Vote for your favourite light sculpture

Limbic Cinema - 'Interval'

(Eastbourne Place)

Interval is a playful light sculpture that uses layers, repetition and rhythm to reflect on the passage of time in Norwich.

Interval celebrates the stories, memories and history of local communities living in and around Eastbourne Place and the wider city.

Inspired by the large sycamore and beech trees found at Eastbourne Place, the sculpture is an abstraction of tree rings that visualise the passage of time over the course of a tree's life.

Divided into two sides, the piece carefully traces the existing topography of the planters, ending in a gateway that unifies the sculpture and creates an immersive focal point. Elements in the design made from wood represent markers in a timeline, allowing people to move from the past at one end, to the future at the other end.

Integrated lighting will add to the sense of a timeline, flowing forwards and backwards in patterns that compliment the rhythm found in the structure.

Sound is integrated through the use of QR codes embedded into many of the upright elements, allowing people to access carefully curated short form audio documentaries that give insight into the culture, diversity and creativity of Norwich in relation to the city's past, present and future.

Residents of Norwich will be integral to the creation of the light sculpture. Creative workshops with a range of community groups will present an opportunity for people to reflect on the history and future of the city. The recording of these memories and aspirations for the city will allow access to a time capsule of responses from the community engagement accessed through the QR codes.

Digital audio content and changing light levels means Interval can be enjoyed at all times of year. At twilight the LED lighting combines with fading daylight to create a harmonious balance between the sculpture and the environment.

Toy Studio - 'Flint'

(Norwich Arts Centre/St Benedicts Street)

Our proposal, ‘Flint’, is inspired by the rich history of Norwich’s beautiful buildings, medieval streets, and vibrant culture. It responds directly to the unique character of the site, whilst simultaneously referencing elements which speak to the local history and heritage of the wider area. 

‘Flint’ is formed of a collection of mirrored totems placed around the grounds of the Norwich Arts Centre. Made from a lightweight frame and clad with a one-way mirror with a vinyl pattern applied to the inside, each form houses a single vertical LED tube inside. Their shapes are inspired by the organic forms of the flint walls, which not only form the Church of St Swithin, but are an inescapable and indelible part of the history and landscape of Norfolk. They have been positioned in relation to the multiple churches and other places of the historical significance which contextualise Norwich.  

The piece intends to reveal and celebrate the hidden stories which can be found right under our feet. With each totem referencing a monument or place of interest in Norwich, it encourages those to further explore the city and seek out the other landmarks, acting as an abstracted wayfinding map. This connection to the city and these wider places of interest is further cemented through the community engagement process. The community will help explore and design motifs and patterns directly related to the different landmarks, which will be abstracted and applied to the inner side of the mirrored surfaces. 

During the day, the mirrored surfaces reflect their immediate surroundings. Shards of the Grade I listed church are sympathetically contrasted with distorted reflections of itself, St Benedicts Street and the passing public. The public can interact and explore this ‘mirror maze’, finding the small enclaves which have naturally formed, offering areas of refuge with a degree of privacy where the venues current seating can be moved to. As the sun sets, the work takes on a new light and the public’s experience of the installation changes. The LEDs within the obelisks come to life, illuminating and completely transforming the ‘maze or mirrors’ into a collection of animated infinity mirrors. Their appearance changes from reflecting their context to becoming more inward focusing; the vinyl pattern applied to the inner face is suddenly visible and a kaleidoscope of patterns appear, revealing an illusion that the lights and patterns within are continuing forever, receding into infinity.

Toy Studio - 'Tint'

(Eastbourne Place)

‘Tint’ is a collection of prismatic totems projecting from the ground as if remnants of the city’s medieval foundations. Their forms are inspired by the organic forms of the flint walls which are an inescapable and indelible part of the history and landscape of both Norwich and the wider Norfolk County. Made from a lightweight frame and clad with a colourful panel with a vinyl pattern applied to the inside, each form houses a single vertical programmable LED tube at their centre. The objects have been positioned to enhance and activate the new entire pedestrianised island without obstructing the movement around the site.  

