centers the weight of the piece, minimizing floral accidents, but the satin finish picks up quite a bit of light, throwing soft reflections onto the blooms.
Adaptable as a wall-mounted item or a centerpiece for the table, anywhere that could use the freshness of a bouquet now can. A small range of organic colors let the hues in the flowers shine, and the simplistic circular geometry complements any existing office, home, or event space.
Ben Peng is a Melbourne-based designer, dedicated to the detailed process of design where we can beautify and enrich our lives. As many focus on the finished product (which is important), he understands that the multitude of decisions that happen before the final is even conceived that are the true marks of progress.
To learn more about the Nimbus Vase by Ben Peng, visit journey.benjaminpeng.com.
Photography courtesy of Ben Peng.
