Selco: Inventing Green

Areca Lighting SystemPrepared by KVA Matx8.10.2016

Selco: Inventing Green

Prepared by KVA Matx8.10.2016

ii KVA | Selco

Areca wood is widely used in Karnakata by entrepreneurs as a natural material for organic bio-degradable disposable plates, table wear, trays and packaging. Areca palm leaves are gathered, dried, then cleaned and soaked in water. Heat-ed molds with very simple chucks are used to stamp the leaves into bowls and plates. SELCO has a specifi c, small but successful areca factory owner standing by to experiment with other industrial / design uses for this bio-degradable material. KVA has produced prototypes of home and portable lighting fi xtures which would be produced from areca within the forementioned context.

Introduction

KVA | Selco iii

Table of Contents

Fabrication Process 1Task Light 3Pendant 7Wall Sconce 11Appendix 15

1 KVA | Selco

Fabrication Process

PUNCH DIE TEMPLATE

1. Raw, dry areca leaf 2. The areca leaf is soaked in water to im-prove workability.

3. The Leaf is trimmed to shape.

Two-sided areca mold

KVA | Selco 2

MOLDPOSITIVE

MOLDNEGATIVE

STRING

4. The trimmed leaf is set into a two-sided mold; pressure is applied to shape the areca.

5. The formed areca is removed from the mold.

6. Living hinges are set, and electronics are in-stalled.

3 KVA | Selco

Task Light

23.15 23.34

26.5

4

VARI

ABLE

61.4

7

24.95

Top

Cut Template Front Side

The task light transforms a single leaf of areca into a functional, inexpensive, and local-ly-sourced fi xture for Selco’s BPL system. The design takes advantage of areca’s fl exibili-ty, and introduces functional adjust-ability via a living hinge.

KVA | Selco 4

5 KVA | Selco

Prototype

Molding Process

KVA | Selco 6

Section

LIVING HINGE

STRING

ELECTRICAL WIRE

BATTERY

BPL LAMP

ADJUSTABLE SLIP KNOT

7 KVA | Selco

Pendant

Aggregated areca refl ectors were investigated as a means of improving the effects of the dual home light, in order to create more even, dispersed light. Six molded areca re-fl ectors are arranged as baffl es so as to eliminate direct glare and evenly shed diffused light, while a large aperture at the bottom allows more intense light to illuminate an area directly below.

Top

Side Section

Section

SINGLE HOMELIGHT

39.58

23.5

3

KVA | Selco 8

9 KVA | Selco

46.8

7

25.62

(x6)

Template

Assembly

KVA | Selco 10

Paper mock-up Prototypes

11 KVA | Selco

Wall Sconce

Similar to the pendant, the wall sconce employs aggregated areca refl ectors in order to provide a space with diffused light. The sconce refl ects light from the dual home lighting system evenly thanks to a set of recurved baffl es which cast light in opposite directions.

Top

Side Front

35.5

9

13.12

20.5

8

SINGLE HOMELIGHT

KVA | Selco 12

13 KVA | Selco

17.58

50.7

3

(x4)

Template

Assembly

KVA | Selco 14

Paper mock-up Prototypes