Client: City of Lyon

Overview

The Planets is a light installation involving 70 Objects hanged in Public space above the visitors. Planets of various size are installed at different heights to create an immersive feeling once the visitor is standing underneath. Each of the planet has been hand crafted with its surface carefully sculpted to reflect the light. As the light moves around the object, abstract shapes will come into sight. These ever changing forms will appear and disappear in a kind of low poly pixelation to create a surreal and enigmatic atmosphere.
The reflection of the dynamic light on the planet also create the illusion of a three-dimensional object by playing with the shadows of its surface.

Goals

The main goal was to create a unique installation with urban scal proportions without compromising with proximity sight. Therefore, The Planets have two ways of experiencing the installation with 2 clear points of view:
- One from afar, playing with the perspective of the urban scale to occupy the space and the surroundings.
- The second is more about the details.
Once the visitors come closer to each object, they really can experience the multitude of variations on the surface of the planet. A bit like a light painting on a metal canevas, but always in motion.

Process

Once the project selected by the City of Lyon, PITAYA has worked closely with the City technical services and a company which specialisation is hanging light objects in the public space. The challenge was to have a very organic setting. The studio wanted to give the impression to have Planets flying randomly above the visitors, where you couldn't see a systematism in the hanging process.