Octantis is the winning proposal of the ideas competition promoted by the Murcia City Council (Spain) as a reason for the completion of the urban regeneration works and actions carried out in the southern part of the city. The proposal must be located in the old 25-meter-high Andalusian-style water tank built at the beginning of the 20th century.
Our main objective was to enhance the beauty of the ancient structure of the deposit and that it could be seen from miles away.
To do this, we thought of an object that had to meet three premises: be large-scale, extremely light and that, beyond its sculptural form, would emit a message of awareness about the future development and planning of our cities. The result of these premises was the design of a six-pointed star-shaped light sculpture with a main aluminium structure and tensioned steel cables. On these cables are supported 18 units of 5 meter-long opales tubular diffusers that contain inside digital Led strips that can be programmed for the creation of light and sound shows.
The light installation is named Sigma Octantis, the star closest to the south pole that can be seen from the earth by the human eye. Its light has served as a guide throughout the centuries but unfortunately in recent decades the exponential increase in light pollution and energy consumption has brought with it irreparable environmental consequences such as the alteration of the natural habitat of many living beings, global warming of the planet or the disappearance of the beauty of our wonderful starry sky.
The sculpture illuminates the old water tank creating a new place for contemplation and reflection around it. Through its light Octantis sends a message of optimism and hope that invites us to rethink about the present and future development of our cities. We have the opportunity to correct past mistakes and design a public night space based on sustainability criteria and respect for the environment where the reduction of parameters such as light pollution allows us to enjoy a show that was always there, the brightness and magic of a sky full of stars.
