Lapso - light, held as time

Named for the interval between states. Crafted with Celium™, in its translucent version, Lapso is grown from bacteria and reveals light as duration, not instant. Designed with Natural Urbano, the Mexico-based studio founded by Sebastián Beltrán and Lorena Márquez.

Lapso takes its name from the interval between one state and the next. It treats illumination as a span of time rather than a switch. Unlit, it holds a calm pause. Lit, it filters light into shifting gradients that move across its surface. The piece does not shout for attention. It grounds a space and then changes it; precise, alive, and present. 

For Lapso, we work with Celium™, in its translucent version. Because the material is grown, biological variation becomes a feature: subtle shifts in tone, density, and grain make every piece singular.

Lapso was conceived as a functional object with sculptural intent. It is lighting, and it is a presence.

“We set out to create a presence that changes with light and context.” — Lorena Márquez, Co-Founder, Natural Urbano

Two presences. When off, it reads as a tactile body, edges and grain are legible, and weight is grounded in the room. When on, the object recedes and an atmosphere appears. Light activates the cultivated membrane; layers emerge and gradients move across the surface. 

“It’s one lamp when it’s off, and another when it’s on. That duality is central to the experience.” —  Sebastián Beltrán, Co-Founder, Natural Urbano. 

The lamp evokes a living membrane, a skin that breathes, a form that could have emerged from water or from evolving matter. There is tension between protection and vulnerability, between calm and energy. The aim is not spectacle. The aim is presence, a quiet invitation to slow down and notice.

Lapso is available in two editions that express different atmospheres. Natural is undyed; it carries Celium™’s own hue and reads warm, honey-toned, intimate. Humo is dyed darker; it draws the eye to edges and relief, closer to stone or shadow. Both editions keep the signature of growth. Each lamp is unrepeatable.

Lapso was unveiled at The Biofab Fair by Biofabricate during London Design Festival, September 16–17, 2025. It marks Polybion’s entry into interior design and brings cultivated bacterial cellulose into contemporary lighting.

Lapso is now available to order through Natural Urbano’s website. Each piece ships with a certificate of authenticity.

Credits
Design and fabrication: Natural Urbano
Material: Celium™ by Polybion™
Photography: Claudia Armida GALAR and Verónica Sojo

Press & Sales
Press: press@polybion.bio
Natural Urbano: contacto@naturalurbano.com
Polybion™: orders@polybion.bio
Ordering: Natural Urbano website