From Landfill to Lamps

The Story Behind the Bloc

Kia ora, I’m Lauren, and I started Lumo Bloc in 2022 from my farm shed in Waitoki.

It started with a 1980s wall about to be smashed to smithereens in a commercial redevelopment. I couldn’t let it happen. The blocks were beautiful, heavy, architectural, made in Germany in the ’70s, and they were going to be crushed. I brokered a deal with the demolition team to safely deconstruct the wall so the blocks could live to see another day.

I restored them, prototyped bases, taught myself to use a mitre saw, and settled on a design that over four years has grown into new finishes, plug-in versions and dozens of styles that have become fan favourites.

Demo yards and demolition teams know me well. People tip me off when a redevelopment threatens the life of a glass block. I’ve salvaged blocks from dental clinics, swimming pools, artist retreats and more 1980s bathrooms than I can count. Each one has a story. Each lamp carries it.

Every Lamp is made by hand using sustainably sourced timber and components from local suppliers. No factory. No batch production. One lamp at a time, made exactly how you want it.

✦ 3+ tonnes of construction glass repurposed so far, every order adds to that

✦ 1,200+ Happy Lumo Lovers across Australia and Aotearoa

✦ Proud member of the Eco Packaging Alliance, all packaging is reusable, recyclable and compostable

✦ As featured in Broadsheet Melbourne, NZ Herald’s Viva, NZ Home & Garden, Co/ Architecture and The Edit magazine