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Frank Buchwald’s Nixie Machines are mechanical clock designs built around glowing Nixie tubes. Designed and developed in Berlin, they combine precision-engineered metal constructions with a distinctive industrial aesthetic. Each machine is conceived as an independent design object, bringing together mechanical form, carefully selected materials and the characteristic glow of the Nixie tubes. The collection includes limited editions as well as individual designs, ranging from compact clocks to larger, sculptural constructions.
Limited edition of 12 models for MB&F M.A.D.GALLERY with 6 R|Z568M Nixie tubes produced by Dalibor Farny
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Limited edition of 12 models for MB&F M.A.D.GALLERY, length: 92cm, height: 42cm, burnished steel and brushed brass approx. 350 components
View More...Frank Buchwald’s Machine Lights are iconic handcrafted lamps that transcend fleeting design trends and popular fashion. Each Machine Light is a unique work of art, defined by uncompromising craftsmanship and a distinctive industrial aesthetic. Their authoritative presence and meticulous attention to detail place them among the timeless classics of sculptural lighting design. Unlike conventional lighting, Buchwald’s Machine Lights are not limited by function alone. Inspired by 20th-century industrial machine design, these exclusive designer lamps reinterpret the very essence of light and machinery. Rather than simply illuminating a space, each piece explores new dimensions of industrial design lighting, blending artistic vision with mechanical precision. Frank Buchwald’s Machine Lights are perfect for collectors, interior designers, and anyone seeking unique, statement-making lighting that combines the beauty of art with the innovation of modern engineering.
Frank Buchwald designs and builds custom Machine Lights and sculptural lighting pieces for private collectors, galleries, architects, and design professionals. Each bespoke creation is a fusion of industrial design, artistic vision, and mechanical precision — handcrafted to the highest standards. Whether adapting existing Machine Light models or developing entirely new concepts, Buchwald’s custom projects reflect his signature retro-futuristic aesthetic and dedication to craftsmanship. These one-of-a-kind lighting commissions range from standalone luminaires to complete lighting installations and collectible design objects.
Pendant Light, lighting on 3–4 levels. All lighting levels are individual switchable per wall operation panel.
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Burnished steel, brushed brass,
textile cable, flexible brass tubes.
Voltage 120V/230V.
"Working on the machine lights was for me a guarantor and a constantly new examination of something hidden that interweaves and shapes the sphere of the machine like a secret principle. ..."
Frank Buchwald
Designer and manufacturer of furniture, lighting, and objects.
Education: Studied design at the University of the Arts Berlin.
Painter and freelance illustrator.
Since 1998, running a studio in Berlin.
Designs furniture and lighting.
Since 2002: working on the "Machine Lights" series.
"For me, the idea of the machine lights developed over many years of dealing with the nature of modern technology, especially the mechanical artifacts of the industrial age. It is associated for me with the realization that an independent reality which withdraws itself from human access, exists behind the manifest appearances of mechanical objects and secretly determines the world of the machines. ...
A common mistake of our time is the belief that machines are solely products and artifacts of human planning, design, and manufacture. Working on the machine lights was for me a guarantor and a constantly new examination of something hidden that interweaves and shapes the sphere of the machine like a secret principle. ...
The attentive observer will have not failed to notice that the machine lights also live from source other than from the hand of man. Although I have worked for over ten years on the machine lights, I do not really regard them as my own work. They are beings with an own nature.
The individual models were not designed spontaneously in a moment of inspiration. It was rather a long groping for a hard to comprehend meaningful form. ... It took a long time until the moment was reached in which I could say that the designs were moving in the right direction. And it was a long path until first prototypes were ready about which I could say: yes, now it is right. ...
I have the feeling that the machine lights, the way they have now been made, come very close to what they portray. They have reached the right level of completeness and perfection. ..."
Each Frank Buchwald Machine Light is meticulously handcrafted in his Berlin studio, combining time-honored techniques with precision-engineered components. The process unites mechanical craftsmanship, industrial design, and artisanal metalwork to create sculptural lighting pieces of lasting quality. Materials such as stainless steel, solid brass, and hand-blown glass are carefully selected and assembled with uncompromising attention to detail. From custom screws to finely balanced arms, every element is made either in-house or in collaboration with trusted local workshops — with no part mass-produced.
"His work is a leap ahead in it’s sophistication and ability to ride that edge between art and sculpture and applied craft and function. His lamps, all handmade in Berlin, defy any logical business plan. Other than to make the best possible executions of his light visions possible…"
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The studio is located in the heart of Berlin-Kreuzberg, a district known for its vibrant creative culture and industrial heritage. From this workshop, each Machine Light is meticulously handcrafted with precision and care. For inquiries about available works, custom commissions, or design collaborations, please get in touch via email.
STUDIO
Boppstr.5
D-10967 Berlin/Kreuzberg
3.Hof, 3.OG (3rd backyard/3rd floor)
OFFICE
Schlossstr.61
D-14059 Berlin (Cha)
Germany
Phone: +49-(0)30 - 34 70 48 02
Fax: +49-(0)30 - 34 70 48 01
Mobile: +49-(0)178 - 627 31 95
info(at)frankbuchwald.com
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