The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

Although the iconic <a href="http://inhabitat.com/lamps-and-tables-crafted-from-steel-repurposed-off-san-franciscos-golden-gate-bridge/">Golden Gate Bridge</a> draws <a href="http://goldengatebridge.org/visitors/">over 10 million</a> visitors each year, the <a href="http://baybridgeinfo.org/">San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge</a> serves more than double the daily traffic - and it's finally getting its share of the spotlight. In 2013, San Francisco originally installed 25,000 LEDs on the bridge as part of a two year installation, effectively transforming it into the world's largest light sculpture. This week the installation returns as a permanent fixture. Designed by artist <a href="http://www.villareal.net/">Leo Villareal</a>, <a href="http://thebaylights.org/about/">The Bay Lights</a> ignites the bridge with glowing forms that fall like rain, rise like fizzing champagne bubbles, and swoop across the bay like passing clouds. Hit the jump for a firsthand look at this amazing installation!

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

The lighting project uses approximately 4.5 miles of cable and 25,000 LEDs with Leo Villareal’s extraordinary algorithms and patterns. When combined, the historic bridge is transformed into a dazzling work of art.

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

The last time we checked in with Leo Villareal, he had just installed a gigantic glowing LED Buckyball in NYC's Madison Square Park. For The Bay Lights, Words Pictures Ideas founder Ben Davis called upon the acclaimed artist to create a monumental, first-of-its-kind light sculpture. A team of specially-trained riggers hand-wired 25,000 LED nodes on 300 vertical cables that run the length of the Bay Bridge's 1....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/the-bay-lights-unveiled-worlds-largest-light-sculpture-illuminates-san-francisco-bay-bridge-with-25000-leds/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

The last time we checked in with <a href="http://www.villareal.net/">Leo Villareal</a>, he had just installed a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/leo-villareal-to-create-giant-glowing-led-buckyball-for-madison-square-park/">gigantic glowing LED Buckyball</a> in NYC's Madison Square Park.

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

For <a href="http://thebaylights.org/about/">The Bay Lights</a>, <a href="http://wordspicturesideas.com/">Words Pictures Ideas</a> founder Ben Davis called upon the acclaimed artist to create a monumental, first-of-its-kind light sculpture.

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

A team of specially-trained riggers hand-wired 25,000 <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/led/">LED</a> nodes on 300 vertical cables that run the length of the Bay Bridge's 1.8-mile-long western span. The cables rise over 500 feet high, and the nodes are spaced at one foot increments.

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

In designing the Bay Lights, Villareal was inspired by the site of the Bay Bridge.

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

It will cost just $15 per night to light up the bay from dusk until 2am (for a total cost of about $11,000 over two years), and the energy used will be offset through the purchase of solar credits.

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

The project's $8 million price tag was largely financed by donations, and <a href="http://thebaylights.org/about">according to the website</a> it is expected bring $97 million tourist dollars to the local economy.

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

If you won't be in the Bay Area to check out the installation, fear not - The Bay Lights is hosting a <a href="http://thebaylights.org/view#view-info">live webcast</a>.

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

<big><a href="http://thebaylights.org/about/">+ The Bay Lights</a></big>

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

An estimated 50 million people will view the installation over the course of its 2 year run, and the patterns won't be repeated a single time.

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

The patterns that race across the span call to mind passing traffic and boats, cascading waves, and shifting weather conditions.

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

The Bay Lights shined through rain and fog at their unveiling on March 5th.

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge

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Leo Villareal

Artist Leo Villareal

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal

The last time we checked in with Leo Villareal, he had just installed a gigantic glowing LED Buckyball in NYC's Madison Square Park. For The Bay Lights, Words Pictures Ideas founder Ben Davis called upon the acclaimed artist to create a monumental, first-of-its-kind light sculpture. A team of specially-trained riggers hand-wired 25,000 LED nodes on 300 vertical cables that run the length of the Bay Bridge's 1....<br><br><a href='https://inhabitat.com/the-bay-lights-unveiled-worlds-largest-light-sculpture-illuminates-san-francisco-bay-bridge-with-25000-leds/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Although the iconic Golden Gate Bridge draws over 10 million visitors each year, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge serves more than double the daily traffic - and it's finally getting its share of the spotlight. In 2013, San Francisco originally installed 25,000 LEDs on the bridge as part of a two year installation, effectively transforming it into the world's largest light sculpture. This week the installation returns as a permanent fixture. Designed by artist Leo Villareal, The Bay Lights ignites the bridge with glowing forms that fall like rain, rise like fizzing champagne bubbles, and swoop across the bay like passing clouds. Hit the jump for a firsthand look at this amazing installation!

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The Bay Lights by Leo Villareal