The Launch Pad Finalist Exhibition opening and awards evening was the first official event to kick off Saturday in Design 2012, last night.

A cold, blustery Melbourne evening didn’t put guests off, with a strong crowd turning out at Launch Pad’s exhibition venue, Lightly, in Collingwood, to sight the Finalists and find out who took out the top award.

The Ultimate Launch Package went to Andrew Grigor for his pendant, Glide, which was inspired by the set of 1970s flying ducks hanging in his father’s workshop.

Setting out to create a light that embodied the simplicity and dynamism of the ducks’ planar wings, Grigor produced a design – and prototype – which caught the eyes of the judges.

Grigor, who was one of the 10 Finalists to be selected from a total of 140 entries, will receive a $10,000 grant from How We Create; the opportunity to have the prototype retailed through Living Edge; and a one-year advertising campaign with Indesign.

The two recipients of the Indesign Awards, (with each award worth $1000) were David Hardwick for his Unfold Table and Tate Anson for Solaris and Tryst.

Special thanks goes to Launch Pad’s Major Sponsors: Living Edge and How We Create, as well as Transport Sponsor Palamont.

Thanks also to the judges and mentors whose active role in Launch Pad’s judging and mentoring sessions proved indispensible.

Congratulations to Launch Pad’s 10 Finalists.

Their prototypes are currently on show at Lightly, open Friday and Saturday for Saturday in Design.

Anara Mailybayeva Tall Poppy

Andrew Grigor Glide

Campbell Yule & Anastasia Tubert Ida Side Table

David Hardwick Unfold Desk

David Houbaer & Alec Balcombe Eco-Light

Leonie Evans Wally Ruler Fam-A-Lee

Meriam Salama & Marianne Sourial The DecoGlide

Ruth Allen In the Spirit

Tate Anson Solaris Tryst

Troy Backhouse Ned

Visit Lightly at 3 Glasshouse Road, off Wellington Street in Collingwood.

Launch Pad

launch-pad.com.au

Images © Nicole England