Milú Brunell creates Soli garden light to be powered by soil

American designer Milú Brunell has designed Soli, a prototype for a soil-powered lamp that can be planted into the ground.

Soli was informed by the shape of a sunflower – the top can be rotated manually to echo the flower's ability to spin and face the sun. And like a sunflower, Soli needs healthy soil to function.

"I wanted to design something that felt like it belonged in nature," said industrial designer Milú Brunell, who recently graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design.

Soil might not look alive, but when it is healthy, it is teeming with insects, fungi, and microorganisms like microbes.

When these soil-dwelling organisms break down the organic compounds that are naturally found in the soil, they release electrons that can be captured and converted into a small electric current.

To capture these electrons, Soli uses a small battery with technology known as a microbial fuel cell (MFC). The technology is fairly nascent, but Brunell has long been fascinated by its potential.

"As designers, I believe our role is to connect different fields, whether it's chemistry, engineering, or beyond, and translate or repurpose those ideas into different ways people can experience," she told Dezeen.

Brunell was inspired by the "quiet" but "overlooked" relationship humans have with soil.

"While researching outdoor lighting and garden objects, I noticed a gap, nothing truly spoke to the emotional bond people share with their gardens," she said.

To underscore that bond, she wanted people to be able to water the lamp, like you would a plant.

The act of watering gives the user a purpose, she said, but it is also practical as it allows the water to travel down the lamp's legs, which are planted in the soil, and reach deeper into the ground than surface-level watering.

"While watering isn't the only factor that makes the lamp shine, it definitely contributes to the brightness and helps sustain the system over time," she said.

According to Brunell, the light that Soil gives off is more akin to a glow than a task light, but she says it's enough to mark a path or create atmosphere.

MFC technology isn't ready to replace streetlamps yet, but for her, it is a complementary, nature-based solution that doesn't have to rely on batteries or electrical wires and can perform off-grid.

The current prototype is made of 3D-printed ABS, which was ideal for testing. Next, Brunell will explore more sustainable options like ceramic or bio-based materials.

"The goal is for Soli to feel like it truly belongs outdoors, ageing beautifully and resonating with the environment it lives in," she said. "The material should be tactile yet thoughtfully grounded, almost as if it sprang from the very soil that powers it."

Other designers are harnessing nature's power to power products. Dutch designer Ermi van Oers has made an off-grid lamp powered by photosynthesis, while Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Ilja Schamle powered a server with tomato plants.

The photography is courtesy of Milú Brunell.

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