Prize(s) Winners in Religious & Spiritual Site Lighting Design
Lighting Design/Product Company Expolight
Lead Designers Mykola Kabluka
Client Kyiv Regional Military Administration
Photo Credits Andrii Avdieienko
Other Credits “Kyiv region. Places of Memory” project
Completion Date 24/08/2024
Project Location Irpin, Ukraine
Entry DescriptionThis memorial installation symbolizes a profound and enduring process of healing and rebirth. The light installation is situated at the site of the destroyed Romanivsky Bridge in Irpin, which, after the horrors of the early days of the Russian invasion, became a symbol of the will to live and was named "The Road of Life."
To enhance the effect of presence, the team employed special lighting techniques that draw attention to the tragedy of the Ukrainian people and highlight the life-affirming philosophy of the "Road of Life" project. Using museum-quality lighting, we accentuate elements of the memorial site and use narrow-beam isolated strokes to depict red threads, symbolizing a scar on a fresh wound and the healing process. Pulsating light dramatically emphasizes these red threads, connecting the halves of the destroyed bridge. This symbolizes that while concrete and metal can be destroyed, the spirit, will, and faith cannot be obliterated.
The red threads in the installation symbolize the nation's unwavering strength. Despite the pain and destruction, these threads reconnect what was broken and continue moving forward. They represent a temporary fix and a deep and resilient process of healing and rebirth. The installation honors the memory of losses and inspires recovery and development, demonstrating that unity.