Flashlight Week: Best Submissions

Flashlight Week in Season 8 brought a range of designs, from stripped-down industrial forms to bold conceptual work. Reviewing the highlights, we saw strong CMF choices, refined geometry, and fresh takes on a familiar object. Here are some standouts.

Header image by Maxime Hautebas, thumbnail by Keziah Menjitsky.

Refined Forms and Materials

Keziah Menjitsky’s octagonal flashlight (below) was a highlight, using subsurface scattering to give its edges a soft glow. The effect elevated a simple form into something sculptural and refined, adding a sense of depth and translucency that made the geometry feel even more intentional. One of our team faves!

Alessandro Irtegin’s X-ray flashlight had a more technical feel. With a scalloped back, USB-C connection, and a deep purple metallic finish, it felt futuristic and precise, almost like a SpaceX rocket component.

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Minimalism Done Right

Burkhardt Schempp’s submission leaned into Dieter Rams-inspired simplicity, with a single-blended glossy form that looked like it belonged in a Braun archive. The understated Super-LumiNova details added a touch of precision.

David Wissel’s pure cylinder design took minimalism even further. With an unadorned form and a carefully considered clip, it felt like an essential tool—something you’d clip to your belt for a camping trip.

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Concept-Driven Designs

Jiu Lee’s brutalist flashlight went all-in on function-first design. The squared-off, CNC-milled aesthetic made it feel more like an impact tool than a flashlight—tactile, compact, and unapologetic.

Christopher Richard’s "Boa" flashlight took the opposite approach, with a fluid, biomorphic shape inspired by oleoid forms and blended surfaces. It felt right at home among the organic modeling experiments seen in Plasticity reels.

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Interactive Ideas

Maxime Hautebas’ design played with a layered shell construction, using polycarbonate over an internal structure to create a sense of depth. It felt like a dive light or a rugged field tool, with a refined material story. One of our faves!

Mayur Parab’s indexing flashlight introduced a smart pressure-based brightness control, where pressing the button deeper increased the light output. This made it as much about tactile feedback as illumination.

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Between Lamp and Flashlight

Thomas O’Brien’s design blurred the line between flashlight and task light, with an adjustable neck and soft-diffused beam. The strong attention to material breaks and transitions made it a solid entry, even if it pushed the category.

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A Classic Reimagined

Carson Porter-Keese’s Tube Torch kept things simple in the best way. With its soft edges, rechargeable design, and approachable proportions, it felt like a flashlight you’d instinctively reach for. The friendly geometry and clean execution made it a standout.

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The Render Weekly Take

Our (Sample Studio) entry used a fluted, flower-like profile, built from a rounded nine-pointed star. The twist-to-activate design allowed the user to turn it on and adjust the beam length with a single interaction, keeping the form clean and functional.

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Flashlight Week once again proved that core industrial design prompts lead to some of the most thoughtful work. As we move into Sheet Metal Week, we’re looking forward to seeing how designers approach the next challenge.

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