O-Range: Biomaterial Lamp
Category: Interior
Competitions: Home Competition 2026
O-Range is a biomaterial lamp created from orange waste, where discarded matter gains new value. Each year, the world produces over 60 million tons of oranges, generating approximately 32 million tons of peel waste. Within these peels, however, lies an untapped richness: a naturally warm color palette, a distinctive tactile quality, and patterns shaped by nature itself. O-Range exists to reveal and elevate this overlooked elegance. The material carries its own color and surface, eliminating the need for synthetic pigments or industrial finishing. Light interacts with the peels in subtle ways, revealing layers, pores, and patterns unique to each piece. The lamp's form echoes the anatomy of an orange: a luminous “pulp” contained within a protective wooden “skin.” It is both familiar and reimagined, highlighting the quiet beauty that is embedded in everyday waste. Dried orange peels act as a reinforcing element within the bioplastic, while glycerol content determines flexibility, allowing each formulation to be precisely tailored. Beyond structural performance, orange peels contribute natural warmth to lighting, furniture, and home goods through their color, translucency, and surface quality. By using the peels as natural pigmentation, O-Range avoids the pollution, energy consumption, and toxicity commonly associated with synthetic dyes and industrial furniture processes. The lamp’s form references the anatomy of an orange: a glowing bioplastic “pulp” encased within a wooden “skin.” Ultimately, O-Range invites a reconsideration of waste- not as trash, but as an opportunity.
