Solar Ascent playfully explores kinetic actions to diffuse scent. Through studying flags in the wind, cogs and swinging pendulums, I was able to design new ways of dispersing fragrances into the surrounding air.
Here, sunlight powers the rotating components whilst gently warming the diluted essential oils. These are absorbed by silk, cotton and paper elements on turning brass rods. The components momentarily cross paths in the centre of the diffuser, harmoniously blending their individual scent notes which are released into the air as one fragrance.
Solar power is being harnessed increasingly and the future of renewable energy is infinite. This piece was designed as a homage to Charles and Ray Eames’ fantastical ‘Solar do Nothing Machine’ – one of the first examples of sunlight being converted to electrical energy. Here scent provides the ‘colour’ for an interactive sensory experience.