To see the glow from a species of bioluminescent octopus used to require a trip to the deep sea and a fair amount of patience. Not anymore. Ambio, a mobile lamp from Amsterdam-based designer Teresa von Dongen brings the sublime light away from the ocean by creating a “artificial saltwater medium”.
Ambio showcases the bioluminescence from the bacteria that cause a certain type of octopus to light up in the dark. It needs a push to stay lit, so the mobile design makes sense to help the structure keep swaying.
It’d be a pretty cool installation choice in a kid’s room, although von Dongen isn’t selling these. The project is meant to show people how much we can do with natural materials… although I imagine if they sold these commercially we’d have to find a way to reproduce the bacteria that didn’t involve deep-sea fishing for octopi, which would go against the eco-friendly ethos behind the design. [Ambio]