Located in Sydney’s Martin Place, a pedestrian promenade in the heart of the central business district, the installation, called ‘Street Light Disco’ takes the Sydney street banner, which is typically used as a marketing device, and reinvents it as a dynamic and interactive surface, creating a new sensory experience. A familiar piece of city infrastructure is transformed, altering the existing urban streetscape and encouraging the passers-by to pause and enjoy the public space of the city.
23 banners, each handmade and measuring 4.5 meters tall by 1.5 meters wide line the five-block promenade. Mosaics constructed from a thin reflective material are adhered to a fabric to form the banner’s surface. The unique material properties produce a mirror-ball-effect, reflecting the plaza’s historic architecture while creating noticeable light patterns, visual distortions and unique perspectives of the surroundings. Natural day light and artificial night light formations, which are amplified by wind, span across the depths of the space, giving form to formlessness. The site is instantly transformed from a dark, uneventful thoroughfare into an interactive plaza.