Bringing simplicity to life

The 2008 Philips Simplicity Event presented a new collection of simplicity-led design concepts demonstrating Philips’ brand promise - sense and simplicity. As the theme ‘Healthy People, Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Planet’ suggests, these concepts explore solutions that deliver both emotional and tangible benefits to those who engage in responsible activities.

The 2008 simplicity-led design concept collection builds on its three predecessors – adding a challenging layer to previous achievements. By exploring new sustainability issues, the results could potentially be applied not only to the concepts demonstrated at the show, but to many more future solutions in all the domains Philips is active.

The concepts identify near future scenarios that aim to make it simple for people to make ecologically responsible choices for the environment as well as increasing people’s awareness in contributing to a better world.

Conscious domestic consumption
Emulating a Japanese teppanyaki steakhouse, Green Cuisine brings together kitchen and dining room, host and guest, preparation and consumption, serving and sharing. Green Cuisine comprises a number of domestic products, including the Healthy Steamer, Smart Kettle & Cups, and Cooking Modules, that work together on an interactive Kitchen Table. A performance indicator monitors and displays energy consumption to encourage behavior change and increase responsible energy use.

Harnessing renewable energy
Light Blossom transforms the personality of any community from industrial to ecological, harmonizing forces of nature and working with the planet, not against it. The Light Blossom is a light pole for outdoor use that collects its own energy from the sun and wind by transforming its appearance. Proximity sensing ensures that is efficient LEDs beam light only when and where required. Light Blossom’s LEDs use half of the energy of a traditional street light for the same light output, with overproduced electricity supplied back to the grid.

Responsible consumption of goods
The Circle of Life represents an entirely new shopping experience in which old products are returned, recycled and reused, for which consumers are rewarded and the planet benefits from less waste. New products are co-created with the customer in order to decide on and include only required functionality. They are then assembled onsite. Research shows that self-made products have more value and are less disposable.