sensory bloom

01_radici

cloudy sky

clear sky

Concept, Theme & Interaction

Radici is a site-specific installation designed to bring the natural environment of Puglia to life. Using the olive tree, an undeniable symbol of regional identity, the project maps the intricate geometry of the bark from roots to leaves with light. It visualises the tree as a conductor of energy, bridging the gap between ancient nature and modern technology.

The Bloom is expressed through a synesthetic expansion of sound into light. As the music from the nearby stage swells, the trees blossom in intensity and colour. This creates a multi-sensory environment where the audience doesn't just hear the music but sees it flowing through the veins of the landscape.

The interaction is ambient and immersive. The light responds in real-time to the frequency and amplitude of the closest music stage. Visitors walking through the grove find themselves inside a living pulse, where the rhythm of the event is physically mapped onto the silhouettes of the trees, making the audience feel part of a singular, breathing ecosystem.

Materials, Format & Budget

The system uses A high-density mapping of pixel-controllable LED strips, and a Sound-to-Light (S2L) interface that analyses live audio feeds to trigger complex lighting patterns across the tree’s surface.

Material List

  • LEDs: 12V/24V Digital RGBW Pixel ip67 LED Strips

  • Control: DMX/Art-Net Pixel Controllers with an Audio-Reactive processing unit (e.g., MadMapper or Resolume).

  • Audio Input: XLR or wireless audio receiver to capture the stage feed.

  • Mounting: Non-invasive, UV-resistant elasticated tension straps.

Estimated Budget (Per Tree)

  • Pixel LED Strips (approx. 20m–25m): €350 – €500

  • Power Supply & Digital Driver: €180 – €250

  • Cabling & IP68 Connectors: €100 – €150

  • Installation & Technical Mapping: €250 – €400

  • Total Estimated Per Tree: €880 – €1,300

Technical and Logistical Requirements

Power Supply & Infrastructure / Distribution
Each tree requires a localised 24V DC transformer fed by a 230V AC mains line.

  • Safety: Low-voltage DC operation ensures zero risk to the trees or public in the event of rain or accidental contact.

Logistical Integration / Audio Feed
A low-latency audio signal must be routed from the stage’s FOH (Front of House) console to the lighting controller via shielded XLR or a dedicated 5.8GHz wireless link.

  • Software Mapping: Each tree’s "veins" are custom-mapped in the software to ensure that bass frequencies affect the "roots" while higher frequencies (treble) shimmer in the "leaves."

Structural Support / Growth-Conscious Mounting
The installation uses a "floating" cradle system. No hardware is driven into the wood, ensuring the health of the olive trees remains uncompromised.

  • Weatherproofing: All controllers and power units are housed in ventilated, IP66-rated enclosures to withstand humidity, rain and potential coastal winds.

sensory bloom

02_chromatica

daytime view

nighttime view

Concept, Theme & Interaction

The installation Chromatica reimagines the portal as a kinetic experience. The faceted geometry is designed to mimic crystalline growth, with each panel acting as a complex reflector. The goal is to blend architectural form with reactive light, turning a physical arch into a vessel for temporal energy.

The sensory Bloom here is constant but evolving. During the day, it is a Physical Bloom of colour and reflection: the iridescent and dichroic surfaces act as passive prisms, catching the Mediterranean sun and throwing rainbows onto the sand and the skin of passersby. at night, the structure internalises its energy, turning the physical facets into a digital bloom of light and motion.

Audience Interaction is Presence-Triggered. during the day, People interact with the reflections, using the arch as a photographic frame that changes colour depending on their viewing angle. at Night, Sensors track movement, causing the LED arches to pulse and chase the visitor through the tunnel, creating a personalised light path.

Materials, Format & Budget

the installation features A modular, self-supporting geometric portal.

Material List

  • Exterior petals: Dichroic Film or Iridescent Acrylic panels. These materials shift colour (e.g., from cyan to pink to gold) based on the angle of the sun and the observer's position.

  • Lighting: 12V/24V Digital RGBW Pixel ip67 LED Strips

  • Control: DMX/Art-Net Pixel Controllers with an Audio-Reactive processing unit (e.g., MadMapper or Resolume).

  • Sensors: Weatherproof motion sensors hidden within the geometry.

  • Frame: Lightweight, powder-coated aluminium truss system.


Estimated Budget

  • Structure & Skeleton: Lightweight Aluminum tubes €1,500 – €2,000

  • Faceted Skin: Translucent Polypropylene + Dichroic Film €1,800 – €2,500

  • Interactive Lighting: Addressable LED Strips (40m+) + Motion Sensors €1,200 – €1,800

  • Power & Control: 12V Waterproof Drivers + Arduino/ESP32 Controller €600 – €900

  • Assembly & Tech: Small crew labor (3 days) + Consumables (clips/cables) €2,000 – €2,800

  • Total Estimate: €7,100 – €10,000

Technical and Logistical Requirements

Power Supply & Infrastructure / Distribution

  • Plug-and-Play: The system is designed to run off a single standard 230V AC (16A) circuit.

