The first images that come to mind upon exploring the Steampunk-industrial aesthetic are the mosaic of metal machine parts accompanied by the grime and dirt as the offal of production. However, German designer Ingo Schuppler finds a way to preserve – and produce – this beautifully iconic contrast in an eco-friendly manner. Schwarzes Gold Lamp is a pendant lamp that embodies the dark in the sustainable construction of the lampshade, and the light in the copper lining. The black, bell-shaped lampshade is formed from flour, water, and FSC-certified charcoal through a molding and low-temperature baking process, during which the copper is inserted for increased reflectance of the lamp’s LED bulb. Production is only part of Schuppler’s concern, for after use the charcoal lampshade can be easily dissolved in water and the metal recycled.
