The Off-Grid Lamp

An ingenious design that aims to make people re-think their electricity use.

Created by Vienna-based designer Klemens Schillinger during his residency at Schloss Hollenegg, the Off-Grid Lamp is as ingenious as it is thought-provoking. The location, in an Austrian castle with some rooms that don’t have access to electricity, inspired the project’s concept. The designer also referenced medieval torches and candle holders that allowed the castle residents to move freely at night. The lamp has a cleverly simple design that nevertheless provides food for thought.

As it works with a manual generator, the lamp aims to make people re-think their dependence on electricity. At the same time, it puts the required energy to power the lamp’s battery in a new light. The user needs to rotate the lever continuously for one minute to charge the lamp’s battery and store power for six minutes of brightness.

The designer created the Off-Grid Lamp with a green aluminum body and a golden brass shade. A wall-mounted or a tabletop base allow the user to charge the battery which hides inside the stem. The lamp is also portable, providing an easy way to illuminate the castle’s corridors at night. While the project highlights our reliance on electricity and the amount of energy needed to create a few minute of brightness, the lamp also offers a way to create light in off-grid areas. The concept also opens up potential applications in less developed countries. Photography© Leonhard Hilzensauer.