A lighting design inspired by South Africa’s iconic vuvuzela has won a top award for John Edwards, a 24-year-old University of Cape Town School of Architecture student.

The unique Vuvu lamp, as this homegrown creation is known, will be made of timber and will be turned to get the right shape.  Its simplistic design will ensure that it can be used in any room - either as a standing lamp, a bedside lamp or a pendant.

“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”, said Edwards. This observation led to the birth of the Vuvu lamp.

Edwards’s design was selected from over 120 entries in the eighth annual SOLVE New Talent Search award. The prestigious annual competition, organised by Elle Decoration magazine and sponsored by Weylandts, was open to both students and amateur designers for the first time.

The judges, amongst others, looked for a simple, unique design which 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. Furthermore, a clear understanding of the brief was essential and the production cost had to be limited to R1 800.

The winning design will be manufactured by Weylandts and sold in Weylandts stores.

For more information contact Judy Bryant (0832867168 / judybryant@telkomsa.net); John Edwards (073 425 3201), or Lauren Shantall Deputy Editor, Elle Decoration (021 488 1751).

(Source: Media release issued by Judy Bryant Communications on behalf of Elle Decoration Magazine)