The installation is inspired by the rich history of Norwich’s beautiful buildings, medieval streets, and vibrant culture. It responds directly to the unique character of the site, whilst simultaneously referencing elements which speak to the local history and heritage of the wider area. The colour pallet has been defined by the recent branding of VisitNorwich/Norwich BID, has been chosen. One for each district, they are inspired by the 900-year-old landmark which is the striped roofs of Norwich’s modernised outdoor market, making this a proposal represent a ‘gateway’ to the city for those entering from the train station.  

Playing with only natural light, during the day, the changing brightness and angle of the sun produces ever-changing transparencies and beautifully coloured shadows reach out over the entire pavement. The experience of this multi-sensory maze of colour will be ever changing depending on the time of day and the time of year they visit and can be experienced both from a distance or up close, allowing visitors to engage with the city in a new light and a new colour. It acts as a beacon for people moving about the area. As the sun sets and the nights get longer in the ‘off-season’. Natural light makes way to artificial light, as LED tubes located in the centre of the sculptures come alive, flickering, and illuminating, bathing the site in a rainbow of colour and bringing a sense dynamism to the city. These lights are programmable, meaning the brightness of each LED element along their height can be individually controlled.

Helena Doyle - 'Aurae – Arch Vault'

(Norwich Arts Centre/St Benedicts Street)

‘Where do we begin? Begin with the heart.’ Julian of Norwich

Aurae is a project of 2 complementary light installations; the Fan Vault and Arch Vault inspired by Julian of Norwich’s philosophy of care with the aim to provide a place of comfort, contemplation, joy and connection.

The Arch Vault design is based on forms found in medieval architecture and stained glass windows as well as sacred geometry. A reflective, illuminated disk with mandala is cradled by a curved wooden arch vault creating an immersive experience for the viewer. The custom designed mandala will weave together motifs and elements reflecting Norwich's historical and contemporary culture.

Lighting hidden around the edge illuminates the disk and projects the pattern down, immersing the space in a celestial like quality of light. By default the installation will slowly fade through a series of cool colours but will ‘warm up’ as people come closer. When the viewer stands directly underneath the mandala the lighting will become more animated to acknowledge their presence.

Visitors will also be able to access and listen to a specially recorded guided meditation inspired by Julian of Norwich. The installation is designed to accommodate both the individual and collective experience and aims to spark joy, be a beacon of hope and bring people together.

Helena Doyle - 'Aurae – Fan Vault'

(Eastbourne Place)

‘All shall be well.’ Julian of Norwich

Aurae is a project of 2 complementary light installations; the Fan Vault and Arch Vault inspired by Julian of Norwich’s philosophy of care, with the aim to provide a place of comfort, contemplation, joy and connection.

The design is a modern take on the medieval fan vault found in Norwich cathedral. Oak beams form the seating at the base and branch skyward to hold a reflective, metal ‘sun disk’. During the day, sunlight will bounce reflections and cast shadow patterns and as the dusk falls the LED lighting system will slowly illuminate the installation. The light will reflect off the textured, mirrored surface of the ‘sun disk’ and project a wash of soft, sublime light onto the area and viewers below.

By default the lighting will slowly fade through a series of cool colours but will ‘warm up’ when people come closer. When a viewer sits on or is close enough to the base the light will react to their presence with that segment becoming more animated. As more people interact with the installation it becomes a dynamic fountain of colour and movement.

The Fan Vault is designed with physical comfort in mind; the seating allows viewers to relax and take their time enjoying the light while the canopy offers protection from the rain. Visitors will also be able to access and listen to a specially recorded guided meditation inspired by Julian of Norwich. The installation is designed to accommodate both the individual and collective experience and aims to spark joy, be a beacon of hope and bring people together.