'Designers look to nature and landfill for new decor materials' by Kim Cook
@washingtonpost @seattletimes @abcnews.com January 10, 2023
"At first glance, Nina Edwards Anker’s sconces and chandeliers look like ancient scrolls of parchment, or sheets of buttery toffee, wrapped around LED bulbs.
Come closer — or just ask the New York-based designer/architect — and you’ll find they’re actually made of algae.
She came up with the idea while working on a doctoral research project on materials and lighting at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design, and she has now created a collection of sconces, lamps and even a chandelier named “Chlorophyta.”
Anker chose not to disguise the dried algae — her shades have all the imperfections of their natural state, and the honey-toned, translucent colors.
“From the beginning, we wanted to keep the integrity of the material, and display its unique properties,” Anker says.
She is one of many designers thinking beyond traditional materials, finding ways to meld design with sustainable sourcing and production methods."