Lamps that branch out like a plant, glasswork that that illuminates without electricity, glowing lines in the space: the fantastic, luminous world of Aptum is born from the collaboration and chemistry between Tineke Beunders and Nathan Wierink.
Tineke — conceptual thinker, dream weaver, inspirer — begins each new idea by creating meticulous sketches and finely crafted, delicate models, often ignoring practical or production-related limitations.
Then Nathan — whizzkid, inventor, analyst — steps in, working in a workshop that feels more like a laboratory. After material testing and technical experiments, he reappears, and the challenging obstacles have been overcome.
Throughout the design process, each project moves back and forth between them, with each bringing their own vision and expertise to the table. Poetry and technology flow together, function and aesthetics strengthen one another, and fantasy and precision unite.
It has been like this since their student days at the Design Academy Eindhoven. Even before they both graduated cum laude in 2008, they had already formed a partnership. Their mission: to add wonder, excitement, and a touch of magic to the world.
APTUM means adaptable, and that is at the core of the lighting designs. Every new space and every client brings unique demands and frameworks. Tineke and Nathan adjust their designs accordingly, so that their installations continually evolve and take on an expression that is perfectly tailored to the specific setting: colorful or minimalistic, chaotic or geometric, small or large.
Every day, we work with great joy alongside our small but highly skilled team. Our compact team allows room for quick unexpected changes, resulting from new ideas, innovation, and dreams.
For larger projects, we rely on a broad network of freelancers, each with their own expertise. Additionally, we collaborate closely with our partners, producers, and suppliers, with whom we have built strong relationships over the years. Together, we dare to experiment, making each collaboration not only productive but also inspiring.
Twice a year, we also welcome two interns from art or design programs.
Aptum works for private clients, enthusiasts and collectors, interior designers and architects, art directors and experts from other fields. With attention to detail, we guide the entire process, from concept to realization: from designing and crafting custom lighting to carefully installing light creations in endless configurations, suited to residential, hospitality, and commercial spaces.
Aptum consciously seeks dialogue with professionals from a wide range of creative disciplines. In these collaborations, we challenge each other to push beyond the boundaries of our own fields. By experimenting, refining, and redefining, we allow creativity to flow. The goal is to spark imagination, with surprise as the ultimate outcome.
We have collaborated with patisserie Pinkie, jewelry brand The Boyscouts, animation studio Postnew, and graphic artist Marije Vermeulen, among others. See the APTUM X collection here.
Aptum designs in different ways.
The autonomous work from the CUSTOM COLLECTION includes adaptable lighting systems like Light Forest and Contour. Each new lighting design from this collection is tailor-made, adapted to the specific space and the client’s wishes. On the project page, you can see many diverse variations of the same lighting system. We are currently working on the third lighting system, which will explore new forms of light, balance, and reflection.
The BASIC COLLECTION, often based on the custom collection, offers compact and powerful lighting: unique fixtures that fit anywhere without the need for a custom design process.
For specific needs and personal projects, we work ON COMMISSION for clients who seek a lighting installation, design, or artwork that fully aligns with their vision. In these cases, we draw on our expertise in lighting, our poetic understanding of materials and color, and our extensive network. The commissions range from large-scale installations in public spaces to temporary dreamlike light experiences or a series of functional, practical fixtures.
Aptum is based in Eindhoven, in ‘De Peelcentrale’, a monumental building from 1912 located on the creative NRE terrain in the heart of the city. It was once the city’s first power plant and was saved from demolition only a few years ago. Tineke and Nathan are restoring the building step by step, bringing it back to its original state, where it now serves as a design studio, workshop, showroom, exhibition space, and home.
Eindhoven, known as the City of Light and located in the world’s smartest region, is home to companies like ASML, Philips, and VDL, as well as the High Tech Campus. Each year in October, the Dutch Design Week, the largest design event in Northern Europe, also takes place here. All in all, it’s an inspiring place to work and visit.
For many years, Tineke and Nathan worked together under the name Ontwerpduo. They created products for various accessory, lighting, and furniture brands, while simultaneously designing their own autonomous collections. Ontwerpduo grew into an established name within Dutch Design. During this period, they developed a deep passion for lighting and gained extensive experience in designing, producing and installing their work worldwide.
Their burning desire to fully focus on lighting and to specialize in this field became a reality with the founding of APTUM in October 2019.
Schiphol
Heineken
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Glow Eindhoven
Concrete
SAP
We Work
Sony – Playstation
Slotervaart Amsterdam
Municipality of Eindhoven
Dutch Embassy Berlin
Lande Family
Vij5
Davidoff
The Invisible Partly
Big Brands
Rublek
Kragt
Graef
UVA
Urby
White Rabbit
Goevaers
Lensvelt
Marcel Wanders
Friday Next
DDock
Ace & Tate
Stad en Esch
Interested in a collaboration? E-mail or call our studio, or Tineke!
info@aptumlighting.com
+31402204500
tineke@aptumlighting.com
+31614306524
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