Through Kitengela’s looking glass

Hanging chandelier made from eyeglass lenses. From a Flickr set by Ruth Terry.

Located just outside Nairobi, Kenya, a visit to Kitengela Glass is like falling down the rabbit hole to another world. Artists repurpose unused glass from construction sites and industrial suppliers to make functional art and whimsical sculptures—a creative upcycling of materials that’s as sustainable as the end results are beautiful. And nothing goes to waste: shards of broken glass form whimsical mosaic patterns on pathways, decorate the walls of staff quarters and guest bungalows, and tile a Gaudí-esque guest pool. The gift shop even sells “unicas“—reasonably priced blown glass pieces that didn’t quite match the others in their sets.