Thursday Salute to Originals: Solar Powered Plant Lamps
These student-designed plant-based lamps are lit. Pun intended.
Inspired by artist Olafur Eliasson’s Little Sun project, six students from Tecnologico de Monterrey designed and created several lamps out materials that are easily found throughout Mexico’s rural area. The idea behind the students’ project is to make a more sustainable and affordable option for electricity to residents in Mexico. As of 2019, 1.8 million Mexico residents are living without electricity while millions of others only have limited access.
The artistic results of these lamps are incredible! The students’ common materials used include collagen, black beans, wicker, coconut bark, agave, and more. Not only are these materials sustainable and easily disposable once needing to be replaced, but they are also incredibly stylish! They have an almost-rustic charm that will add some flair to anyone’s residence.
The project leader, Moses Hernandez, shared a message during an interview with Dezeen. “With these new material ideas that came from different sites across Mexico, where the weather and context are so different, the students visualized new scenarios where these type of technological objects can be assembled and distributed to local people.”
Sources: Tecnologico de Monterrey, Studio Olafur Eliasson, Dezeen, This is Colossal