Nature is our oldest and most creative designer. Those in business take structures, materiality, and even ethics from the organic rhythms of the earth, weaving their way through the mud and magic of creation. True sustainability requires us to understand and work within these parameters, while using recycled and recyclable materials. In Land, Sea and Aira new lighting collection from Hector Serrano and presented by Barcelona lighthousethe barriers between inside and outside melt away, a metabolism of materiality.
The work begins and ends with materiality at its core, reflecting the cycles of our natural world. The properties of each element are related to the composition used. For Tierra, a bioplastic formed from PLA and cellulose, which is biodegradable and compostable, was used. Mar is made from polypropylene derived from recycled fishing nets and Aire from 100% recycled PETG, the most commonly recycled plastic in the world.
Serrano explains, “Circularity needs to be built into our entire consumer system. It’s no use using sustainable materials if we continue to live in a throwaway culture. We need to rethink the way we produce, transport, consume and recycle our products, and this is where 3D printing offers an alternative, with on-demand, compact and automated production.” Indeed, true circularity involves not just a change of system, but a change of heart. If we are to participate in lasting sustainability, our relationships with convenience must adjust.
This concept of “digital craftsmanship” comes to mind: where the power of making returns to the individual. Not directly in their hands, sure, but under their control. The traditional, top-down approach to design is upgraded through additive manufacturing, allowing technical infrastructure to be created at breakneck speed, in compact spaces. Here, the traditional ‘factory settings’ we know have now been brought back for modern ideals. In a broader effort to democratize large-scale 3D printing, greater demand creates more widespread use, which is exactly what the technology needs to succeed. This makes 3D printing cheaper, easier and more accessible, enabling anyone with a printer to join the conversation.
Not to be limited by process, Tierra, Mar, y Aire reflects the structures we recognize in nature – honeycomb structures, bubble-like volumes and marine references can be seen in the collection. These forms are familiar, emotional bonds that ignite between our synapses. Millions of years have been spent perfecting the designs we see around us. As we look at our natural world, there is no waste, a perfect balance of flora and fauna. How can we incorporate these characteristics and make them a reality, within the parameters of our mortal mind? Serrano paints a new vision for the future, one where we ensure harmony in process and practice.
To learn more about Earth, Sea and Air by Héctor Serrano for Faro Barcelona, visit hectorserrano.com.
Photo by Javier Marquez.
