Philips and PLDA name Australian Flynn Talbot as Young Lighting Designer of 2010

Frankfurt, Germany – Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) and the Professional Lighting Designers Association (PLDA) have named 29-year-old Flynn Talbot as winner of the Architectural Lighting Design Competition, set up to identify new talent amongst the latest generation of young professional lighting designers.

The competition, launched in January, called on lighting designers under 35 to submit concepts for a temporary lighting installation at Frankfurt’s Saint Peter Church, with the winning project showcased during the Luminale – the PLDA Celebration of Light during Light + Building 2010 in Frankfurt.

Flynn Talbot’s winning, LED lighting-based concept, was chosen out of 175 international entries by a jury of design experts who judged the entries on a number of criteria, including creativity, response to the context and architecture of the church, energy consumption of the scheme, and the scheme’s feasibility as a temporary installation.

“I wanted to create an experience,” says Flynn, who comes from Perth in Australia. “I wanted my solution to be more than just lights. I came up with an idea that I called Portal. The idea was to have a ‘cloud’ of light at the top of the spire that would be blown about by the wind. It was almost like a piece of heaven or a piece of the sky that had fallen down and landed on the tower. It would act like a beacon across the city.”

"The 2010 Architectural Lighting Design Competition set out to provide up-and-coming talent with an international showcase for their creativity,” comments Mark Major, a leading lighting architect and member of the judging panel. “Flynn embraced this opportunity perfectly with his submission, which won over the judging panel by telling a story through light. Flynn is a fantastic young talent and we wish him well for the future.”

Garrett Forde, Chief Commercial Officer of Philips Professional Lighting Solutions in Europe, added: “Flynn’s concept is a wonderful example of how LED lighting is expanding the lighting designer’s palette. We’re delighted to be involved in this competition helping provide a great platform for talented new designers like Flynn to create new possibilities for lighting in cities and urban spaces and, ultimately, simply enhancing life with light.”