Docklands sees the light

Over the past six weeks Docklands has been the subject of intensive study by a class of interior design students from RMIT.

Millie Cattlin and Joseph Norster from the design studio We Are The Projects took the class into the field with “Guerrilla Lighting” and their “Projector Bike”.

The third and fourth year summer-elective students spent five nights in Docklands studying the pedestrian activity and then lighting of a number of key sites.

Residents may have seen them gathering just before dark, with 100 water-proof Dolphin torches, spot-lights and a “Projector Bike” to test some of their ideas – examining locations around the harbour with the view to designing a lighting-based interactive art work.

The students were required to record the number of people using an area and then design an artwork that would attract the public and engage them with the light.

The students gave their final presentations in Victoria Harbour on February 17 to a panel made up of Melbourne lighting designers and RMIT lecturers.

Ms Cattlin said VicUrban manager of cultural infrastructure Ai Ogawa sat in on the presentations and was delighted with the thoughtfulness and creativity of the ideas.

“Maybe one day soon we will see a newly commissioned art work that celebrates light in public space,” she said.