The concept of Guerrilla Lighting was created by Martin Lupton, director of BDP's lighting group, to promote lighting design and create a platform to discuss key issues such as professional design, waste and sustainability. The power behind the exercise was the participation and collaboration, which was what particularly impressed the judges.
Under the guidance of a team leader, the teams created transient lighting designs by using high powered torches, battery powered LED projectors, luminous dot lights and an array of gels and filters. Although it looks spontaneous, the lighting effects are carefully planned. Instructed to be in a specific position at a given distance from their target, the teams simultaneously lit up various aspects of the city's architecture at the sound of an air horn, creating a dramatic spectacle. The lit buildings are photographed and the teams then switch off and move on to the next building.
BDP aims to raise the question "If these transformations were achieved through 20 minutes of battery power, what are the possibilities through permanent lighting installations?" The first BDP Guerilla Lighting event in Manchester was designed to challenge people's perception of the city and inspire a new thinking within the industry. So far Guerilla Lighting events have been held in Manchester, London and Glasgow, and further events are being planned for later this year.
(Jim Evans)
