Bronze Jewelry Design · 2026
Forme Truss Hoops
- A' Design Award 2026 Bronze Winner in Jewelry Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- CLIENT: Harsha Ambady
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 9,824
- Verification code 383B238C98 · Verify this award
About Forme Truss Hoops
Forme is a pair of hoop earrings inspired by the frameworks and textures of industrial architecture. The design is built from a simple metal framework that gives each hoop its volume, structure and form. The base metal is brass with 18k gold plating, and every piece is handcrafted. The total dimensions are 31 by 33 by 7 millimetres. The design was sketched and drafted digitally, and a technical sheet was prepared for sampling and production. Careful study of the framework and the metal thickness makes the hoops strong and durable.
Harsha Ambady's Forme Truss Hoops engage the enduring dialogue between architecture and adornment, translating the structural logic of engineering into intimate personal ornament that rests at the intersection of sculpture, jewelry, and spatial design, the work demonstrates sophisticated understanding of how geometric frameworks can be liberated from their utilitarian origins and reimagined as vehicles for aesthetic contemplation, each earring functions as a miniature study in structural efficiency, employing the truss principle wherein triangulated members distribute forces along linear paths to create maximum strength with minimum material, yet here that engineering rationality serves purely expressive ends, celebrating the inherent beauty of geometric relationships and the visual poetry of intersecting lines in three-dimensional space, the decision to present two material iterations within a single compositional field invites direct comparison and enriches interpretation, the warm golden version suggests historical continuity with jewelry-making traditions extending back millennia, evoking the sun-like radiance that has made gold the preeminent precious metal across cultures and epochs, while the cool silvery alternative engages contemporary material sensibilities and the aesthetic of industrial modernity, together they propose that fundamental form transcends specific material instantiation, that the geometric idea remains constant even as surface phenomena shift, the lattice construction creates a fascinating perceptual ambiguity between substance and void, solid and空, allowing light to penetrate the form and creating ever-changing patterns of illumination and shadow as the wearer moves through space and time, this openness also dramatically reduces mass while maintaining volumetric presence, an elegant solution to the challenge of creating substantial visual impact without the weight that would render such large-scale earrings unwearable, the triangular or trapezoidal overall silhouette may reference the sacred geometry found in diverse spiritual traditions, the deltoid form appearing in everything from alchemical diagrams to Hindu yantras to Gothic rose windows, suggesting aspiration, dynamic balance, and the reconciliation of dualities, the precision evident in every angle and intersection speaks to meticulous craftsmanship and the designer's commitment to formal perfection, each strut meeting its neighbor at exactly calculated points, each curve flowing with mathematical smoothness, this technical excellence elevates the work beyond mere novelty into the realm of serious design achievement worthy of institutional recognition, the shadows cast by the earrings become integral to their visual effect, transforming the static photographic document into a meditation on light as medium, on how three-dimensional form manifests differently under varying illumination conditions, on the temporal dimension inherent in all objects that exist in real space rather than conceptual abstraction, viewers might contemplate how these pieces would animate in actual use, how they would catch afternoon sunlight or candlelight, how their geometry would shift with head movement, how they would feel against skin, how their substantial presence would alter the wearer's self-perception and project identity into social space, what possibilities emerge when structural principles migrate from the built environment to the adorned body, when engineering aesthetics inform personal expression?
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The Forme collection is inspired by the textures and industrial structures used in Architecture. This particular design focuses on the framework used in building a form.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Total dimension: 31mm x 33mm x 7mm
- Tags
- jewelry design, geometry, minimalism, architecture, modern, industrial design, framework
- Production Technology
- The base metal is brass with 18k gold plating. The design was sketched and drafted on CorelDraw. After creating the technical sheet, it was sent to the factory for 3D making and sampling.
- Design Challenge
- The challenge was to come up with the right framework, metal thickness and structure so as to make the hoop strong and durable.
- Project Duration
- 2025
Thrissur, Kerala, India - Operation Flow
- Metal framework used to give the hoop it's form and structure. Handcrafted in Brass with 18k Gold plating.
- Research
- The hoop is from the Forme collection, which is the third collection for my Jewelry brand under the label Harsha Ambady. As for this collection, I wanted to come up with textures/forms/structures used in Architecture. So that is the direction my research went to. I have an inclination towards frameworks and structures and hence this design was born.
- Inspiration
- As a Designer and Architect, I have always had an inclination towards geometry and modern forms. This collection is inspired by the structures and textures used in industrial architecture. The collection showcases four different textures and forms. This particular design is created using simple framework of metal.
