SEED by Agar Archive reinterprets botanical forms through handcrafted glass
Agar Archive, a design studio based in Xiamen, China, introduces SEED, a glass fragrance diffuser inspired by the organic structure of a bean pod. Part of the studio’s inaugural collection, Archive 01, the tabletop object transforms a familiar botanical form into an intimate design piece. Crafted from cast Liuli glass and natural crystal, SEED examines the relationship between plant life and human perception, inviting a closer look at the biological structures that often pass unnoticed in everyday surroundings.
The design takes its inspiration from the bean pod, a botanical vessel whose significance extends beyond its association with food and cultivation. Within its protective shell, seeds develop before dispersing to establish new growth. Agar Archive draws attention to this reproductive function, treating the pod as an expression of regeneration, movement, and biological continuity. Its elongated silhouette retains the recognisable proportions of the original plant while introducing a different visual language through transparency, colour, and the physical properties of glass.
Handcrafted using traditional Liuli glass casting techniques, SEED features a translucent outer shell containing a sequence of natural crystal seeds. Small air bubbles remain suspended within the glass, creating irregularities that recall the cellular textures of living organisms. The softly defined surface alternates between cloudy and transparent areas, allowing the enclosed crystals to become visible at different angles. Measuring 200 millimetres in length, 26 millimetres in width, and 17 millimetres in height, the object is available in five colours: pastel yellow, purple, grey green, pastel pink, and sky blue. brumetaipei+1
The casting process plays an important role in the object’s appearance. Liuli, a traditional form of Chinese art glass, involves a sequence of mould-making, high-temperature firing, cooling, and finishing. Variations in pigmentation, internal textures, and trapped air give each handcrafted piece individual characteristics. In SEED, these qualities create an unexpected contrast between the apparent softness of the botanical form and the solidity of its glass construction. The crystal elements remain enclosed within the pod, evoking seeds preserved at a moment before germination.
Although designed primarily as a fragrance diffuser, SEED is intentionally open to interpretation. Its compact proportions allow it to occupy a desk, shelf, or tabletop as a decorative object, while its fragrance function introduces a sensory dimension to the design. This flexibility reflects Agar Archive’s interest in creating objects that invite personal interaction beyond their immediate practical purpose. The diffuser becomes both a functional accessory and a small-scale study of the natural world, connecting the experience of scent with the visual language of botanical anatomy.
SEED belongs to Archive 01, a collection comprising three tabletop designs inspired by different forms of life. Alongside the diffuser, SPORE interprets the folded structure of wood ear fungi as a glass incense holder, while ANT AND DEWDROPS translates an encounter between insects and moisture into an embroidered textile mat. Together, the objects establish Agar Archive’s approach to collectible design, using everyday biological forms to consider coexistence, perception, and the relationship between people and their surroundings. Through SEED, an ordinary bean pod becomes an opportunity to recognise the complexity already present in nature.
All images courtesy of Agar Archive, shared with permission