  • Safety: The entire public-facing structure is powered by 12V DC (Extra-Low Voltage), ensuring it is 100% safe to touch even in humid or rainy conditions.

Structural Support

  • Wind Loading: The arch features "gaps" between the facets to allow wind to pass through, reducing the sail effect.

  • Ballast: The base is weighted with hidden sandbags or water-weights to ensure stability without the need for permanent floor fixings.

  • Surface Safety: All panel edges are smoothed and secured with non-invasive clear clips.

dimensions

  • Width (W) - 4.5 Meters: Provides a clear 3-meter internal passage with 0.75m on each side for the structural "legs" and geometric depth.

  • Height (H) - 3.8 Meters: High enough to feel like a grand entrance, but low enough to stay under the limit for standard scaffolding/ladders during install.

  • Depth (D) - 6.0 Meters: This depth creates a true "tunnel" effect (approx. 4–5 main structural ribs), ensuring the sensory experience lasts for several seconds as someone walks through.

sensory bloom

03_cliffhangers

daytime view

nighttime view

Concept, Theme & Interaction

The installation CLIFF HANGERS utilises the coastal environment as a foundational element. Translucent fabrics are suspended from tension cables, creating a canopy that catches the sea breeze. The artistic intent is to visualise the movement of sound and wind. The visual language moves from a passive gradient during the day to an active iridescent projection surface at night.

The Bloom is both spatial and synesthetic. It is a visual expansion where the sky, the fabrics, and the crowd merge into one moving, glowing organism. Projections of intricate, natural, fractal-like patterns and colours blossom across the drapes, visualising the expansive nature of the audio experience.

The interaction is Ambient and Responsive. The projected visuals are not random; they are a direct visual translation of the music from the adjacent Performance stage. Visitors will feel enveloped within the performance, as the complex projected patterns and colours map onto their bodies and clothes, making the entire crowd a moving, breathing canvas.

Materials, Format & Budget

the installation features A large-scale overhead tensioned cable structure supporting cascading, translucent fabric drapes, complete with a powerful projection mapping system and specialised peripheral lighting.

Material List:

  • Fabric: 600m+ of flame-retardant, high-clarity sheer organza and translucent scrim. Custom gradient dye-lot from amber to burnt umber.

  • Rigging: Heavy-duty, UV-stabilized tensioned steel aircraft cables and rigging points (custom cliff-anchoring may be required).

  • Projection: A single high-output (e.g., 25,000 lumen) laser projector, in a climate-controlled, weatherproof (IP65) enclosure.

  • Control/Media Server: Professional-grade media server (e.g., Resolume/d3) with specialized software for audio-reactive projection mapping.

  • Peripheral Lighting: Moving-head wash fixtures (to color the base fabric/environment)

  • Cabling: Armored, weatherproof low-voltage and high-tension cabling.


Estimated Budget

  • Textile Skin: 300m+ Fire-retardant Chiffon/Voile. Gradient: Yellow → Burnt Orange.€2,200 (Purchase)

  • Projector Rental: 1x 20k Lumen Laser Projector + Weatherproof Dome (Weekly Rate).€2,000 (Rental)

  • Effect Lighting: 10 x IP65 LED moving heads + gobo (Weekly Rate) €1,500 (Rental)

  • Rigging & Support: Masts, Steel tension cables, and IBC Water Ballasts €1,200 (Rental/Kit)

  • Control & Labour: Media Server rental + 2-day professional setup crew €2,500

  • TOTAL execution for a 6-day festival window: €9,400

Technical and Logistical Requirements

Power Supply & Infrastructure / Distribution

  • Power: 1×32A All equipment is centralised to one power hub for safety.

  • Coastal Wind Safety: *
    - Ballast: Each mast is anchored by a 1,000kg (1-ton) water tank (IBC).
    - "Weak-Link" Ties: Fabric is attached with 15kg-rated break-away clips. In high-wind emergencies, the fabric drops to the ground rather than pulling the structure over.

  • Environmental Protection: All rented AV gear is either IP65-rated or housed to protect against salt-heavy Mediterranean mist.

operational mode

  • Daylight: Passive sculptural state. The fabric provides shade and visual interest.

  • Nighttime: Audio-reactive state. The projector is directed to the drapes. Using a "liquid" visual loop, the fabric appears to turn into glowing water or plasma, reacting in real-time to the audio feed from the FOH (Front of House) stage console.

dimensions

  • Total Span: 10m×10m area.

  • Elevation: 4.5m max height; 2.5m minimum clearance at the lowest drape point.

sunset to night

night to sunrise