Designers look to nature, landfills for new decor materials

AT first glance, Nina Edwards Ankers’ sconces and chandeliers look like ancient scrolls of parchment, or sheets of buttery toffee, wrapped around LED bulbs.

Come closer — or just ask the New York-based designer/architect — and you’ll find they’re actually made of algae.

She came up with the idea while working on a doctoral research project on materials and lighting at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design, and has now created a collection of sconces, lamps and even a chandelier named “Chlorophyta.”

Ankers chose not to disguise the dried algae — her shades have all the imperfections of their natural state, and the honey-toned, translucent colors.

“From the beginning, we wanted to keep the integrity of the material, and display its unique properties,” Ankers says.

She is one of many designers thinking beyond traditional materials, finding ways to meld design with sustainable sourcing and production methods.

Ankers and her team