This was my shortlisted entry for a play installation in a London park. The inspiration was the kind of play that happens on warm summer nights with fireflies, and the kinds of simple spontaneous games kids can play for hours like freeze tag or hide-and-seek. Also inspiring was the particular spatial quality of a grove of bamboo. Inside one's vision is limited and yet is still physically free and open in all directions. This seemed like the perfect setting for such games.
The proposal was a field of flexible poles each with motion sensing light at the top. The field is open-ended enough to stimulate creative play. The lights suggest the slow off and on glow of fireflies and invite play to continue as the sun is setting. The children playing create a mesmerizing light show that can be viewed from the hill above.
I partnered with Tinker.it to prototype the arduino electronics to used in the project.
More information is included in the image descriptions