Bionic Chandelier
Bionic Chandelier
Exhale is a living Bionic Chandelier which purifies the air indoor.
This piece explores how advances in biotechnology and engineering can be applied to everyday objects and architecture to increase the quality of our lives. The chandelier purifies the air indoors through photosynthesis performed by living photosynthetic microorganisms enclosed into leaf modules.
The Bionic Chandelier is the first living object which continuously grows while performing biologically-driven depurative functions. The light of the chandelier illuminate the space but also stimulates photosynthesis performed by tiny microscopic plants, these living microorganisms feed on carbon dioxide while releasing breathable oxygen into the room. The biological process performed by the chandelier establishes and explores a new symbiotic relationship between object and people; each other waste products are constantly exchanged, and they become each other life-giving resources by enabling their respective metabolic processes. This exchanges recalls on how biospheric systems work, where waste ultimately doesn't exists but is a valuable resource for other elements in the system.
Exhale is now part of the prestigious V&A permanent collection. The design follows Julian's biomimicry approach of "forming through function" while taking inspiration from nature and the V&A's Art-Nouveau and Islamic Art collections.
The metal structure is entirely hand-made and burned-colored. Each structure holds a single leaf module of 3 different sizes that repeats it-self 70 times on a radial array; similar to how nature shapes plants and shells.
The Bionic Chandelier is connected to a life-support-unit device, developed by Arborea's engineers, which nourish and maintains the microorganisms culture alive.
• Engineered by Arborea ltd.
• Supported by the National Heritage Lottery Fund.
• Special thanks to Millimetre's team for the metal fabrication.
