University of Technology Sydney - Building 2 Atrium Space

"Lumi-pops
Alternative lighting installation at the University of Technology Sydney/AUS

BY: Franziska Ritter
 

Students spend their lives balancing a lively social life and intensive studies that will form the basis for their careers. The spaces students work in need to be adequately lit, but why not add an element of fun to reflect the creative minds poring over the mighty tomes? Lumi-Pops offers a practical and attractive alternative. This permanent lighting installation in the Building 2 Atrium Space is part of the “art light – University of Technology Sydney Exhibition” at the university itself.

The Lumi-pops installation aims to re-discover the spatial potential of the atrium and provide significant visual impact with minimal change and at minimal cost. Moreover, it uses less energy than the system which was replaced.

Each of the so-called Lumi-pops has a diameter of close to 1.5 metres. The installation is based on the additive and subtractive colour mixing techniques of the colour theory. The coloured fluorescent tubes, which are chosen to match the primary and secondary colours, and colour gels are selected by design from the visible spectrum. The precise wavelength is filtered through the fluorescent tubes and then filtered again through the purple tint Perspex. The overall lighting effect is one of white light in the space, while each individual luminaire appears to be a different colour.

Simple, coloured light tubes not only create a subtly surprising effect, but reveal a perceptual fact: additive and subtractive colour mixing on a grand scale.

Design concept: Emrah Baki Ulas, Steensen Varming, Sydney/AUS
Curator: Michael Day, University of Technology Sydney/AUS
Realisation: Richard Cale, Xenian Living Light/AUS"