A collection of lighting from Paris-based designer Lucas Zito aims to reframe the idea of 3D printed objects as cheap and disposable. The Buoy Collection is a series of high end, customisable lamps, designed and hand-assembled in Paris, France.

The production of the lamps moves primarily from digital drawing to physical output through the use of 3D printing. Each part is individually printed and then assembled by hand, allowing Zito to control every step of the production and only use the necessary material.

All the lightings are made from PLA, a bioplastic made from cornstarch.

“When it comes to visual effects and transparency, the geometries and forms enabled by 3D printing are difficult to achieve with other transparent materials,” said Zito.

“Plastic will never be marble, oak, metal or glass, but it allows us to explore everything that lies beyond those categories.”

Thanks to the technology used, the lamps are customisable in terms of the sequence of modules and length, meaning that any desired length can be achieved, with a range variable from 40cm to 700cm tall and from 30cm to 100cm in diameter. The lamps are mainly conceived to be integrated into architectural projects across various contexts like residential or hotels, offices, and scenographic compositions.

Inspired by the idea of buoyancy, the lamps explore the idea of extreme lightness with the creation of large lamps using very little material. The largest lamp is 320cm tall and uses just 3,483 grammes of plastic. 

Zito’s practice focuses on an in-depth study of recyclable materials combined with new technologies, and he specialises in the design of lights through 3D printing with reclaimed or bio-sourced plastics.