LumiAdd celebrates the successful conclusion of inaugural “3D Unleashed” luminaire design competition

LumiAdd has proudly announced the successful conclusion of its first-ever 3D Unleashed luminaire design competition, an ambitious new initiative created to give lighting designers, architects, and interior designers unconstrained creative freedom. The initiative underscores LumiAdd’s commitments to sustainability and design freedom – values that sit at the heart of both the founders and company’s mission.

Sustainability has been integral to LumiAdd’s approach, with all the products they make using plant-based polymers and additive manufacturing. The 3D Unleashed competition provided an empowering opportunity to showcase the environmental advantages of 3D printing alongside the boundless design possibilities it offers.

Freed from the constraints of traditional tooling, designers were able to explore intricate geometries, organic forms, and unique textures that would be impossible, or prohibitively expensive, through conventional manufacturing. 3D printing manufacturing allows concepts to move from imagination to reality at speed, accelerating both prototyping and refinement, and of course, project delivery.

“We launched 3D Unleashed to spread the word about the design freedom we offer and to see what designers could create,” said Jamie Norris Green, Co-founder of LumiAdd. “We believe 3D printing is having a transformative effect on the lighting industry – it supports local manufacturing, speeds up innovation, and minimises creative constraints.”

Jamie also addressed industry perceptions: “Some still hold the belief that heavier luminaires made from excessive amounts of aluminium are inherently better. While this may hold some truth for certain applications, we see it as unnecessary. Our philosophy is to use the right amount of carbon-intensive materials, favour sustainable alternatives, and embrace greater flexibility in colours, textures, and finishes. Every new technology faces resistance – it’s our role to prove its value for the future.”

The competition encouraged entrants to submit purely conceptual ideas without the need for fully developed, production-ready designs. This freedom resulted in an inspiring variety of submissions that celebrated both form and the versatility of 3D printing.

Lewis Smith, Co-founder of LumiAdd shared “The design concepts we received were inspiring, bold, and creative. When it came to shortlisting the entrants, it was a real struggle for both Jamie and I, and the judges. Each concept had taken varying inspiration in form, texture and function. Overall, we are delighted at the traction it received, and we are elated for the winner.”

LumiAdd is now turning its attention to bringing the winning concept, Flames of the Aegean by Effie Polydouli, an accomplished interior architect and lighting designer, to life. The company’s ultimate goal is to develop the design into a commercially available product range.

Looking ahead, LumiAdd plans to run the 3D Unleashed competition annually, building a growing “Creator Series” that champions innovation, sustainability, and the creative potential of additive manufacturing.