Bridging the Gap – Remodern Presents the Raw Earth Collection by Nongzao

Influenced by ancient design practices and local knowledge, nature is the inspiration for the Raw Earth collection by Nongzao. Presented by Remodern, the introductory range of lighting invites customers to inspect the relationship between humanity and our environment.

Bridging the gap between industrialised society and the natural world, Nongzao represents a new venture for Guangzhou-based design practice, Bentu. A pioneering studio, Nongzao weaves understanding of traditional manufacturing processes into a future-focused methodology, emerging with a collection that reflects a multifaceted approach. Permeating the Raw Earth concept is a global study of the relationship between humans and nature – in particular, the cultures that have coexisted in peaceful symbiosis with surrounding ecosystems. The collection embraces a natural aesthetic whilst pushing the boundaries of sustainability, subtly proposing the virtues of a simple way of life.

The collection embraces a natural aesthetic whilst pushing the boundaries of sustainability, subtly proposing the virtues of a simple way of life.

Inherently novel, Raw Earth is a bold interpretation of contemporary design, featuring lights crafted from cast diatomaceous earth and metallic minerals. Underpinning the collection is a new manufacturing method from which the range takes its name – Nongzao’s Raw Earth method involves combining soil with naturally biodegradable plant fibres to create a material that can be moulded into an array of functional works. An authentic divergence from the artificial, the Raw Earth collection heightens the influence of the pure and natural, imprinting the materials on human memory.

Included within the Raw Earth collection are the Cell Table Lamp, E-Mars, Echo Pendant, and Skeleton L, M and U Pendants. With a rounded opal glass diffuser sitting atop a curved and textured base, Cell Table Lamp presents an earthy, ovoid form with refinement. Soft ambient light is emitted from its top, producing an understated illumination to complement a smooth profile that dispels warm and harmonising light. Establishing a similar effect, Echo Pendant embodies a minimalist, rounded form that exudes a sense of familiarity, eliciting a comparison to the chaos of personal life and turmoil of human civilisation.

Inherently novel, Raw Earth is a bold interpretation of contemporary design, featuring lights crafted from cast diatomaceous earth and metallic minerals.

E-Mars – named in an allusion to the planet – sees an acrylic prism split a sphere, revealing a luminous centre. The piece is dramatic, a design that casts light along the vertical plane in captivating fashion. Conversely, the three pendants in the Skeleton series express an industrial inspiration, with supporting rib details referencing the moulds traditionally used in the process of casting. A natural materiality ensures that the cold, sterile connotation of manufacturing is lost in a warm and organic presentation. Whilst each pendant is distinct in shape – L Pendant is a wide, fanning piece; M Pendant is narrow and tapered and U Pendant is rounded – the collection is unified by its rich, underlying sense of geometry.

Immersing customers in the details of expression, Nongzao proposes the idea of sustainable living with sophistication and tact. Raw Earth is a soulful collection through which customers can meaningfully connect to both humanity and the earth we inhabit.