iLITE, a creative vision on architectural lighting solutions

Chris Kievid and Dieter Vandoren

iLITE, an installation commissioned by Philips, is part of the Transitions II – Light on the Move travelling exhibition, which highlights the architectural application of Philips’ lighting systems. The road show travelled throughout Europe in 2007 and 2008, visiting Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom and Sweden. The aim of this series of events is to show that light offers infinite possibilities as a working material in architecture and design. This journey into creative lighting features eight very different self-contained and highly imaginative lighting designs conceived from the creative vision of the eight leading European architects and designers. These innovative lighting designs demonstrate the creative potential of a new generation of architectural lighting solutions. Using standard industrial containers as a common basic space in which to create light art, visitors have the incredible opportunity of entering a scenery of expressive containers and immersing themselves in the architecture of light.

For this event ONL [Oosterhuis_Lénárd] and Hyperbody created an interactive installation that invites the visitor to play. This iLITE installation is designed and developed as a modular system of light objects executed in the interior of the 2.4 m x 2.4 m x 6 m container (Figure 1). Using the versatile Philips Vidiwall modular iTile LED displays, an iLITE multiple lamp object configuration consists of a number of these two-sided tiles sporting a matrix of RGB-led's (Figure 2). The tiles can be fitted to each other on each of the 4 connecting sides, which can also be fitted to the floor, wall and ceiling. When connected, tiles become aware of their position in the network. The real-time generated graphics are mapped over this modular network of tiles, allowing tiles to be added, removed and repositioned in real-time.

[Figure 1] [Figure 2]

Three iLITE configurations were realized for the Transitions series of exhibitions. One configuration stands on the floor, one is cantilevered from the wall and one hangs from the ceiling of the container. Each of them is coupled to an audio speaker. The brainchild of a visionary conceptual strategy, this project creates an endless graphic universe of light that fades out after three or four reflections on the darkened glass surfaces. The visitors experience the feeling of floating in a universe of slowly shifting luminous lines and swarming dots.

The always changing play of straight coloured lines and distributed dots, complemented by tonal and granular audio, is generated by a real-time algorithm specifically written for iLITE using the Max/MSP + Jitter software platform. The movements of people in the space of the container trigger changes in the pattern and the density of the light as well as of the three-channel audio output (Figure 3). All motion is captured by six Phidget motion sensors placed in the ceiling of the container, taking direct input from the behavioural flow of people within the space. The more activity in the container, the more intense the graphic and audio output will be. The visitor is submerged in a responsive environment of light and sound. The public feels its presence matters. When people leave or come to a standstill, the lights will fade out to leave only a few twinkling dots.

[Figure 3]