Prisma

red dot
red dot award: design concept 2008

design:

Agustin Otegui

The Prisma street light offers a new type of street illumination as well as new possibilities for community interaction with municipal services. A tilting head with a spherical LED light source and variability of light colour
and intensity make for a multitude of illuminated street experiences.

The current relationship between street light and its environment is static and one-dimensional. Similarly, the user/service relationship is characterised by a lack of interaction and imagination. By releasing street lights from their rigid position, they are given the freedom and flexibility to interact with their surroundings and users in new ways.

The Prisma street light projects three light beams in different directions. The orientation of these beams can be manipulated and personalised by tilting the head 30 degrees in either direction. The source of illumination is
a dynamic LED sphere that generates up to 360 degrees of light of various colours and intensities. By breaking the rigidity of the light’s position through customisation, a living and playful relationship between the object and its
environment is created.

Each street light is connected to a main server that can be wirelessly accessed through web-based software. The local authorities can lease the lights for special events such as festivals and public ceremonies. In these cases, a temporary password may be granted to community members so they can program and interact with the lights during the event. This feature allows for enhanced interaction between community members and existing
municipal services.

The street lights are powered by local electricity supply. Solar panels on the sides of the head help power the rotating mechanism of the lamp. Lights can be rotated to highlight buildings or billboards. Corporate logos can also be projected onto building facades, helping to fund the street lights.