It is amazing to see how designers these days are creating innovative products by using sustainable materials. Recently, French designers Cordélia Faure & Dorian Etienne of ENSCI Les Ateliers has created Nuclée lamp from discarded banana fibre. The lamp is designed using banana flesh which is usually discarded as a waste material during the extraction process. The designers conceptualized and produced it during a six-month residency at the National Taiwan Craft Research Institute N.T.C.R.I. Nuclée Lamp is also a project winner of the “Best of Year” Grand Prize (New York, 2020) and of the Green Product Award (Berlin, 2021). Read more about this award-winning sustainable lamp in details below at SURFACES REPORTER (SR):
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Since time immemorial, banana fibres have been used in various communities and certain places due to their exceptional qualities.
The Kavalan aboriginal tribe, settled in Hualien, on the east coast of Taiwan, proficiently uses banana fibre to make traditional clothing, bags and containers.
Inspiration From Kavalan Tribe’s Techniques
Usually, banana flesh from the plantations is considered as waste after the conventional extraction technique and cast away. However, the French designers found the material fascinating enough to be used for lighting.
They got inspired by the ingenious Kavalan tribe’s techniques and lifestyle and studied the age-old methods of working with this plant. They used the process of extraction using only the outer covering of the stem and other techniques to create this modern sustainable lamp.
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After several experiments included observing the reaction to heat, pressure, cold, humidity, combination with materials and other factors, the expert duos succeeded in stabilizing the plant tissue. They used refining technique and applied different heat and pressure parameters to make a sturdy and long-lasting product.
This new material is highlighted by shapes of bent bamboo, inspired by the internal structure of the banana tree stem, and that is how this graceful and sustainable lighting came to be.
Intensive Research on Local Materials
The beautiful Nuclée lamp highlights curved bamboo shapes, inspired by the banana tree structure. Bamboo, banana fibre and black granite are the main materials used for creating this lamp. As we told before, these sustainable materials were selected after intensive research on local materials.
The stabilizing methods allowed the designers to create lamps in a myriad of colour options from dark brown to white while augmenting the natural texture of the banana skin.
This beautiful design showcases the creative approach of the designers to integrate the age-old culture and history of a nation into a product.
Pics and Info Courtesy: © Dorian Etienne and Cordélia Faure
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