Industrial Design
Alasca.
A new life for high-voltage glass.
Alasca is a pendant lamp made by reusing two glass electrical insulators. Sandblasting and a translucent silicone cord turn disused technical components into an object that diffuses a soft light.
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The project
A new function, a history to preserve.
The project starts with two old glass insulators, once used on power lines. Originally made for a technical purpose, their shapes retain a strong industrial identity even after the end of their working life.
Alasca recognises these forms as the starting point for a lamp. The two insulators are placed with their openings facing each other, forming an enclosure for the light source. Profiles, ridges and traces of the original manufacturing process remain part of the object’s character.
Reuse becomes a way of designing with what already exists: the material is retained while its role changes. A component associated with energy distribution enters the home through light.
The design detail
Glass diffuses. The cord connects.
Sandblasting changes the surface of the glass, reducing its transparency. Together with the thickness of the insulators, this finish helps spread the light softly and evenly, turning the enclosure into a diffuser.
A translucent silicone cord holds the two elements together. It follows the profile of the glass and makes the connection visible without adding a visually heavy structure. The joint becomes part of the lamp’s design.
The pendant version emphasises the vertical arrangement and reveals the origins of the individual components. Alasca was also made in a table version.
Specifications of the documented version
E14 lamp holder · Supply: 230 V, 50 Hz · Maximum power: 40 W.
Project information
- Design
- Michele Venisti
- Material
- Reclaimed, sandblasted glass insulators; translucent silicone cord
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