Algshell

The Algshell table lamp was inspired by a material that invites touch: screw algae, which are fished, pulled, woven, pressed, and compressed. This raised the question of what the accessibility and intimacy of such a material might do to our relationship with objects. Algshell exemplifies this idea: a table lamp that invites touch through its carefully chosen texture and soft, rounded form, and is conceived as an object that accompanies us through our daily lives. The manufacturing process was also deliberately kept accessible, so that it, too, is shaped by touch and interaction with the algae.

We succeeded in creating intriguing material samples for the two halves of the lamps, in which the algae—in one case through the addition of household bleach and in the other through glycerin and alginate—resembled eggshells and latex in texture. These material properties have so far been partially reproduced during upscaling. Through several iterations, the molding and demolding processes, as well as the dimensional stability of the parts, were improved. A simple and effective snap-fit connection was created using a fold.