Concept
SKYWAY is a light installation created for the GLOW Festival 2024 under the theme “The Stream.” As urban light grows brighter, the stars become invisible. SKYWAY reverses this; fighting light pollution with light itself. As people pass, the structure gradually illuminates, guiding the gaze upward to suggest a path to the sky.
SKYWAY is a light installation created for the GLOW Festival 2024 under the theme “The Stream.” As urban light grows brighter, the stars become invisible. SKYWAY reverses this; fighting light pollution with light itself. As people pass, the structure gradually illuminates, guiding the gaze upward to suggest a path to the sky.
The piece lives between art and infrastructure, acting as a reminder of what has been forgotten in the glow of modernity.
My Role
I was the creative lead for SKYWAY. I shaped the concept, designed the visual language, and coordinated the technical realization. I also created the financial plan and oversaw the build in collaboration with peers from architecture, engineering, and lighting design.
I was the creative lead for SKYWAY. I shaped the concept, designed the visual language, and coordinated the technical realization. I also created the financial plan and oversaw the build in collaboration with peers from architecture, engineering, and lighting design.
Working across disciplines taught me how to translate abstract intentions into real, material structures, especially under time and budget constraints. I was often the bridge between poetic vision and engineering execution.
Reflection
I worked within a multidisciplinary team, taking charge of the creative direction, technical realization, and financial plan. My main goal was to shape light as a narrative storytelling element, rather than illumination. Collaborating with different studies, companies, and the GLOW organization taught me how to navigate the challenge of translating and communicating what is abstract. Moreover, the irony of critiquing light pollution through a light installation set in stone my vision to design without placement, making design a communication tool that invites reflection rather than an end product.
This project allowed development of my PDP goal of using design elements not as their primary purpose, but as a vessel for non verbal communication. Compared to my 1st year designs, there was a clear shift from designing with literal motives, to designing with experimental ambiguity in mind.
Moving forward, I want to continue my exploration of presence rather than explicit messages. My next steps involve fine tuning to create a better harmony between art & tech. I aim to do this by incorporating data that can be translated into emotions, sticking with the theme of designing in-between. I have started learning technology and programs such as TouchDesigner in order to incorporate this contrasting aspect into my designs, such that I can craft quiter, but more impactful interventions.