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Responding to this year’s theme, “Art,” the installation creates an immersive visual experience that explores our perception of colour and light. It invites reflection on how colour contrast shapes what we see, questioning the ways in which we perceive our visual environment and the world around us.

The work highlights how an artwork’s location, atmosphere, and mode of illumination profoundly affect its appearance. Art is often encountered in galleries under controlled lighting conditions; however, the context in which a work is created or displayed can dramatically alter how it is perceived.

Artists have long engaged with different forms of light when producing their work, recognising that the quality, colour temperature, and properties of light influence both the making and viewing of art. Daylight, in particular, varies significantly by geography. The French Impressionists, for example, embraced the warm, luminous light of southern France, reflected in their vibrant colour palettes. In contrast, the cooler, diffused light of northern regions such as Scandinavia presents different chromatic qualities, which in turn shape artistic expression.

Artificially illuminated environments introduce further layers of complexity. Throughout the history of art, light sources have evolved from candlelight and tungsten to compact fluorescent lamps and, more recently, light‑emitting diodes (LEDs). Each lighting technology carries its own characteristics and variations, influencing colour perception and visual experience in distinct ways.

Within the installation, scrolling shifts of coloured light alter the frequency and quality of illumination, continuously transforming the artwork’s appearance and context. This changing perception references the work of the artist collective Carnovsky, whose practice demonstrates how colour-filtered light can reveal different images and create a sense of motion from static forms.

Mirror‑clad walls expand the spatial experience, generating an illusion of infinity and paying homage to the immersive installations of Yayoi Kusama. This repetition and reflection blur the boundaries of the physical space, reinforcing the work’s exploration of perception and visual instability.

The installation also embodies a commitment to sustainability. Wherever possible, existing products and material samples have been reused, minimising embodied carbon and reflecting a core principle of circular economy practice. In doing so, the work aligns artistic exploration with environmental responsibility.

Life is a dichotomy, Yin and Yang, Hot and Cold, Good and Evil.  With this in mind we dare you to step into frame, choose your side, OR one can simply disco!

Art and light share an imbalanced relationship in which the light is either depicted overtly within the piece or used externally to highlight it. When considering light within the context of art, often the assumption is that the light is there to merely illuminate the art. Sculpted Waste aims to explore the light-art relationship further by seeing how light can extend beyond the bounds of simple illumination and instead interact with it. The installation also allows light and art’s relationship to become symbiotic, as traditionally the artwork just has the light cast upon it, whereas this has the opportunity to impact the light as much as the light impacts the art. Forma’s motorised fixture range will allow the light to move and change over time, allowing the installation’s perception to become more dynamic as it moves away from a static, amorphous monolith and becomes a characterful, playful being.

The inherent nature of the Sculpted Waste allows it to be viewed from 360°. Orbital observation of the installation was a core principle of the light and object interaction, as the perceived interaction changes as you move around it. This further allows the installation to change as the viewer circulates. The integration of motion sensors will allow the light, and in turn overall installation, to change once it is aware it is being observed, adding to its character.

Sustainable thinking means extending our considerations past the lifetime of the installation itself. Our use of scrap materials, broken fixtures and manufacturing waste to form the main body of the installation cuts the use of virgin materials drastically. During the construction of Sculpted Waste, we will also be actively engaging in the lifecycle of luminaires as we disassemble them into their component parts, easing their transition into their next purpose of re-use or recycling. We are also breathing new life into various supporting components that are only ever intended to sit behind the source by intentionally lighting them. The installation also, quite literally, shines a light on the waste rooted within our industry.

Sculpted Waste is an acknowledgement of the issues that persist beyond the bounds of a standalone art installation, whilst also proudly celebrating light’s key role within artwork perception.

In response to this year’s theme, Art, our thoughts began by examining the idea of the moment: a fleeting, unrepeatable experience created through light.

We thought of the experience of a peep show, the intrigue and sense of risk was a feeling we thought would be interested to recreate in our installation.

