Announcing the Winners of the Bright Ideas Lighting Design Competition!

<h3>Drumroll please......</h3> We have a winner in our <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/">Bright Ideas Lighting Design Competition</a>! The polls are closed, the votes have been tallied and the winners of our <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/">Bright Ideas Lighting Design Competition</a> are finally in. Over the past few weeks, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/">40 brilliant</a> <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/"> eco lamp designs</a> have been duking it out in a light fight to the death in our <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/">Bright Ideas Competition</a> that we hosted in partnership with <a href="http://bit.ly/jBoDGo">Philips Lighting</a> to shed light on LED technology. Now our readers and a panel of design industry <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/judges/">judges</a> have weighed in, and in the end, only the cream of the crop could reign supreme and take home the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/prizes/">$1,800 in cash prizes </a>. Are you ready to see who won? <h3><big><big>AND THE WINNERS ARE...</big></big></h3>

<h3><big><a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/edward-chews-tetra-pak-origami-lamps/">GRAND PRIZE WINNER - ED CHEW'S TETRA PAK LAMP!</a></big></h3> We guess hard work really does pay off because all those nights that designer <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/edward-chews-tetra-pak-origami-lamps/">Edward Chew</a> spent cutting box drink cartons into hundreds of strips and folding them into pieces to create his beguiling <a href="http://inhabitat.com/edward-chew-creates-stunning-geometric-lamps-from-recycled-tetra-paks/">Tetra Pak lamp</a> have landed him the grand prize in the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/edward-chews-tetra-pak-origami-lamps/">Bright Ideas Lighting Competition</a>! Not only is the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/edward-chews-tetra-pak-origami-lamps/">Tetra Pak Lamp</a> absolutely breathtaking to behold, it's also a fabulously creative example of upcycled design and craftsmanship - it was even assembled without the use of any adhesives! <em>"<a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/edward-chews-tetra-pak-origami-lamps/">Ed Chew’s Tetra Pak lamp</a> was a clear standout in the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/">Bright Ideas Lighting Design Competition</a> for its inspired use of materials and amazing craftsmanship; the designer painstakingly cut, folded and assembled hundreds of Tetrapak containers into this flawlessly geometric lamp. This is a shining example of upcycled design that is so professional and well-executed that you can’t tell it is made out of junk - but once you realize this, the story becomes even more impressive." - <a href="http://inhabitat.com/author/jill">Jill Fehrenbacher</a>, Editor-in-Chief, Inhabitat.com </em>

<h3><big><a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/glowing-nourishment-lamp-made-from-plastic-bottles/">READERS' CHOICE WINNER - CAROLYN JOAN LAU'S NOURISHMENT LAMP</a></big></h3> <p> The people have spoken and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/glowing-nourishment-lamp-made-from-plastic-bottles/">Carolyn Joan Lau's Nourishment Lamp</a> was their clear choice to take the cake in the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/">Bright Ideas Lighting Design Competition</a>. Although this beautiful lamp is made of banal upcycled household materials like used Yakult yogurt bottles and plastic ties, the end result is a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/glowing-nourishment-lamp-made-from-plastic-bottles/">glowing work of art</a> that inspires as it illuminates. <p> <em>“Looks so glam and out of this world- can’t believe it is made from plastic bottles. Kudos on such a creative design- you’ve certainly got my vote!”</em> - Sarah Chew

<h3><big><a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/pinha-lamp-introduces-personalized-approach-to-lighting/">THIRD PLACE WINNER - SHAY ALKALAY &amp; YAEL MER'S PINHA LAMP</a></big></h3> <p> The simple and elegant <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/pinha-lamp-introduces-personalized-approach-to-lighting/">Pinha lamp</a> by Shay Alkalay and Yael Mer grabbed the judges' attention with its clever cork multi-use design. Because of the material used, this <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/pinha-lamp-introduces-personalized-approach-to-lighting/">adorable pendant lamp</a> can be easily customized by fastening a paper shade to the base using a pin. <p> <em>“It has the best realized form (riffing on Alvar Aalto's beehive pendant) and offers the end user a great deal of flexibility - It really seems like its ready to become a product already.” - <a href="http://www.dwell.com/people/sam-grawe.html">Sam Grawe</a>, Editor-in-Chief of <a href="http://www.dwell.com/">Dwell Magazine </a></em>

<h3><big><a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/fugu-inspired-blowfish-lamp-creates-hypnotic-circles-of-light/">RUNNER UP - ANDREA CARVAJAL'S BLOWFISH LAMP</a></big></h3> Inspired by the form of the blowfish, Andrea Carvajal's <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/fugu-inspired-blowfish-lamp-creates-hypnotic-circles-of-light/">Fugu lamp</a> captivated readers with its mesmerizing circles of light. Made out of refurbished scientific test tubes, the resulting geometic <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/fugu-inspired-blowfish-lamp-creates-hypnotic-circles-of-light/">light fixture</a> is a modern and playful addition to any room. <em>“I love it! I get a very nice calming energy when I look at this design. It makes me feel like I’m actually all alone under the sea. Great!”</em> - Sheila Arocha

<h3><big><a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/glowing-schilthorn-transforms-an-old-coffee-pot-into-a-lamp/">RUNNER UP - GILLES EICHENBAUM'S COFFEE POT LAMP</a></big></h3> Instead of discarding this <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/glowing-schilthorn-transforms-an-old-coffee-pot-into-a-lamp/">old coffee pot</a>, designer <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/glowing-schilthorn-transforms-an-old-coffee-pot-into-a-lamp/">Gilles Eichenbaum</a> took it and transformed it into an original, illuminated piece of art. The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/glowing-schilthorn-transforms-an-old-coffee-pot-into-a-lamp/">Coffee Pot Lamp</a>'s creative example of adaptive reuse won it a spot as a runner up in the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/">Bright Ideas Lighting Competition</a>. <em>“While I loved several of the designs, I just had to vote for this one. I appreciate the way this takes objects that were once beloved and makes them beautiful and relevant once again. Poetic, indeed.”</em> - Beth Larsen

<h3><big><a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/pierre-ospinas-blossom-bulbs/">RUNNER UP - PIERRE OSPINA'S BLOSSOM BULBS</a></big></h3> <p> <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/pierre-ospinas-blossom-bulbs/">Pierre Ospina</a>'s <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/pierre-ospinas-blossom-bulbs/">Blossom Bulbs</a> were a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/bright-ideas-competition/judges/">Bright Ideas judge</a> favorite thanks to their creative form and nature-mimicking buds of light. Made from recycled rubber tire linings, the branch-like fixtures are fitted with LED bulbs and can be installed in patches to creates forests of illumination. <p> <em>“I saw these lamps a while back and LOVE them! What a wonderful idea and great execution! These would be beautiful in so many different applications. I am hoping that the aluminum tube is also a reused material since that is the bulk of the lamp. I love the texture that the rubber provides! Great job.”</em> - Kim Wike