What better way to say hello to the New Year than taking in the city lights!  And while most places are adorned with shiny bling during winter holidays, this year Lausanne takes it to a whole new level with its first Festival of Lights. Going on through the month of December to January 2^nd, the event sprinkles the city with unique art installations selected through competition. These interventions literally show the city in a new light by turning hidden or unexpected corners into perfect spots for lifting a glass of champagne. Here are a few of them Continue!

Grand-Pont, a prominent bridge reminiscent of the industrial era, is now enlivened by the city’s logo drawn with seven glowing neon circles under its arches, an installation by Victor Vieillard.  Lit by these chandeliers, each arch becomes a romantic hideout to wait for New Year’s.

A few steps away, a giant red cocoon brightens the night, on the pedestrian bridge that connects Grand Pont with the main city square. The bridge intersects an elevator tower that allows the various levels of the city to connect horizontally and vertically.  The architects at Allegory, a Swiss architecture studio, wrapped the intersection with a whimsical weave of LED tubes, visible 360 degrees – perfect to meet under for the countdown.

Giant Lampounettes resembling desk lamps bring a homey feel to a darker alley, an idea brought from Lyon by the designers of Tilt (France).

All images courtesy of Festival Lausanne Lumières

In addition to the site specific installations, forty different “species” of flowers made of thousands of recycled bottles adorn various areas of the city.  The “plants” are named based on the appearance, color, size, or the origin of the raw material: Carnivoria, Lactea, Rose City, Acqua blue, and so on. Entitled Flowers 2.0, the intervention is created by designer and sound artist Pierre Esteve (France).

by Silvia Gugu

posted in Events Uncategorized

tagged allegory, lausanne, LED lights, light art, lighting design, reuse

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