Prize(s) Winners in Exterior Architectural Illumination / Interactive Lighting Projects / LED Exterior Systems / Light Art Project
Company Zwicker AG Licht Switzerland
Lead Designers Gallus Zwicker
Completion Date December 2012
Project Location CH 9000 St. Gallen
Entry Description«Shine on me» is an interactive illumination of a listed wooden bridge linking Switzerland with the principality of Liechtenstein. The work is as subtle as it is complex: when the bridge is not in use, the interior is in darkness – from the outside, it is recognisable by rays of light emanating from the openings between the slats. As soon as a pedestrian, cyclist or rider accesses the bridge, all lights are switched to a minimum light intensity and the first light is activated 100%. When the person moves forward, detectors in the other lights continue to determine the position, direction of movement and speed of the object detected. The lights communicate with each other and respond to the interaction accordingly. When people pass each other, their pools of light merge. Encounters are intense. The work by Gallus Zwicker gives the user an astonishing self-awareness and perception of his or her movements in both time and space, completely without gimmickry.
Company DescriptionSince 1990, the high-profile Swiss lighting designer Gallus Zwicker (born in 1968) has been using light to accentuate the architectural language. He develops subtle lighting concepts in which light acts as a design element, creating and communicating a sense of space. His light solutions are not accessories for an interior, rather they define this space. Light thinks in terms of space and Zwicker thinks in terms of light. With his work, Gallus Zwicker, owner of the company Zwicker AG Licht, has made a name for himself beyond Switzerland’s borders. One work that is unique for Gallus Zwicker is the illumination and light installation on an old Rhine bridge, which links two countries (see submitted work). The work «Shine on me» offers an impressive combination of interaction, emotional lighting and technology. Gallus Zwicker is an associate member of the Federation of Swiss Architects (Bund Schweizer Architekten – BSA) and a member of the Swiss Werkbund(Schweizerischer Werkbund - SWB).
