Melbourne furniture designer Joanne Odisho has won the prestigious Australian Furniture Design award for her Mod-u lamps, made from discarded eggshells. The lamps, which consist of configurable blocks resembling Jenga pieces, impressed judges with their versatility and tactile quality.
Odisho collects thousands of eggshells from local cafes, then sterilises, dries, and crushes them into a fine powder using a Nutribullet. The powder is combined with a biodegradable biopolymer to create a substance like wet sand, which is poured into molds and left to dry naturally for about a week. The resulting material is cheap, durable, compostable, and retains the natural colour of eggshells.
The idea originated from a school assignment at RMIT in 2022, where Odisho was tasked with using food waste. After coffee grounds developed mould, she turned to eggshells, inspired by resources from Materiom, an organisation focused on nature-based materials.
The biannual award, run by furniture company Stylecraft in conjunction with the National Gallery of Victoria, carries a $20,000 cash prize and the opportunity to collaborate on commercial production. Tony Russell, Stylecraft's brand director and jury member, noted the lamps' architectural form and how they invite engagement. Odisho will now work with Stylecraft on developing a new design, possibly exploring soft furnishings like modular sofas.
