Light in the tunnel stems from the fantasy of portals and the fun of lightbending. Aside from the cool effects lighting can have, there’s also an aim to get the most of the experience through all senses possible. Hence the idea of a bridge going down and back up whenever stepped on intrigued the team to explore it. Light in the tunnel is a kinetic installation with sensors that respond to pressure. Every time people step inside, the installation will open wider and lights will illuminate the portal, creating a tunnel light like experience.
The team first made a prototype with one main base structure and one fiberglass binder at the top. Upon making the model in real life, some adjustments are made to ensure safety and stability of the installation.
The base system consist of main structure, supporting structure, and functional part. The main structure consist of PVC pipes, bamboo segments, and springs to create a dynamic experience of going up and down. There are 2 main structure for each segments to stabilize the step. Bamboo slats are used as the flooring people step on. The supporting structure is the side structure that consist of bamboo segments, metal hinge, bamboo slats, and aluminum pipe. The top bamboo segments connected to the hinge also serve a functional purpose as light sockets.
The overhead structure consist of fiberglass, aluminum pipe, and 3D printed joints. The Aluminum pipe holds each system as a rigid overhead frame connected to fiberglass as the wall. The fiberglass were also used to connect each individual system whilst creating a flexible structure so dynamic movements will not cause the joint to break.
The lights on the fiber part that covers the installation and the bamboo on the footing system will light up when stepped on or pressured. This system works on each module separately so that the lights will turn on alternately whenever someone passes by.
As structurally safe as it is, going through the installation is still a challenge for some people as they fear the dynamic footing. It’s like going on a rollercoaster ride to test your bravery. But fear not! Here are some guides to help you safely experience the installation to the fullest:
- Pray, relax your mind and body
- Keep calm and place one foot on the foot sticker to turn on the lights
- Be sure and slow, going in a hurry may cause unwanted incident
Overall, it’s a fun experience and a great photo spot.
