Japanese designer Nosigner has created an installation using discarded flourescent tubes at the Theory Luxe fashion store in the Omotesando Hills development in Tokyo.

The installation is intended to draw attention to the 75,000 tons of fluorescent bulbs discarded in Japan every year, most of which are dumped in the sea.

The project is part of a series of cultural happenings called Museum of Omotesando Hills, which celebrate the second anniversary of the opening of the Tadao Ando-designed retail mall.

Photographs are by Masaharu Hatta.

Here's some text from Nosigner:

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FLUOLESS

‘FLUOLESS’ is an experiment to make a large crystal structure from a huge amount of used fluorescent lights.

Do you know the annual amount of discarded fluorescent lights? It is about 4 hundred million. 75,000 tons by weight of used fluorescent lights are thrown away as garbage in Japan. And 85% of them are thrown into the sea for reclamation of the waterfront even if it contains gaseous mercury.

At the same time, fluorescent lights are very difficult to recycle. Because it contains various materials including toxic ones, it’s so difficult to bring out fine and pure materials from them. We don’t see the discarded fluorescent lights with our own eyes. Once we throw them away, we easily forget about them.

I want to make some fine and pure objects which touch the hearts of the people and remind them of the huge amount of discarded fluorescent lights. The name of ‘FLUOLESS’ means used ‘fluo’rescent light, which is worth‘less.’ This makes ‘flawless’ structure. Please feel the potential of used fluorescent lights as a material.