  Thermotropic Protea Lamp  Thermotropic Protea Lamp (Image
courtesy Inhabitat) By Andrew Liszewski  A thermotropic response
is what causes a plant to grow towards or away from a soure of
heat, and when the same idea is applied to a lamp you get the
Protea. When the lamp is left on allowing the bulb to slowly
heat up the metal petals that make up the lampshade gradually
move away from the hot bulb giving the impression of a flower
opening in the sunshine… though upside-down.  While designer
Karl Zahn originally envisioned this project as a visual
reminder as to how much wasted energy an incandescent bulb gives
off in the form of heat, I think most people won’t care and will
probably go out of their way to leave their lights on longer
than normal just to see this lamp open up.  Of course like
everything even remotely affiliated with ‘design’ the Protea
lamp isn’t cheap and will set you back about $150 from Boiler
Design Office.  [Thermotropic Protea Lamp] VIA [Inhabitat]