Shadowfall

This is a kinetic shadow installation, drawing inspiration from childhood memories of natural light and shadow: the canopy filters sunlight and projects changing shadows, evoking an awareness of time, dynamism, and serenity. With a canopy-like multi-layered structure and rotatable leaves, it translates this natural experience into spatial lighting, enabling a stationary luminaire to produce a dynamic interplay of light and shadow effects. This design creates an indoor visual ambiance close to nature, bringing a more emotionally resonant lighting experience to office and living spaces.

Inspired by the growth pattern of the natural canopy, this installation recasts the layered relationship among leaves, branches, and canopy as a luminaire. It integrates time-honored handcraft with Arduino digital control, adopting a three-layer irregular leaf structure. Leveraging the layering between different levels that creates a rich interplay of light and shadow, and a rotatable mechanical structure, it simulates the tree shadows that shift with wind and time in natural environments.

Materially, it primarily uses white etched paper for the leaf structure, and incorporates a lightweight support structure, lighting system, and rotation mechanism. Paper has fine light-transmitting and light-diffusing properties and mitigates direct light exposure, delivering softer and more natural light and shadow. This material is easy to shape and process, helping lower production cost while balancing recyclability and eco-friendliness. Modular leaves and layered structure enable each part to be detached, adjusted, and reassembled, ensuring the sustainability of the installation. Overall, this installation harnesses natural imagery, dynamic light and shadow, and material properties, using a simple structure to deliver a vibrant lighting experience.