ENG I TH
Mulberry tree bark
The branches of the mulberry shrubs are harvested in the autumn, and the innermost layer of bark (white bark) is stripped from the timber and boiled in a mixture of water and soda ash. The strips are then beaten by hand until they have been well separated.
The diffuser is formed by hand sewing each of the prepared clusters of fiber to a cotton grid, which has been fastened to the base structure.
The colour of the material is a soft white that yellows a little with age. To clean diffusers in this material, we recommend that they be dusted or lightly vacuumed.
Mulberry tree bark
The branches of the mulberry shrubs are harvested in the autumn, and the innermost layer of bark (white bark) is stripped from the timber and boiled in a mixture of water and soda ash. The strips are then beaten by hand until they have been well separated.
The diffuser is formed by hand sewing each of the prepared clusters of fiber to a cotton grid, which has been fastened to the base structure.
The colour of the material is a soft white that yellows a little with age. To clean diffusers in this material, we recommend that they be dusted or lightly vacuumed.
Mulberry tree bark
The branches of the mulberry shrubs are harvested in the autumn, and the innermost layer of bark (white bark) is stripped from the timber and boiled in a mixture of water and soda ash. The strips are then beaten by hand until they have been well separated.
The diffuser is formed by hand sewing each of the prepared clusters of fiber to a cotton grid, which has been fastened to the base structure.
The colour of the material is a soft white that yellows a little with age. To clean diffusers in this material, we recommend that they be dusted or lightly vacuumed.
Mulberry tree bark
The branches of the mulberry shrubs are harvested in the autumn, and the innermost layer of bark (white bark) is stripped from the timber and boiled in a mixture of water and soda ash. The strips are then beaten by hand until they have been well separated.
The diffuser is formed by hand sewing each of the prepared clusters of fiber to a cotton grid, which has been fastened to the base structure.
The colour of the material is a soft white that yellows a little with age. To clean diffusers in this material, we recommend that they be dusted or lightly vacuumed.
Mulberry tree bark
The branches of the mulberry shrubs are harvested in the autumn, and the innermost layer of bark (white bark) is stripped from the timber and boiled in a mixture of water and soda ash. The strips are then beaten by hand until they have been well separated.
The diffuser is formed by hand sewing each of the prepared clusters of fiber to a cotton grid, which has been fastened to the base structure.
The colour of the material is a soft white that yellows a little with age. To clean diffusers in this material, we recommend that they be dusted or lightly vacuumed.
Ango Story
Eight Thousand Miles of Home
Angus Hutcheson's Installation for the Museum of Arts and Design, New York
A sculptural lighting installation by Angus Hutcheson and Ango, created for the Dead or Alive exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), New York, in 2012.
Some materials are admired for their rarity. Others for their permanence. The silk cocoon is neither.
Fragile, weightless and quietly ephemeral, it exists for only a brief moment within a much larger natural cycle. Yet for Angus Hutcheson, British architect and Founder & Chief Designer of Ango, it became the beginning of an entirely new way of thinking about light.
In 2012, the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in New York presented Dead or Alive, an exhibition bringing together artists and designers from around the world who transformed once-living materials into contemporary works of art. Among the selected works was Eight Thousand Miles of Home, a monumental lighting installation conceived by Angus Hutcheson and handcrafted in Thailand by Ango's specialist artisans.
Created from approximately 12,000 individually selected natural silk cocoons, the installation revealed the remarkable ability of this humble material to diffuse light with exceptional softness and depth. More than an exhibition piece, it marked an important chapter in Ango's continuing exploration of Sculptural Handcrafted Lighting, Material Innovation, and the relationship between architecture, craftsmanship, and light.
The Story Behind Eight Thousand Miles
Each silk cocoon contains approximately two-thirds of a mile of continuous silk filament. Across the installation's 12,000 individually selected cocoons, this amounts to almost eight thousand miles of natural fibre, inspiring the name of the work.
Its sculptural form traces one half of a figure eight, echoing the repeated movement of the silkworm as it spins its cocoon. What begins as a quiet observation of nature becomes an architectural gesture, transforming thousands of delicate organic forms into a suspended landscape of light.
Rather than imitating nature, the installation reveals the extraordinary intelligence already contained within it.
Silk Cocoon: A Material of Light
For Angus Hutcheson, the discovery of silk cocoon was never simply about finding an unusual material. It was about discovering a new way for light to behave.
Unlike conventional diffusers, the cocoon gently scatters light through countless natural fibres, producing an atmosphere that feels soft, luminous, and almost weightless.
Reflecting on that discovery, Hutcheson recalls:
“As soon as I first saw the silk cocoon, I knew it had great potential as a diffuser of light, and we could create designs with an iridescent ‘atomised’ quality from it.”
That moment of discovery became the foundation for Ango's continuing exploration of natural materials and Material Innovation. The exceptional light-diffusing qualities first explored in Eight Thousand Miles of Home continue to inform Ango's handcrafted lighting for luxury residences, hospitality projects, cultural institutions, and bespoke architectural commissions around the world.
Beyond the Exhibition
Although created for a museum exhibition, the ideas explored in Eight Thousand Miles of Home continue to shape Ango's work today.
The installation became an early expression of what Angus Hutcheson now describes as Sculptural Handcrafted Lighting — an approach that dissolves the boundaries between lighting, sculpture, architecture, and craft.
Its influence can be seen throughout Ango's later collections, including Chrysalis Sky, Paradise, Triple Orbit, Orbette, Jewel One, and the Transcendence Series, where natural materials, handcrafted techniques, and the emotional qualities of light remain central to the design process.
Today, these same principles continue to shape Ango's bespoke lighting projects for luxury residences, hospitality environments, cultural institutions, and architectural commissions worldwide.
Materials and Technical Information
Project: Eight Thousand Miles of Home
Designer: Angus Hutcheson
Studio & Brand: Ango
Exhibition: Dead or Alive
Venue: Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), New York
Year: 2012
Materials
-
Natural silk cocoon
-
Hand-finished stainless-steel structure
-
LED light source
Manufactured in
Bangkok, Thailand
Continue Exploring
Eight Thousand Miles of Home represents an important chapter in Angus Hutcheson's continuing exploration of light, material, and craftsmanship.
Continue exploring the ideas behind this project through:
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Eight Thousand Miles of Home?
A sculptural lighting installation created by Angus Hutcheson for the Dead or Alive exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), New York, in 2012.
2. Why is it called Eight Thousand Miles of Home?
The installation contains approximately 12,000 natural silk cocoons, representing almost 8,000 miles of natural silk filament.
3. Why did Angus Hutcheson choose silk cocoon as a lighting material?
Silk cocoon naturally diffuses light with exceptional softness and depth. Its unique luminous qualities inspired Angus Hutcheson to develop a new approach to Sculptural Handcrafted Lighting and continue Ango's research into Material Innovation.
4. How did Eight Thousand Miles of Home influence Ango's later collections?
The installation marked an important stage in Angus Hutcheson's exploration of Sculptural Handcrafted Lighting. Ideas first explored through silk cocoon, material innovation, and handcrafted construction continue to evolve in collections including Chrysalis Sky, Paradise, Triple Orbit, Orbette, Jewel One, and the Transcendence Series.
5. What is Techno Craft?
Techno Craft is Angus Hutcheson's design philosophy that combines advanced technology with traditional Thai craftsmanship to create innovative, sustainable, and human-centred lighting.
6. Where was Eight Thousand Miles of Home exhibited?
The installation was presented at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), New York, as part of the internationally acclaimed Dead or Alive exhibition.