When design embrace nature, that’s when poetry arises.
The Open Up Lamp by Mark Champkins, for instance:
It’s thermokinetic; it reacts to the heat of the light bulb. It opens up when it is turned on, and closes when it is switched off – somewhat like flowers that open up to the first rays of daylight.
The designer explains:
The lampshade is made up of polypropylene “petals” and six bi-metallic strips which are activated by the heat emitted by a bulb. Bi-metallic strips are a sandwich of copper and steel. When heated, the copper expands more than the steel causing the strip to bend.
Of course the days that light bulbs gave off enough heat to do this are well past us, luckily, but the concept is still beautiful – it reacts to changes in the environment.
It reminds me of a specific art work by Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde, LOTUS.
1. UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM
On sustainability
2. UNDERSTANDING HOW THE WORLD WORKS
On nature
On human nature
On the meaning of life and living
On culture
On morality
3. UNDERSTANDING HOW CHANGE WORKS
On the Next Level Society
On behavioral change
On marketing sustainability
4-A. FIXING HOW WE DESIGN THE WORLD
On naturalness
On naturalness in behaviour
On naturalness in art
Artworks of interest
On naturalness in architecture
Architecture of interest: naturalness
On livable architecture
Architecture of interest: livability
On naturalness in design
Design works of interest
4-B. FIXING OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OURSELVES
On well-being, self care and happiness
4-C. FIXING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BUSINESS AND SOCIETY
On responsible business
On Positive Design & design ethics
On privacy
Progressieve bureaus van Nederland, 2021
OTHER NOTES AND WRITINGS
On digital design, CX/UX, and technology
On the travel & hospitality industry
Miscellaneous