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Drumroll please......

We have a winner in our Bright Ideas Lighting Design Competition ^[6]! The polls are closed, the votes have been tallied and the winners of our Bright Ideas Lighting Design Competition ^[6] are finally in. Over the past few weeks, 40 brilliant ^[6] eco lamp designs ^[6] have been duking it out in a light fight to the death in our Bright Ideas Competition ^[6] that we hosted in partnership with Philips Lighting ^[7] to shed light on LED technology. Now our readers and a panel of design industry judges ^[8] have weighed in, and in the end, only the cream of the crop could reign supreme and take home the $1,800 in cash prizes ^[9]. Are you ready to see who won?

AND THE WINNERS ARE...

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GRAND PRIZE WINNER – ED CHEW’S TETRA PAK LAMP! ^[10]

We guess hard work really does pay off because all those nights that designer Edward Chew ^[10] spent cutting box drink cartons into hundreds of strips and folding them into pieces to create his beguiling Tetra Pak lamp ^[11] have landed him the grand prize in the Bright Ideas Lighting Competition ^[10]! Not only is the Tetra Pak Lamp ^[10] 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!

“Ed Chew’s Tetra Pak lamp ^[10] was a clear standout in the Bright Ideas Lighting Design Competition ^[6] 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.”
- Jill Fehrenbacher ^[12], Editor-in-Chief, Inhabitat.com

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READERS’ CHOICE WINNER – CAROLYN JOAN LAU’S NOURISHMENT LAMP ^[13]

The people have spoken and Carolyn Joan Lau’s Nourishment Lamp ^[13] was their clear choice to take the cake in the Bright Ideas Lighting Design Competition ^[6]. Although this beautiful lamp is made of banal upcycled household materials like used Yakult yogurt bottles and plastic ties, the end result is a glowing work of art ^[13] that inspires as it illuminates.

“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!” – Sarah Chew

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THIRD PLACE WINNER – SHAY ALKALAY & YAEL MER’S PINHA LAMP ^[14]

The simple and elegant Pinha lamp ^[14] by Shay Alkalay and Yael Mer grabbed the judges’ attention with its clever cork multi-use design. Because of the material used, this adorable pendant lamp ^[14] can be easily customized by fastening a paper shade to the base using a pin.

“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.”
- Sam Grawe ^[15], Editor-in-Chief of Dwell Magazine ^[16]

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RUNNER UP – ANDREA CARVAJAL’S BLOWFISH LAMP ^[17]

Inspired by the form of the blowfish, Andrea Carvajal’s Fugu lamp ^[17] captivated readers with its mesmerizing circles of light. Made out of refurbished scientific test tubes, the resulting geometic light fixture ^[17] is a modern and playful addition to any room.

“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!” – Sheila Arocha

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RUNNER UP – GILLES EICHENBAUM’S COFFEE POT LAMP ^[19]

Instead of discarding this old coffee pot ^[19], designer Gilles Eichenbaum ^[19] took it and transformed it into an original, illuminated piece of art. The Coffee Pot Lamp ^[19]‘s creative example of adaptive reuse won it a spot as a runner up in the Bright Ideas Lighting Competition ^[6].

“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.” – Beth Larsen

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RUNNER UP – PIERRE OSPINA’S BLOSSOM BULBS ^[20]

Pierre Ospina ^[20]‘s Blossom Bulbs ^[20] were a Bright Ideas judge ^[8] 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.

“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.” – Kim Wike

Congratulations to all the winners of the Bright Ideas Competition ^[6], and thank you to everyone who participated in this fun design contest. We were thoroughly impressed with the work submitted and hope we’ve been able to shed a light on the beauty of LED technology.

+ Read about all of our Bright Ideas Finalists ^[21]