The bike rims, she realized, bore an uncanny resemblance to the structure supporting Isamu Noguchi’s classic Akari pendant lights, and to that of the well-known George Nelson hanging lamps. How hard could it be to turn them into a similar pendant light?

Call it the Upcycle Bicycle lamp.

We began to scour the streets for spare parts — abandoned bikes with a patina of rust, a missing seat or handlebars, flat tires or mangled rims. The East Village, SoHo and the Williamsburg neighborhood in Brooklyn emerged as prime hunting grounds. The more transient the population, the more likely that a once-loved member of the family would be tossed to the curb.

Materials collected, we set about devising a simple fixture with an air of 1960s cool. The design was straightforward: We took two de-spoked rims, one slightly larger than the other, and inserted the smaller into the larger, securing them at one junction with a screw, nut and washer.

Once the structure was in place, it was time to install the light. An old lamp socket and cord would work beautifully, though you can find something similar at any lighting store (we got ours at Canal Lighting for $20). With at least 20 feet of cord, the lamp can be adapted to virtually any setup.