Power outages are common in Beirut. The power is out for 3 hours a day, and that's only the scheduled cuts. Power cuts can't get in the way of homework, dinner, or entertainment, so candles are to be found in every Lebanese household. Candles, but not candleholders, as the Lebanese are accustomed to using plain saucers to hold the candles. Simply melting a bit of wax and pressing the base of the candle into it will suffice.
My family would use candles mostly during power outages. We would light the tall white candles and use saucers to hold them around the house. There would usually be more than one candle on each saucer, and often each family member would contribute one lit candle.
For bored kids, the rest of the saucer becomes a wax playground. Ignoring their parents' warnings about playing with fire, Lebanese children pick at the melting candle, taking hardened wax and burning it again, or softening it to mould into shapes, or making dripwaxmountains.
The candleholder I designed brings the concept of candles being for more than just ambience to the west. While the smaller hole communicates the intent—to hold a candle—the larger depression invites the beholder to fill it with what they will: matches, incense, and yes, wax.
The ritual of lighting a candle in a saucer begins with a drop of wax.
The form of the candleholder was inspired by the Modern architecture of Beirut. Left to right: Dar al Sayad building; Broumana High School; Phoenicia Hotel.
The candleholder was designed in the proportion of the Golden Ratio.
