Silo 468 by Lighting Design Collective // Urban Light Art Installation for City of Helsinki.

In 2011, Madrid-based Lighting Design Collective, lead by Tapio Rosenius, won the 1st prize in an international competition to realise a permanent urban light installation in Helsinki – an official project for Helsinki World Design Capital 2012. The designers converted an old oil silo (no. 468) into a mesmerising light display and a civic space. Natural light, wind and reflections of light on surrounding water formed the principles for the lighting concept.

The vast volume of the 36m diameter and 17 meter tall steel silo was perforated with 2012 holes, referencing the year Helsinki was made ‘World Design Capital’. The interior was painted dark red and made accessible to public. This spectacular daytime space is now filled with dappled and dynamic shadows.

At night 1250 white LEDs flicker and sway on the surface of the silo controlled by a bespoke software, mimicking swarms of birds in flight – a reference to silo’s seaside location. The prevailing winds, well known to those living in Helsinki, are used to trigger different light patterns in real time.

If you are interested, I highly recommend watching the below video which explains the entire process form concept proposal, design development, construction to the final opening. Amazing.

[Images courtesy of Lighting Design Collective.]