This project invites students from the University of Padova to take part in the design process of a special chandelier engineered to host a self-sufficient plant ecosystem in closed environments.

The first step consists in a three-day workshop in which students visit traditional chandelier producers in Murano and learn how to design a prototype.

For the second phase of the project—which consists of the creation of a working prototype—we commissioned a student and researcher from the Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture, and Forestry at the University of Padova to study different irrigation solutions based on plant species, soil composition, and maintenance.

The final iteration includes site-specific versions of the chandelier to be installed at the Padova Botanical Garden.

The living chandelier has undergone an 8-month testing phase, hanging from the ceiling of our studio in Venice. Different plant species have been tested for interior growth, including carnivorous ones like the Nepenthes and a more common golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum). Researcher Giacomo Bernello has tried different illumination sources to find the best solution to enhanced growth.