SOLVE winner

ELLE DECORATION  and Weylandts are pleased to announce that the winning entry in the eighth annual SOLVE New Talent Search is… the Vuvu Lamp!

This lighting design was submitted by John Edwards, a 24-year-old University of Cape Town School of Architecture student, who says about the Vuvu Lamp:

“Next year being the World Cup, I wanted to design something soccer-inspired. The first idea I had, ended up as the one I submitted – a light based on the vuvuzela. Next year, visitors to South Africa will want to take home more than a plastic curio – the design-savvy visitor will look for something more. The Vuvu lamp will be made of timber and will be turned to get the right shape.”

Edwards’ design was selected from over 120 entries and the winner was announced at the Green Point, Cape Town outlet of Weylandts Homestores on Thursday 5 November. The judges were looking for a simple, unique design that captured the Zeitgeist, was eco-friendly and showed an understanding of design as part of a process, from its origins to how the waste materials are dealt with. A clear understanding of the brief was essential and the production cost should not exceed R1 800.

Congratulations to John Edwards, and to the other finalists too (see their work in an earlier post).