Equally, we were interested in the historical development of light panels, in particular where light panels were made through fluorescent light tubes. We are interested in exploring how contemporary LED tubes, such as the Artemide Alphabet could be orchestrated to recreate an old fashion light panel with RGBWW tubes.

As lighting designers, we are fascinated not only by the finished effect but by the machinery and logic behind it. A choreography of drivers, optics, wiring, and reflective surfaces that combine to produce an apparently seamless outcome. This led us to think of the development of a moment inside the tubes, where the viewer pops their head into the Peep Show of light.

These questions led to the concept for Peep Show: an installation that appears as a pure, glowing column from the outside, yet invites designers and visitors to literally place their head inside the piece and reveal the infrastructure that makes the magic possible. Through a series of mirrors and repeated reflections, the internal LED tubes multiply into an infinite light lattice.

‘Chromatic Obliteration’ pays homage to the work of renowned pop artist Yayoi Kusama. Motifs she used throughout her career have been adapted and combined to create an interactive installation that reflects on themes of art, nature, technology, light, colour, life, and chaos.

Guests are free to walk through the ‘garden’ of 3D-printed, illuminated pumpkins, where they are invited to apply translucent coloured dots to the glowing vegetables. Pumpkins were chosen because they are a key motif throughout Kusama’s work, where she uses them as reflections of her childhood.

The installation is highly interactive, with visitors having ultimate control over its final appearance. This was an intentional exploration of the role of the artist, where artistic responsibility has been shifted from Kusama herself, to our design team, and finally resting on the shoulders of visitors.

The coloured dots have been designed to be cyan, magenta, and yellow. This invites guests to play and experiment with the concept of subtractive colour mixing by overlapping the translucent dots.

The installation is four-dimensional; it transforms over the course of the evening as the volume of dots applied intensifies. First, the pumpkins appear in pure, bright white, then accumulate vibrant CMY colours as dots are applied. They then shift to deeper RGB colours as dots overlap. Finally, as all three coloured dots overlap to create black, the installation darkens and the pumpkins become fully “obliterated”. This transition of colour, saturation, and intensity intentionally reflects life cycles found throughout the natural world.

An immersive spatial installation exploring the relationship between light, perception, and artistic experience. Formed by a sequence of suspended fabric and LED mesh panels, precisely cut to allow passage, the structure creates a permeable architectural volume that visitors can physically move through. Rather than standing before the work, viewers enter it.

Composed of parallel planes arranged at measured intervals, the installation functions as a volumetric canvas. Light and projected media unfold across translucent surfaces, generating shifting spatial compositions that surround the viewer in a 360-degree
environment. As imagery moves from layer to layer, depth becomes activated, not as illusion alone, but as lived spatial experience.

Integrated lighting elements that are strategically placed to highlight the contours, reinforce the dialogue between physical material and ephemeral light.
Inspired by Marshall McLuhan’s proposition that “the medium is the message”, The Portal positions light itself as the artistic medium. Here, light does not illuminate art, it is the art. Perception becomes the material, movement becomes composition, and
the audience becomes an active participant in constructing meaning.

In this environment, art is not an object but a condition, an evolving interplay between body, space, and luminous information.

The brief of simply “Art” was explored through a wide range of interpretations, including more traditional art forms alongside architecture, sculpture, and literature. This exploration helped define key attributes for the installation, with a strong focus on creating something highly interactive and visually distinctive.

Inspiration was drawn from the whimsical mechanical inventions of William Heath Robinson; his eccentric, machine-like constructions lend themselves to playful, kinetic installations. The piece also captures the essence of Olafur Eliasson’s 2003 work, ‘The Weather Project’. The sun, a powerful and recurring motif throughout art history, became a core influence, acting as a visual focal point for the design.

