Transience of Light

Research background: The Transience of Light was an optical light installation that has been designed for the front window of the Euroluce showroom by RMIT Interior Design staff and students as part of the State of Design Festival 2011. The design responded to the festivals themes of the use of transitional spaces and ideas of the transformative, the active and the activating. The work explored these themes through the notion of transience, something that keeps changing within space and time. Research contribution: The project addressed the transient materiality of the urban realm and sought to bring into focus the perceptual potentials that lie within the immaterial nature of the urban façade. In traversing the relationship between light and materiality the work involved the manipulation of both physical effects and psychological affects. This approach marks a move away from the conception of design as the arrangement objects in space to one where the manifestation of fields of phenomena are used to engulf the viewer in perceptual delight. Research significance: The Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) is Australia's largest and most successful independent design awards program. Launched by Inside magazine in 2003, the program celebrates the best of Australian interior and product design across 11 categories and five special awards. Each shortlisted practice is invited to present their project(s) to the panel of judges. Entries are judged by a panel of design industry professionals, each of whom brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the judging process. As well as attracting submissions from some of the country's leading architecture and design firms, the program also helps to support emerging local designers. All shortlisted projects are published in a special shortlist edition of Inside magazine, and the full shortlist appear on the website. http://www.idea-awards.com.au/category/2012/