Design Map · Eindhoven
Objects of Attraction
Graduation project by Elena Nechaeva at Design Academy Eindhoven, 2026. Shown during Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven on Design Map, location F5.
Fascinated by metal – its strength, luminosity and material potential – Elena Nechaeva reflects on the environmental consequences of its extraction. This tension takes shape in a sculptural lamp inspired by hydrothermal vents: deep-sea mineral formations that sustain unique ecosystems and have been proposed as possible sites for the origins of life on Earth. Rich in valuable metals, these formations are now also attracting interest as potential locations for deep-sea mining. Constructed from welded steel and finished with reflective chrome, the lamp echoes the layered growth of hydrothermal vent chimneys. Its warm light evokes the heat circulating within them, while the mirrored surface emphasises metal’s seductive qualities and the desire that drives its extraction and consumption. The project reflects on how ecological systems become material resources, and how those same materials return to us as objects of attraction.