‘Solaris’ takes the form of a sun-shaped automaton powered by visitor interaction, encouraging active participation and creating the sense of stepping into a living artwork. Bright 2700K LEDs evoke a vibrant daytime sun, and as the handle is turned, the installation gradually transforms, the centre shifts into a warm red glow while the surrounding rays fade into cool blue tones. Mirrored mosaic materials enhance this transition by skewing and scattering the light, generating unique reflections that draw attention and spark curiosity.

Sustainability plays a significant role in the design, with the mechanism and structural components crafted entirely from recycled materials. Offering an environmentally conscious, dynamic, and engaging experience for [d]arc visitors.

This installation harnesses light, mirrors, and dichroic film to explore the themes of reflection and perception in a playful, immersive way. When presented with this year’s [djarc awards theme, our team began by reflecting on our individual experiences from the past decade. What started as a flurry of personal ideas gradually evolved through conversation- blending and growing into a shared creative expression.

We asked ourselves: how can we offer viewers the same layered, reflective experience?

The result is an abstract ’10’ formed with LED rope, designed as a 3- dimensional light sculpture. Depending on your vantage point, the installation reveals entirely different images. From the front, the ’10’ becomes an infinity mirror —its form reflected endlessly into the distance. From the east and west, the dichroic film casts a spectrum of colours that shift with every degree of movement, creating a dynamic, ever-changing visual.

And everything in between is up to the viewer to discover. Whether jumping, crouching, circling around, peering in from above, or layering reflections with the film, every interaction reveals something new.

In the end, each person walks away with their own version of the experience-shaped by both physical perspective and personal reflection.

Image: Gavriil Papadiotis (www.gavriilux.com)

Imagine a future where natural and electric light exist in harmony, where technology learns from nature rather than overpowering it. A future where bioluminescence guides us, and electricity is used with care, enhancing rather than harming the world around us. To move forward, we must first do less harm. Then, no harm. Add zero. Then redefine our symbiotic relationship with nature.

In this space, we explore the mesmerizing power of bioluminescence, light that lives, breathes, and responds. Through magnitudes of ten, we journey deeper, zooming into the interplay of natural and artificial light, sensing its impact not just on our surroundings but on ourselves.

Step into the pod….
Lift and shake the bottle, watch as the bioluminescence dims. Put the bottle down to let the algae rest and witness the digital magnification.
We invite you to pause, to feel, to reflect. May this experience spark curiosity, inspire change, and remind us that nature already holds the answers, we only need to learn how to listen.

Image: Gavriil Papadiotis (www.gavriilux.com)

PENDULA is an installation centred around reflections, both physically and mentally. As 10 years of DARC Awards have passed, it feels an appropriate time to reflect on what has happened around lighting. An oversized pendulum makes those who interact with it very conscious of the time passing, and hopefully in turn, of the time that has passed. In an increasingly digital time, the installation aims to explore the coalescence of digital and mechanical elements to visualise motion, where digital approaches are often favoured. Manufacturing waste included in the installation aims to highlight our impact on the environment, not just through the luminaires themselves, but everything that facilitates their purpose.

In a hectic, loud and fast-moving world, a time to pause and reflect can often be a luxury. A time to pause, to breathe, to be.

Image: Gavriil Papadiotis (www.gavriilux.com)

Light is often viewed as a symbol of clarity, knowledge, and truth, transcending physical boundaries to illuminate the world around us. It is a force that reveals hidden realities, making the unseen visible, and provides the strength to overcome darkness, both literally and metaphorically.

The strength of light can be understood in terms of its intensity and its ability to penetrate even the densest of obstacles. In many contexts, light represents power—its presence signifies life, energy, and growth. The symbol of “X” is frequently associated with the crossing of paths or the intersection of possibilities, often representing a point of convergence or transformation. When paired with the number “10,” which denotes completeness, wholeness, and a culmination of a cycle, “X” can signify a moment of profound change or realization.

Together, the idea of light and the significance of “X” and “10” evokes a powerful message of enlightenment, discovery, and the potential for transcendence, where strength, knowledge, and transformation converge in a single, radiant moment.

Image: Gavriil Papadiotis (www.gavriilux.com)