In its fifth year, the Vancouver Lighting Architecture Movement Project competition (LAMP) attracted established and emerging designers and a world-class jury, including Munich-based designer Ingo Maurer and Design Milk founder and executive editor Jaime Derringer. The two were among nine professionals this year who judged the entries’ adherence to this year’s theme of balance, and selected winners in three categories: Established, Emerging, and Student.

For the Established group, Tom Fereday’s sculptural, modular luminaire Mito, manufactured by Rakumba Lighting, snagged first place. Christian Lo and ANONY Studio’s Highwire, which features a weighted aluminum LED disk at the center of the pendant’s tautly mounted electrical cable, earned the top spot in the Emerging category.

The Student winner was Nathan Sui’s Driftwood, a nature-inspired lamp with a stone-like base and wood piece floating above to evoke light illuminating driftwood.

“Balance was a clever subject and we were impressed by the diversity of lights,” says Maurer. “LED is certainly a big improvement in our daily technical life, but it is important not to miss the essence of light.”