Oxford Street Illuminations Competition, London

Based on the concept of the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), the design uses a continuous, linear, colour-shifting light field to create an artificial ‘aurora’ that cascades down the unique shopping street. The design developed in collaboration with 3D Reid has two main elements, a ribbon and a star field. The ribbon uses 500,000 fully addressable, three colour LED luminaires to create a never-repeating continuous geometry that undulates along Oxford Street from Tottenham Court Road to Marble Arch. At each of five ‘gateways’, the ribbon takes a more flamboyant path and its programming changes, providing a strong sense of arrival for visitors.