Even the blackest of thumbs love terrariums, and why not? These self-enclosed plant ecosystems not only look beautiful, but they pretty much take care of themselves. There's only one thing they need that they need that isn't already in the jar: sunlight.
Unfortunately, there are some spaces where natural light is in short supply, like micro-apartments, retail spaces, even some hotels and restaurants. That's why German design studio Nui Studio, formerly We Love Eames, designed the Mygdal—a new kind of terrarium that also doubles as a sunlamp.
Nui Studio—comprised of designers Emilia Lucht and Arne Sebrantke—took the name Mygdal from a village in Northern Denmark, which translates to "fertile soil." Each lamp, made of aluminum and hand-blown glass, supplies light through a bank of LEDs that not only illuminate any windowless space, but provide enough light for the plants inside the terrarium bulb to photosynthesize.
According to Sebrantke, the inspiration for the Mygdal came when he and Lucht realized that plants were getting left behind in increasingly urbanized areas where they were needed most. "Nature contributes significantly to our well-being," he says. "But not everyone has a green thumb or enough daylight to grow plants." So the duo set out to design a terrarium that could nurture a plant, even without gardening skill or sunlight. It's like the high-end design equivalent of a Chia Pet!
Sadly, unlike a Chia Pet, it's hard to buy a Mygdal right now. Only a few have been made, but Studio Nui says it's working to start manufacturing them on a larger scale soon. You can stay tuned for updates here.
All Photos: © ErwinBlock Photography