Joanne Odisho, a Melbourne furniture designer, won the prestigious Australian Furniture Design award for her Mod-u lamps, which are made from discarded eggshells collected from local cafes. She crushes the shells into a fine powder, combines them with a biopolymer, and molds the mixture into configurable blocks that can be arranged into various lamp configurations. The material is biodegradable, durable, and requires no firing process, showcasing the natural colors of eggshells.
The award, organized by Stylecraft in partnership with the National Gallery of Victoria as part of Melbourne Design Week, carries a $20,000 cash prize and the opportunity to bring a design to commercial production. Odisho's win highlights a growing trend in sustainable design and the creative reuse of food waste. Her innovative material, which can be made in a home kitchen, points to new possibilities for eco-friendly furniture that is both functional and aesthetically engaging.