I created a chandelier out of upcycled laboratory plastics as a collaboration with ETH Zürich. The project was initiated by the ETH Sustainability Group as part of their sustainability campaign, “Art of Transformation,” which supports the university’s broader effort to reduce its environmental footprint and work toward its goal of becoming net zero by 2030. The chandelier was conceived as both a functional light fixture and a public demonstration of how scientific waste can be rethought as a material resource.

The piece was built using discarded laboratory plastics collected directly from research groups at ETH. All components were non-hazardous and non-contaminated single-use materials that had fulfilled their original purpose in scientific research and would otherwise have been discarded. Because laboratory supplies must meet extremely high material standards, these objects are made from high-quality virgin plastics, even when they are used only once for routine or inert procedures. The project highlights the scale and material quality of laboratory waste while proposing reuse as an alternative to incineration.

The chandelier was assembled as a live installation in the foyer of ETH Zürich. The construction process took place in full view of students, professors, staff, and visitors passing through the building. By making the process visible, the project aimed to create awareness around laboratory waste practices and to support ETH’s sustainability campaign through direct engagement rather than didactic explanation. The transformation of discarded scientific materials into a finished lighting sculpture unfolded in real time as part of daily academic life.

The original design proposal was based on a chandelier I had previously built for the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), but the final form evolved in response to ETH’s specific laboratory infrastructure and waste streams. This adaptability is central to my approach to working with upcycled scientific materials, where the final design is shaped by institutional practices and available resources rather than fixed specifications.

The completed chandelier, titled Chandelier of Transformation, was subsequently exhibited at Polyball alongside my nitrile glove dress and pipette dress. After the ball, the chandelier was installed permanently on the ceiling of the ETH Zürich foyer, where it remains on view as part of the building’s public space.

For additional documentation of the project and installation process, visit my Instagram page.