Press Release
A' Design Award in Lighting Products and Fixtures Design Goes to Luxblade Smart Lamp by Menghai Xia, Siyu Zang and Qijun Nie
Menghai Xia, Siyu Zang and Qijun Nie recognized for lighting products and fixtures design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 18, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Luxblade Smart Lamp by Menghai Xia, Siyu Zang and Qijun Nie, designed for Functional Form Flock Allies, has been granted the A' Design Award in the Lighting Products and Fixtures Design category. The result belongs to the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
What the A' Design Award Means
The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.
About Luxblade Smart Lamp
Luxblade is a smart lamp designed for home use. The main light unit, called the blade, is a cylindrical lamp without a traditional screw mechanism, holding control chips, a battery and LED panels. The blade is detachable and can be carried by hand, so light becomes a tangible object. Floor and desktop versions each offer three light sources: main lights, foundation domes and light rings. Touchpads on the blade adjust light direction with circular motions and brightness with vertical swipes. A magnetic base recharges the blade.
About Menghai Xia, Siyu Zang and Qijun Nie
FFBA (Functional Form Block Allies) is an award-winning design collective co-founded by Menghai Xia and Qijun Nie, dedicated to creating inclusive, human-centered innovations in product, service, and system design. With a mission to connect and empower communities, FFBA blends cultural insight, technological precision, and aesthetic clarity to solve real-world problems. The FFBA's work has received international acclaim, including numerous design awards, and is known for pushing boundaries while making design accessible, sustainable, and socially impactful.
Award Record
This recognition makes Menghai Xia, Siyu Zang and Qijun Nie a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Lighting Products and Fixtures Design Award
The A' Lighting Design Award is an international lighting design competition recognizing good lighting designs by best lighting designers and brands worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to lighting designers, lighting architects, industrial design studios and lighting product manufacturers from all countries. Entries typically include chandeliers, pendant lights, wall sconces, table lamps, floor lamps and outdoor lights. Awarded lighting designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/lighting
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/164780
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/164780
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!164780
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/358883
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Luxblade Smart Lamp
- Function
- Smart Lamp
- Category
- Lighting Products and Fixtures Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Furniture & Home and Electronics & Appliances
- Colors
- Saddle Brown, Sienna, Dark Slate Gray, Peru and Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Functional Form Flock Allies
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Menghai Xia, Siyu Zang and Qijun Nie
- Country
- China
- Recognition
- A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #164780
Credits
- Team
- Menghai Xia, Siyu Zang, Weijing Zhao, Qijun Nie and Yuqing Xiao
- Image Credits
- All pictures are works of the team.
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- The Luxblade lighting project introduces a cylindrical lightbulb without a traditional screw in mechanism, featuring advanced internal components like control chips, a battery, and LED panels. Inspired by making light tangible, users can grab and interact with the light. Both floor and desktop lamps have three light sources: main lights, foundation domes, and light rings. Touchpads on the blade let users adjust light direction with circular motions and control brightness with vertical swipes.
- Inspiration
- The inspiration of this project is the concept of “grabbing” light, transforming it from an intangible element into a physical, interactive experience. The luxblade allows users to hold and carry light, making it feel more personal and portable. By eliminating the traditional screw in mechanism, the design enhances this experience, creating a versatile object that redefines how we interact with light, shifting it from a purely visual element to a tangible, user controlled source.
- Research
- Our research for Luxblade blended functionality with a sense of wonder, inspired by tangible light in science fiction. We designed a light users could physically grab and carry. User feedback helped refine aesthetics, usability, and emotional interaction, resulting in a romantic, hands-on experience seamlessly integrated with smart systems like Apple HomeKit, merging science fiction-inspired design with practical, smart technology for everyday use.
- Challenge
- The hardest part of designing Luxblade was balancing its sci-fi-inspired aesthetic with practical functionality. Internally, we faced challenges in making light feel tangible while ensuring the product remained user-friendly and not overly futuristic. Externally, we had to address production limitations, such as integrating touch controls and battery technology in a sleek form. Additionally, ensuring compatibility with smart systems like Apple HomeKit while adhering to safety and tech regulations added complexity. Through iterative design and testing, we achieved a functional yet emotionally engaging product.
- Realization and Technology
- We managed the design and prototyping process in house using CAD and 3D printing. The main light source, "The Blade," is housed in a durable white acrylic shell, while the base and foundation domes are made from anodized aluminum to ensure stability and add the necessary weight. The advanced LED technology is integrated within this structure, and we developed touch-sensitive controls using capacitive touch sensors. The magnetic charging base was also engineered for seamless docking, and the software was built to integrate with Apple HomeKit for smart home compatibility.
- Operation and Interaction
- Luxblade has touch controls for adjusting light direction with circular motions and brightness with vertical swipes. The Blade, the main light source, is detachable for portability, and a guiding light on the magnetic dock activates upon removal. The base light also turns on when The Blade is removed, providing continuous lighting that can be controlled via Apple HomeKit or manually for a customizable and seamless experience.
- Project Duration and Location
- 2023.11-present. Savannah,Ga, USA and Beijing,China
- Specifications
- Main light unit, the blade: Length 350 mm x Diameter 44 mm The foundation light dome: Diameter 258mm Floor lamp height: 1500mm Desktop lamp height: 1000mm
- Keywords
- Tangible light, interactive lighting, smart home integration, touch sensitive controls, detachable light source, home decor, personalized lighting, LED technology, HomeKit, scifi inspired design
