Lightsails

Millstatt, Austria

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Lightsails

Millstatt, Austria

Firm

Type

Cultural ›

YEAR

2008

Light sails are used as guiding symbols for the state exhibition
around the Millstaetter Lake, Austria. In the 90's the lighthouse, one
of the oldest communication systems, was used as a metaphor for
orientation through the World Wide Web by the internet browser "Netscape
Navigator". The lighthouse - a point of orientation, to be seen from
far, was long time used for shipping throughout day and night. Nowadays
the lighthouse is used as a symbol for holidays, for the sea, for
adventures and water.

The idea to design the 7 light sails comes out of that old and very
well known lighthouses. As lighthouses, the light sails, are used to
guide the visitors around the different exhibitions.
The objects are abstract sails, as a "light-space-installation". The
objects are orientated to the lake. The lake Millstaetter Lake is
getting a tribune out of water, because the energy of the lake is
trapped, converted and reflected as light. So the sails are working as a
transmitter and receiver at the same time.
The illumination of the light sails itself is reacting to the
surrounding - the more people approaching the sails the more vibrate
light. The illumination is also reacting to the temperature - they are
constantly changing their color. The colder the temperature the warmer
the color of light is getting and inverse.
In the dawn the integrated moving heads start their show. They
elevate from water surface of the lake. The cone of lights raise and
drop, they pulsate, they are reflected by the water. They connect and
show the way from one light sail to another one.
In association with Karl Sodek.