Lamps Made of Recycled Cassette Tapes
Some folks are endlessly fascinated with vintage vinyl, but as analog video and audio cassettes become increasingly outdated collectibles their retro-cache continues to grow. These clever lamp designs manage to both capture that retro look while also directly recycling vintage tapes.
Like strange steampunk creations, the industrial glow of light around the old reels, cogs and other parts of these discarded cassette lamps is at once complex, appealing and haunting. In turn, the accidental rhythms of solid and void between the lit interior and broader room creates a fascinating set of dynamic and unplanned shadows on the wall.
Now, if only these cassette parts could still play while playing a part of the design – the effect of the wheels in motion and changing density of rolled black tape shifting side-to-side would make these even more impressive and dynamic. Available for sale from ooomydesign, these would of course also be a fun do-it-yourself way to upcycle your own vintage tape collection without having to buy anything but a basic light fixture to install inside your creation.
Here’s what the creator has to say about it:
“This is a personal tribute to this music recording media that has been with us for several generations and it is in the process of disappearing.”
“Today, as cassettes have become an obsolete technology, large number of them is being thrown away. Through exchange and recycling, this project rescues old tapes to create a new range of products that gives them new life and new meaning. Resulting playful pattern of form, colors and graphics reminds us of aesthetic potential of using these familiar objects in a new creative way.”
“This initiative is a manifest towards new consumer awareness that goes beyond mere novelty fetishes and industrial efficiency, that attempts to propose a change in design and more importantly, change to our lifestyles.”
