Balk
Balk is quite literally more than a lamp, as it serves as a shelf too, but most importantly it is a symbol. It shows that beauty can be created from some of the most undervalued elements of our society: waste and unemployment.
The lamps are handcrafted out of 100% reused aluminum, giving it a wonderful ‘wabi-sabi’-ish texture. This beautiful imperfection is highlighted by colorful finishes and by proudly adding the initials of each maker. It can be wall-mounted as a nightlight or used as a mini exhibition space for personal treasures.
Balk is a follow-up project from Blooey’s Design Doing training program that used an actual design process and professional brainstorming tools to grow the personal development of disadvantaged people.
Wij3.0 is a sheltered metal workshop for disadvantaged people. The project challenged the Wij3.0 team to learn how to work with aluminum, which is very difficult to weld compared to steel.