This past year, people walking through the pedestrian tunnel in Sandnes Sentrum, Norway, were faced with the unique opportunity to watch their shadows transform into a beautiful luminous art show. Constructed as part of the city’s European Capitol of Culture 2008 event, the Strømer, is an interactive LED display wall that weaves a wonderful mixture of art, energy-efficiency and play into the fabric of daily existence.
The Strømer is the brainchild of Stig Skjelvik and Snøhetta architects in collaboration with Prototyper AS and Rasmus Hildonen. It is based on Stig’s Dobpler prototype, a modular interactive LED system that is activated by movement. When arranged next to each other, the project create a uniform series of modules that illuminate based upon a visual input system. As people move through the tunnel the wall lights up and leaves luminous trails behind them. Needless to say, this is a great way to turn a very, well, pedestrian space into a brand new experience.
Watercolours, the project website for the installation in Sandnes states:
Sandnes’ city centre is split in two parts by the railway line. A new, creative illumination of our railway station subways will give us safer traffic and walkways. The subways become lighted portals, pleasant to use, mirroring the users who can observe themselves and others as active elements of the township.
+ Dobpler Interactive Led System
+ Snøhetta architects
+ Watercolours
This is a ripoff of an exhibit deisgned by students from Art Center College of Design back in 07.