Lucia in the Sky

Light installation, Gran Via, Madrid 2018

design: Ben Busche / Brut Deluxe www.brutdeluxe.com
team: Philip Baumann, Elisa Luda
client: City Council Madrid
constructor: Ximenez SA
area: Gran Via, 1300m length

The light installation, denominated Lucia in the Sky is a site-specific design by commission of the City of Madrid for Gran Via coinciding with the termination of the refurbishment and partial pedestrianisation of the emblematic road and its inauguration.
The light installation is inspired by the images of the nebulae and galaxies realised by the Hubble telescope and the feelings that immediately associate at its contemplation: the hypnotic astonishment facing the immensity of space, the infinity of stars and possible worlds mixed with the recorded memories of the real contemplation of the milky way, also present but steadily further away and apparently unreal due to the lack of darkness of the night sky in more urbanised society each day.
Gran Via is orientated east – west and we cover the sky with an artificial nebula, an imaginary milky way, more brilliant, colourful and psychedelic. Lucia is a kitten living on Gran Via and, showing up only casually at determined spots, seems to be trying to catch one of the blinking stars.
La installation covers 1300m of Gran Via and is realised with bulbs with a total of 360 414 LEDs summing to an installed power of 31kW.