Virtual winners' podium – the ICONIC AWARDS 2022: Innovative Interior (5/9)

If you think about it, the design of luminaires today offers the greatest creative scope imaginable. LEDs now enable designs that would not have been conceivable with conventional lighting technology. Of course, design is always dependent on technical conditions, but today, strong light no longer requires voluminous light sources – and heat generation is also largely eliminated as a problem.

This enormously increased design freedom, however, sometimes leads to formally questionable excesses, and this is where the designer's vision and perception of beauty is needed more than ever.

Beauty can be the result of special balance, subtle surface treatment, appropriate proportions, durable materials and subtle colours. With this in mind, let's take a look at the winning luminaire designs that were singled out at this year’s German Design Council ICONIC AWARDS: Innovative Interior.

It is of central importance for designers and manufacturers that their commitment to good design is recognised and reaches a wider public. Awards such as ‘Best of Best’, ‘Winner’ or ‘Selection’ within the framework of the Iconic Awards creates just this increase in attention for the designers, with the awards shining a spotlight on their successful, innovative designs.

The outdoor luminaire ‘qu’, for example, manufactured by IP44 Schmalhorst GmbH & Co. KG, found its way into the ‘Best of Best’ category. It represents the modern translation of a classic lantern into the present, with all the attached benefits, especially in terms of its flexibility and mobility. The light can be carried comfortably and can be hung on any wall with a handle, on branches or under ceilings with a rope. The powerful rechargeable battery is housed in the base, and the luminous LEDs are found in the head section.

The jury explained its decision as follows: ‘The idea of a battery-powered outdoor luminaire is not new. Nor is the possibility of moving it wherever light is desired. But rarely has the concept of such an outdoor luminaire been realised as beautifully and cleanly as it has been with the qu. Added to this are sensible and sympathetically solved functional details such as the triple touch dimmer and the clever suspension.’

‘Eclipse’ by Ehsan Aghdami was also awarded ‘Best of Best’: The illuminated object is inspired by the eight planets of the solar system, depicted in different colours. The frontal view presents the phenomenon of the solar eclipse as a model, so to speak. The seemingly paradoxical balance simulates weightlessness in space and requires exacting calculations and precision manufacturing techniques. What's more, the new version of the ‘Eclipse’ uses a real wood veneer, thus conserving resources and reducing production costs.

Russian designer Dima Loginoff created ‘Auroom Black’, a lighting system for the manufacturer Centrsvet, which received the ‘Winner’ award from the jury. The collection is made of brass, which is processed in such a way that the metal takes on a black hue as well as a brushed surface effect. The brightness can be regulated from a smartphone, for example, via the Centrsvet Smart Light App. 

Another ‘Winner’ was the Cameo H1 Series from Adam Hall GmbH. Developed for lighting installers and interior designers, the compact ‘Cameo H1 House Lights’ are available in different versions, for example with Daylight, Tungsten and Full Colour RGBAL LEDs. The series is complemented by an accessory package that offers a variety of mounting options. ‘Thanks to their formally clear, minimalist design language, coupled with a wide range of accessories, the elegant luminaires and spotlights of the "Cameo H1" series enable a variety of lighting scenarios,’ said the jury.

Here you can find more products that received ICONIC AWARDS: Innovative Interior awards. And while they may take very different technical and creative approaches, all are shining examples of good design:

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