The upcycling project that I will be constructing is “lanterns” made out of plastic disposable water bottles and different colored lights to follow the club or rave aesthetic. The club aesthetic that will be achieved through this project makes people feel high energy and party vibes through its’ bold contrasts, different colors of lights, and lasers, which can be seen in the featured image by Milestone Internet (1). The lights tend to be a lighter color, such as bright greens, pinks, purples, blues, and yellows. According to Lena Hayes (2), this aesthetic overloads the sensory and is inspired by the chaotic atmosphere of urban nightlife that you see at clubs and raves. It immerses you in a futuristic and party environment to get you into the music and feel the energy of the people around you.
This aesthetic inspired my upcycling project because I think it is unique and a lot of people my age can relate to it or know what is being portrayed by the project. Adults that are aged between 21 and 25 are the majority of the crowd that you see at a club on the weekend. Also, I love the feelings and emotions that it puts off, which is a fun, high-energy atmosphere. It makes me think of visiting an exotic club somewhere such as Miami or Ibiza, which are areas around the world known to be hotspots for clubbing.
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The lantern that will be constructed will use multiple disposable plastic water bottles tied together and can be held up by a hook to look something similar seen in the image by Home and Gardening Ideas (3). To incorporate the club aesthetic, there will be different colored LEDs that are bright and put off the clubbing appearance. Also, the bottles will have designs on them that give them an appearance of what you would see at the club. Therefore, the materials necessary for this project are small battery-powered lights that have color capabilities, adhesive tape, string (or something strong enough to hold up each bottle), and several water bottles seen in the image by Recyclopedia (4). The lights that were found online, shown in the image by Amazon (5) are waterproof, which means that water can be put into the bottles to give the experience of the moving lasers and lights seen at the club. The water bottles will be emptied before cutting the tops off in order to insert the battery-powered lights into the bottom of each bottle. Then the lights will be powered on and put in the middle of the bottom surface of the bottles. Once the lights are ready, a small hole will be cut near the top of each bottle for the string to pass through, which is then tied at a center point where all bottles can be hung up.
The club/rave aesthetic is chaotic, however, it blends high-tech, vibrant energy with a sense of freedom. It is meant to overwhelm your senses and want you to join the party atmosphere, which is what this project is aiming for.
References:
(1) Milestone Internet, 2023, https://social.milestoneinternet.com/uploads/resources/3574/AdobeStock_199210113_edm_smaller1704399521.jpg
(2) Lena Hayes, 2024, https://www.cassianwolfe.com/post/decoding-rave-aesthetics-symbols-colors-and-their-meanings
(3) Home and Gardening Ideas, 2016, https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.24f26e719a2f5a5cadf40ffc8005cd88
(4) Recyclopedia, 2023, https://cdn.recyclopedia.sg/strapi-assets/medium_Clear_plastic_bottle_2dc92dc39c.png
(5) Amazon, 2025, https://www.amazon.com/HL-Submersible-Waterproof-Flameless-Decoration/dp/B0C13BDVNW
1 Comment. Leave new
Hi Tyler, this project sounds like a lot of fun! I love how you’re combining the rave aesthetic with upcycled materials like plastic bottles. The bright LED lights and the chaotic, energetic vibe will definitely capture the essence of a club atmosphere. Can’t wait to see how it turns out!