- Image Credits
- Self
- Patents
- Self
Colors of Forme Truss Hoops
Grand Interview about Forme Truss Hoops
The initial spark came while observing the repetitive rhythm of truss frameworks in an architectural context. What struck me was not only their efficiency but also their inherent aesthetic quality. The triangulated patterns created a sense of order, movement, and lightness that felt surprisingly sculptural. I began wondering what would happen if that language could be removed from its conventional scale and context and translated into something intimate and wearable. The moment I first saw the finished piece in gold was particularly meaningful because it revealed qualities that weren't fully apparent in the drawings or digital models. The metal softened the industrial reference while simultaneously highlighting the precision of the geometry. Light moved through the open framework, creating depth and shadow in a way that reinforced the architectural origins of the design. On a personal level, the project represented a convergence of two disciplines that have shaped my creative thinking. Architecture has always taught me to value structure, proportion, and spatial relationships, while jewelry offered an opportunity to explore those ideas at a human scale
Architectural jewelry need not be everyone's cup of tea. But I do feel this niche has great potential. It simply shows that design in universal. My architectural background fundamentally changed the way I approach jewelry because I don't begin with decoration—I begin with structure. In architecture, every line, connection, and proportion has a purpose. You're constantly thinking about how forces move through a system, how components relate to one another, and how form emerges from underlying logic. When I designed the Forme Truss Hoops, I brought that same mindset into a much smaller scale.What interested me was the possibility of translating architectural principles rather than simply architectural imagery. The goal wasn't to make earrings that looked like miniature buildings, but a simpler version that brings in balance between strength and lightness, complexity and clarity.
The Forme Truss Hoops seem to participate in a larger shift in contemporary jewelry: moving beyond the traditional sources of inspiration—nature, preciousness, and historical ornament—and drawing from the visual language of infrastructure, engineering, and the built environment. That shift is culturally significant because it reframes adornment not as something separate from the systems that shape modern life, but as something that can actively engage with them.Industrial design and jewelry have historically occupied different cultural spaces. Industrial design is often associated with function, efficiency, structural logic, and mass production, while jewelry is associated with symbolism, intimacy, identity, and emotion. A design such as the Forme Truss Hoops creates an interesting bridge between those worlds.
The balance between boldness and restraint was one of the central ambitions of the Forme Truss Hoops from the very beginning. The truss-inspired geometry naturally lends itself to this tension. Structurally, a truss is highly expressive. At the same time, it is fundamentally an exercise in efficiency. That combination allowed the Forme Truss Hoops to feel distinctive without becoming overwhelming. I also believe the design reflects changing attitudes toward luxury and self-expression. Today's collectors often seek versatility. They want pieces that can move between different contexts and become part of everyday life rather than being reserved for special occasions. A design that is too understated risks disappearing, while one that is too assertive can become limiting. The challenge is to create something memorable that remains wearable, and I think the balance between boldness and restraint allows the Forme Truss Hoops to occupy that space.
One of the most significant challenges in developing the Forme Truss Hoops was reconciling two seemingly contradictory objectives: preserving the visual lightness and openness of a truss structure while ensuring the piece possessed the durability required for everyday wear. In architecture, a truss derives its strength from the relationship between its members and the distribution of forces across the entire framework. Translating that principle into jewelry required a very different scale of thinking, where fractions of a millimeter could dramatically affect both appearance and performance.
The journey of the Forme Truss Hoops from initial concept to finished piece was very much a process of translation across different mediums, scales, and ways of thinking. What began as a relatively simple idea in vector design software gradually evolved through a series of technical and material conversations, each stage revealing opportunities and constraints that were impossible to fully anticipate at the outset.
The Forme Truss Hoops marked an important moment in the evolution of the brand because they helped clarify something that had been developing across the earlier collections: a desire to explore jewelry through the lens of architecture, structure, and spatial thinking rather than through purely decorative approaches. While each collection has contributed to that direction in different ways, the Forme Truss Hoops felt like a particularly clear articulation of the design language I want to continue developing.
One aspect of the Forme Truss Hoops that I feel has not received as much attention as the architectural inspiration or the award recognition is the role of observation in the project. At its core, the piece is really about learning to see differently.
The decision to use the name Forme was very intentional because it encapsulates a belief that has increasingly guided my work: that form itself can carry meaning. In many design traditions, form is often treated as a vessel for decoration, symbolism, or material value. My interest lies in exploring the possibility that form can be the message—that proportion, structure, geometry, and spatial relationships can communicate ideas and emotions with the same depth as ornamentation.
The translation from architectural truss to jewelry was never about reproducing a structure in miniature. It was about identifying the underlying principles that give a truss its character and then determining which of those principles could survive a change in scale, material, and purpose. That distinction became very important throughout the development of the Forme Truss Hoops.