The 100 chairs exhibition at Melbourne Design Week undoubtedly gathered a lot of attention, but the luminaries were no less. One such is the Mod-u by Joanne Odisho, a modular lamp for contemporary spaces that turns discarded eggshells into a sculptural lighting fixture. The sculpture looks like a pillar of illuminating Jenga blocks stacked to create a lamp. Moreover, the innovative silhouette won the 2026 Australian Design Award.
The lamp is made out of several blocks, and each block incorporates 200 sterilized, crushed eggshells gathered from local Melbourne cafes. This organic powder blends with a bio-polymeric binder to cure naturally without high-heat firing. The resulting material features a dense, sand-like texture that serves as the lamp’s sturdy base.
Each of these blocks houses the internal LED light sources safely within the modular stack. They are neatly wrapped in textured, delicate Unryu Thai rice paper to diffuse the glow. This combination ensures the electrical housing remains entirely biodegradable and visually soft.
The design scales seamlessly into three distinct sizing tiers based on block count. The small version utilizes 10 blocks, the medium uses 35, and the large needs 65. A single large configuration successfully diverts up to 13,000 discarded eggshells from the landfills.
The blocks stack and shift loosely using a playful, user-instinctive Jenga-style logic. Owners can freely add, remove, or rotate pieces to alter the overall silhouette. This customizable framework lets you easily redirect the light output to suit your vibes and mood.
Also Read: Eggshells get new Lease of Life in Rainbow-Coded Biodegradable Furniture
The unpolished cream and off-white tones stem entirely from the natural eggshell waste. The surface intentionally skips heavy industrial glazes to celebrate raw, organic imperfections. This tactile finish offers an honest aesthetic that looks grown rather than factory-manufactured.
Created with biodegradable materials, Mod-u becomes more than a source of light, it is a reflection on responsibility, longevity, and the value of conscious design.
– Joanne Odisho
The lamp embodies a strict earth-to-earth philosophy by utilizing purely compostable materials. It pairs experimental bio ceramic research with functional, intuitive consumer design for the modern home. At the end of its life, the lamp safely degrades without leaving toxic trace materials. The lamp represents modularity that is completely configured by you; therefore, naming it Mod-u (modular by you).
