Abstract
A Flock of Drones
Technology mimics nature in an open-air performance
One thousand illuminated drones took to the nighttime sky over The Lake in Central Park in New York City for the urban oasis’ largest public art performance since 2005. Presented by a collaboration between Dutch studio DRFIT, the New York City Mayor’s Office and Therme US, a wellness company, Franchise Freedom was a site-specific kinetic aerial sculpture made to explore agency and the relationship between humans, technology and nature through mimicking the movements of a flock of starlings. The project used algorithmic patterns developed from over 10 years of research on starling flight behavior to capture how organic and man-made elements can harmoniously coexist. Co-founders of DRIFT Ralph Nauta and Lonneke Grodijn said, “Our role as artists is to build relationships between natural phenomena and technology, opening up possibilities to find peaceful harmony between science and our shared planet.” Expanded from its original iteration of 300 drones and visible from multiple sightlines, the free, 15-minute event served as the park’s first-ever drone performance.
L-Prize Winners, Phase Two
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced six winners of the Prototype Phase, the second phase, in the rigorous DOE Lighting Prize (L-Prize) competition in October. The competition is designed to spark groundbreaking innovation in next-generation commercial buildings, with regards to energy efficiency, connectivity and controls, visual quality, environmental sustainability as well as attention to DEI in lighting design, manufacturing and application. Competitors submitted working prototypes that exceed the capabilities of currently available products in two categories: Luminaires and Connected Systems. The six winners, sharing a prize pool of $2 million, are as follows:
Prize winners are encouraged to participate in the third and final phase, Manufacturing and Installation, which will reward U.S. manufacturing and installation of lighting systems with regards to life-cycle sustainability, increased DEI in the lighting workforce and efficient use. For more information about the L-Prize and further details about Phase Two winners, visit www.energy.gov.
Cyclone’s Retro Bollard was selected for use in the revitalization of La Berge Perron park located along the Mille Îles river in Québec City. As the goal of the park renovation was to highlight the area’s natural beauty while making it easier and safer for visitors to access the river, the bollards were chosen for their unobtrusive design and soft, ambient lighting.
THEY SAID IT:
“As the IES strives to make the world a better place, we join the local, regional and global movement toward considering sustainability in all that we do.”
Billy Tubb, “President’s Perspective,” p.7
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