A SERPENTINE CHANDELIER THAT BRINGS LIGHT, INTERACTIVITY AND PLAYFULNESS TO AN UNDERPASS IN WASHINGTON DC’S NOMA DISTRICT

Lightweave is a permanent public artwork located in Washington DC’s NOMA district. It translates ambient sounds from the city into dynamic auroras of patterned LED light. Slowly changing effects are activated by the noise and vibration of passing trains, cars and other sounds from the neighborhood. Lightweave animates the underpass and creates a meditative and interactive urban experience.

The artwork consists of six 65’ long curvaceous sections (390’ total) of suspended stainless steel and LED lattices. Each section contains 26 computer-controlled LED modules. The artwork is mounted ~11’ above the sidewalk on a steel column and beam structure that does not touch the underpass above in any way. Sensors embedded a various locations in each section feed information to a computer which triggers variable and overlapping responses from the LEDS.

Typical sound events in the immediate area range from 50dB+ (passing automobiles in the tunnel) to 100dB+ (train horns). Lightweave translates these sound events into fluid wave patterns of light. Similar to dropping a single pebble into an undisturbed pond, waves of light slowly oscillate through the Lightweave. Multiple sounds will create dynamic visual overlaps. The quality and placement of lighting elements will enhance safety and comfort.

Date: 2019
Location : L Street Underpass and 2nd Street NE, Washington DC
Size: 180’ x 60’ x 14’-6”
Materials: Stainless Steel (Lattices and Cable Trays), Aluminum LED Channels, Galvanized and Epoxy Painted Carbon Steel (Structure), Various sensors and electronics.

Design: Jason Kelly Johnson (Project Lead) and Nataly Gattegno (FUTUREFORMS)
Team: Ji Ahn, Fernando Amenedo, Nat Abbott, Ripon DeLeon, Laura Dell'Anno, Joel Frank, Jeff Maeshiro, Brian McKinney, Carlos Sabogal, Emily Saunders, Collin Schupman
Consultants: American Metal Fabrications (Richmond, VA), Endrestudio (Oakland, CA / Chicago, IL), Maramoja (NL), MC Dean (Washington, DC).
Commissioned by: NOMA Parks Foundation, Washington DC; with the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Awards & Recognition: Architecture Masterprize Award 2019; Design that Educates Award (Silver Prize, Responsive Design); CODA Awards Top 100 in 2019; Architizer A+Awards, Finalist, 2019.
Exhibited at: The Venice Architecture Biennale 2018,  GAA Foundation / European Cultural Centre's "Time, Space, Existence" exhibition at Palazzo Bembo, Venice, Italy
Press: Opening Press Release (Read the Press Release); Washington Post; San Francisco Magazine; Curbed Washington DC; On Tap Magazine

Tags: #lightweave, #lightweavedc, #futureforms, #futureformslab, @futureformslab @noma.bid