Q&A With Light Award Winner Amy Phillips

WORDS Malibongwe Tyilo

The annual Haute Lumière Light Awards, presented in association with VISI Magazine, along with sponsors Pamboukian Associates, ELDC (European Light and Design Centre), Regent Designs and SA Fashion Week, celebrates all things innovative and inventive when it comes to artificial light design. In 2013, the designers were pushed even further, and encouraged to move beyond objects like desk lamps and side lamps.

The entrants were invited to imagine an empty room or box. Then, using contrast, shadow, line, shape, texture, reflection and refraction, they had to define the imagined space with light. The final result would be an installation.

The 2013 winner, Amy Phillips, created her light installation with the help of the other four finalists. It was recently unveiled at SA Fashion Week, which opened on 15^th October 2014. She also got to attend the IALD Lights workshop led by leading European lighting designers in Alingsås, Sweden. We chatted to her about her trip (and all things light). 

What do you think made your entry stand out and eventually win?

The design developed many layers, from my preliminary submission through to the final result. The use of texture on the panels allows each surface to reflect the light differently. The lighting layers are created by the colours and the sharp light in comparison to the sharp beams from the spotlights. 

What was the inspiration behind it?

At the time of the first sketch, it was halfway through the year and I needed something to energise me. I thought, why not invigorate the people who step into this space. Maybe they need it too!

Tell us more about the workshop in Alingsås?

I finished studying last year so it was refreshing to be in a space of intensive learning and concept creation again. The learning process is even more layered when you are connecting with people from all around the world. I was fortunate enough to have Torborjn Eliasson as my workshop head who has participated in the workshop a number of times. He gave us a toolbox of nine 2m x 2m white panels along with nine colour-changing RBG luminieres. At first the framework seemed constricting but with such a short time to complete the installation, his toolbox helped us to achieve a successful end result.  Each site was complemented with a piece of music by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg. 

What are the major lessons you’ve learnt from the trip? 

With regards to lighting I learned the value of the night and to consider how we experience the dark. Johan Moritz’s talk was particularly inspiring. He suggested that LED is not the only way to save energy; it is rather that using the correct light source in the correct way can save 40 – 60% energy. Outside of lighting knowledge, I learned that South Africa is really on par with many aspects of design and our knowledge of design software is especially good. Our country is ripe with opportunity to light public spaces and for specialised lighting education. I learnt that it’s very important to study further to be able to compete on a global level. A BA degree no longer puts you ahead of the pack. 

What do you think can be done to further uplift the quality and popularity of lighting design in South Africa?

I think it starts at an education level, the sooner we can have a recognised qualification the better. As designers, we should all be considering how we are using luminieres effectively. We have a unique opportunity to use lighting to enhance the ambiance and safety of our public spaces.

Plans for the near future?

I came back from Alingsås with so many ideas that I’m now trying to refine and some how make them all relate. It would be a shame to let this new knowledge go to waste, so all the ideas involve lighting in some way. I’d love to awaken a culture around #IALDchasedark 2015 in Johannesburg. I’m considering starting a lighting/interiors blog but while I’m still sorting out the ideas in my head, you can follow me on Twitter at @amyflipflops.