Celebrating its fourth annual event, L A M P (Lighting Architecture Movement Project) continues to shine the light on future lighting designers. On Thursday, November 3, L A M P kicks off its international lighting design competition in Vancouver, Canada, celebrating the best in established, emerging and student designers from around the globe. The event runs November 3 to 6.

"This year's 'Cosmic' themed L A M P competition explored the link between sculptural object and far-reaching technologies”, says judge Rosie Li from Rosie Li Studio in Brooklyn, New York. “As a judge, I was delighted to see each entry present a unique vision of the future. May we all - as artists, designers, and makers - continue exploring these visions to define a creative future where art and science blend together."

L A M P aims to introduce a broader audience to lighting design while promoting and connecting emerging talent to new markets. This year’s top three first place winners in each category are:

• Established -‘Black Hole Lamp’ by Dario Narvaez & Anthony Baxter from New York, USA 

• Emerging -‘Antitesi’ by Luca Mazzon & Alessandro Dadone from Como & Bra, Italy 

• Student -‘Henyx’ by Anna Tomschik from Vienna, Austria 
  

L A M P received 132 submissions worldwide, from 80 cities and 27 countries. This year’s esteemed panel of judges included: Niels Bendtsen (Bensen); Jakub Zak (Patricia Urquiola Studio); Joana Bover (Bover); Rosie Li (Rosie Li Studio); Andrea McLean (Andrea McLean Design Office); Allison Mills (Owner, Inform Interiors - Seattle); Ellie Niakan (B. Interior Architecture, LC, CLD); and Phillip K. Smith, III (PKS3).

About L A M P - Established in 2013, L A M P is run by Vancouver founders Annika Hagen and Nicole Fox. L A M P allows designers, architects, and those with an appreciation for design to be part of a growing must-see exhibition that connects the local community with dynamic design. Now in its fourth year, L A M P looks forward to growing into an internationally recognizable institution for creative minds to showcase their designs. 

About the winners

Established Winner - ‘Black Hole Lamp’ by Dario Narvaez + Anthony Baxter

Concept Statement: A popular depiction of a black hole is an unseen force of nature drawing light down to a single point in space. Using this analogy, the ‘Black Hole Lamp’ controls the intensity of the light being emitted by creating a funnel from which the light cannot escape. In the ‘on’ position the reflective disc of material is fully illuminated, but as the flexible disc is drawn back towards the center of the black hole, the light gets dimmer until it eventually disappears. The ‘Black Hole Lamp’ is effectively dimming the light as it changes shape, in the same way a black hole draws in light and matter by altering the fabric of space. The design of the lamp features a silicone disc, which is deformed by pulling it (angle and length are changed), decreasing the travel of the light rays and its area of contact.

Emerging Winner - ‘Antitesi’ by Luca Mazzon & Alessandro Dadone

Concept Statement: Since the dawn of time we have been fascinated by the beauty and the “mystical powers” of the night sky, and the universe. Now looking at the universe we can see its rational aspect, linked to a number of scientific theories, and the other more spiritual perspective, that refers to religions and ideologies. Considering these two points of view, we designed a concept in which the light shows these two natures, just like two equivalent answers to the same question. The hanging disc receives light from a single source, and reflects back two different views from a dichroic film.

Student Winner - HENYX by Anna Tomschik

Concept Statement: The play of sun and moon structures a day. Two natural light sources that are guiding us through space and time. Urban living very often doesn’t match with sunrise and sunset, therefore the design challenge is to create our own lighting universe. Inspired by the natural reality of sun and moon, a bedside table light has been designed. Based on the user’s circadian rhythm, the luminaire assists by waking up and falling asleep in a pleasant way. Via mobile app, an individual set up can be made regarding light intensity and color temperature. The big hemisphere, the sun, will gradually illuminate itself in the morning linked to the alarm clock. The smaller hemisphere, the moon, features soft and reflected light at bedtime. Henyx, named after the greek goddesses of day and night Hemera and Nyx, contributes to a healthy lifestyle and brings us one step further to natural living.