Energy Saving Light Bulb Wins A Prestigious Design Award

When you think of the light bulb, you likely think of something that delivers function over form. When you think of design awards, you likely think of angular furniture, chairs made of steel bars and sofas made from all manner of strange materials. You probably don\t think of the as a design award winner but that is exactly the title it walked away with in the prestigious 2011 Brit Insurance Design of the Year awards earlier this week.

Held in the contemporary, aesthetic-fuelled surrounds of London’s Design Museum, a modern reimagining of the ubiquitous energy saving bulb saw an everyday household object transformed in to a sleek object art. Beating out almost 100 competing entries for the trophy, the new look energy saving lightbulb, designed by British designer Samuel Wilkinson and product design company, Hulger, the Plumen 001 is a thoroughly modern interpretation of an old classic.
With a snaking, bending, curvaceous form the award winning light bulb is both contemporary and design led. It is also incredibly energy efficient with the designer quoting an 80% energy saving compared with a normal incandescent light bulb and an eight times longer life span.

Economical and chic, the bulb is designed to not need a lamp shade so can be positioned in the room as a focal point. As with all energy saving bulbs, it is intended as a direct replacement for any regular incandescent light bulb, making it practical too.
Will Self was a member of the jury committee assessing the dozens of designs. Speaking about the unlikely winner he said, “We felt these bulbs were neat, appealing and covetable in the right, affordable way. Light is, of course, primary to design, without it there can be very little, if any. The design of light sources is thus an elemental component of a design aesthetic.”

The winning light bulb along with its designer challenges is currently on display at the Design Museum. You can buy energy saving light bulbs from BLT Direct, who have a range of hundreds of styles, shapes and wattages to choose from. To browse the range and buy online, check out our website.

About BLT Direct: BLT Direct are an online supplier of lighting solutions. They provide a wide range of lighting products, as well as light fittings and lamp disposal services, and are committed to offering energy efficient solutions to meet a wide range of home and business lighting needs.