The Baltic Sea is a living body. To us, it is not a resource to take from, but a presence to be with.

This bench is meant to be placed around the Baltic Sea, to invite passbyers to take a moment to allow their gaze to drift toward the scenery: the horizon, the water, the sky. Its light weight encourages the sitter to lift the bench where they are curious to observe by lifting the wooden object and choosing a spot to intentionally place it. Lowered slightly in height, the bench brings the visitor closer to ground and landscapes. It encourages directing attention to the overlooked: the sand and moss beneath the feet, the movements of insects, the strands of algae drifting in the water. The surface of the bench itself becomes a guide, zooming into the patterns of the Ulva Intestinalis (isosuolilevä). The algae’s structure, invisible to the naked eye, can be discovered through a tactile interaction with the engraved textures.

The Baltic Sea is highly vulnerable to eutrophication due to its semi-enclosed waterbody with shallow waters. Excess nutrients, mainly from agricultural runoff pollute the Sea even more, which increases Cladophora growth resulting thick mats of algae, that smother other marine life and outcomplete other species. Harvesting algae removes nutrients that it has absorbed from the Sea. 

Our table lamp is made of handcrafted Cladophora seaweed paper. Through this piece, we want to encourage people to think about how we can utilize materials while addressing a larger environmental problem at the same time. The translucent organic surface is inspired by the water of the Baltic Sea, capturing the interaction of light and shadow beneath the surface.