Night time photo of the corner of a building covered in graffiti and lit up by coloured spotlights; Night time photo of the corner of a building covered in graffiti and lit up by coloured spotlights;

Graffiti Alive, Singapore

Merging art and science to bring street art to life after dark

Graffiti Alive, an interactive lighting installation by Arup, has shed new light on local street art typically overlooked after dark. Featured at Singapore Night Festival (SNF) 2018 the installation illuminated the urban streetscape along Armenian street – a part of Singapore’s arts and heritage district.

Our Singapore-based team of lighting designers merged art and science to create this expressive lighting concept offering a unique experience for the community.  

Project Summary


21 RGB spotlights

1000+different lighting permutations

170m2lighted area

 

Enlivening street art after dark

Graffiti Alive exemplifies our longstanding history of working with artists to provide original conceptual lighting design. Inspired to highlight Singapore’s creative street art, our lighting designers formulated a mesmerising sequence of light and colour display that offered passersby a unique first-of-its kind experience.

The concept consisted of strategically placed pole-mounted RGB spotlights integrated with sensors which would dynamically light up the graffiti when triggered by motion. As the pedestrian walks past, motion sensors at the nearest pole activate spotlights which illuminate selected sections on the graffiti wall, creating a sense of mystery. As they proceed to walk further down the street, more and more objects are illuminated, adding a fascinating theatrical element to the experience. Gradually, as more users interact with the space, an elaborate mix of light and colour transform the graffiti wall into a lively animated streetscape with over 1000 different variations of lighting schemes.


The use of intricate light and colour transitions were aimed at engaging and inspiring the public in a fun an interactive way. The installation also served to exhibit the exceptional street art around the iconic district that would normally go unnoticed at night due to low lighting. The selective use of lighting schemes accentuated various features of the artwork and brought new dimensions and perspectives to the original art piece. The result was a vibrant and engaging night-time experience.