Introduction
A little more nature for our society – that‘s what the iteratively shaped, fungi-based luminaire Hy.le is aiming for. The reflector consists of a composite that has grown naturally from wood waste and the mycelium of mushrooms. With the aid of the small “flashlight”, the design is intended to encourage exploration, highlight the unique aesthetics, create fascination, promote discourse, and ultimately take away the myth surrounding these essential organisms.
Culture (embodied here by the technical, dark components) can help nature to realize its potential and, through its contemplation, can provide new learning that enriches one‘s life, generates fascination and stimulates innovation. The circle plays an important role in this; both semantically and in terms of form, it is considered harmonious, neutral, „perfect”, but also infinite.
In a hands-on situation, interested individuals are introduced into a whole new little world. They can pick up the “flashlight” and go on an expedition, literally illuminating the object from all sides and experiencing the always uniquely grown relief. This uniqueness lies in the previously mentioned mycelium skin, which is able to protect the organism even better from the environment with the help of so-called demarcation borders. Through the incorporation of pigments, a repellent border is drawn that reflects the substrate used in its coloring and can be influenced accordingly – both with the help of the substrate, as well as time and, above all, the intensity of exposure to water and air. Their color progression usually begins with soft beige tones and, within a few days, can turn yellow and red tones, to a dark brown or even black.
