SEOUL DESIGN AWARD

Soft Solids is a sustainable lighting design project based in Copenhagen, Denmark, that combines upcycled components with natural wax shades to reduce waste and present an alternative to mass production. The project team developed a wax blend that is highly heat-resistant and structurally durable, while retaining its characteristic translucency and soft tactile quality. This innovation transformed wax—a material once considered fragile—into a reliable medium compatible with LED technology, expanding its role as a new functional resource.

The lighting goes beyond illumination to create a sensory experience. The gentle, warm glow of wax brings calmness and a sense of connection to nature into everyday spaces, prompting users to reflect on their consumption habits and their relationship with objects. By upcycling vintage lighting and introducing renewable wax as a functional material, the project reduces waste, while newly crafted wax lighting sculptures bring the “glow of nature” into daily life, enriching the living environment.

This project goes beyond personal use of objects, contributing to broader conversations on sustainable design. It prompts both designers and consumers to rethink material lifecycles, reuse, and emotional connection with products. It not only promotes sustainable choices in living spaces but also broadens the impact of lighting design into furniture, interiors and the wider spatial environment.

Ultimately, Soft Solids combines eco-friendly upcycling with emotional design to propose a new design solution where people, society, and the environment exist in harmony.