BOLLA

BOLLA brings awareness to how the escalated use of packaging materials is affecting our environment. Pointing the way to a circular economy instead of designing things to fail, bubble wrap sourced from packaging waste is used as form-work and transformed through parametric modelling and innovative research into the light product BOLLA. Made of an eco-friendly concrete mixture that has been custom developed with material scientists, recycled plastic particles are combined into a concrete aggregate and poured into an organic-shaped mould. The light source itself fulfils the sustainable narrative, using wafer-thin OLED panels made from recycled materials – and providing a soft, and warm natural light that is fully integrated. Together, the integrated OLED and textured concrete with perforations disperses light uniformly across BOLLA for a striking, effervescent glow. We want to bring awareness to how the escalated use of packaging materials affects our environment, pointing the way to a circular economy instead of designing things to fail. This approach will materialize in a light product made using packaging waste within its bespoke material formula. If broken, the light can be sent back to us for the materials to be re-sanded and a new BOLLA to be created. The light is manufactured in collaboration with concrete specialist CEMENTO, and material scientist Anna Passarella.