On Monday 30th October 2023 two new public illumination artworks designed by Architects of Happiness, a network of visionary creators, vibe engineers and disruptive designers at legendary experiential agency Kit and Caboodle, will be revealed at London at Citypoint, Moorgate and Principal Place, Shoreditch for Brookfield Properties’ annual public light festival, IlluminoCity, now in its fifth year.
The light installations called Beaming and The Happy House will be live and open to the public free of charge between 31 October 2023 and 27 January 2024.
The Architects of Happiness - @_kitandcaboodle - are known for dreaming up extraordinary immersive experiences that ignite joy and awaken wonder. They use emotional alchemy to stir curiosity, cultivate connection and uplift the human spirit in their works which are designed to bring places to life and have a positive impact.
Winter is fast approaching and with this comes shorter days - the clocks go back an hour in the UK on Sunday, October 29, a week after ‘switch on’. The darkest day this year will be December 22nd 2023. Such changes can wreak havoc on mood and make symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) more likely to appear.
“We wanted to design immersive light experiences that had a mood brightening effect. We had fun looking back to the '90s visual aesthetic of vibrant, dopamine-inducing colours when creating the installations. We took inspiration from the colour psychology trends that the brighter and lighter the colour, the happier and more optimistic it can make you feel. Both artworks in the collection are designed to make those interacting with them feel joyful and exuberant” says Tanya Clark, Architect of Happiness and Creative Director at Kit and Caboodle.
Beaming
Principal Place, 1 Principal Pl, London EC2A 2BA
Wander down Shoreditch High Street and take a selfie with #Beaming a social media inspired installation that’s a pentaptych (five pieces of artwork displayed together as a single composition). It has been designed to inspire a smile, create an instantaneous positive impact, and elicit a sense of well-being, confidence, and happiness. A smile is easy to give, beautiful to receive, and highly infectious.
The Happy House
Citypoint, 1 Ropemaker St, London EC2V 9HT
By Moorgate station is a feel-good walk-in immersive installation designed to raise spirits during the short days of autumn and winter. #TheHappyHouse features motion-activated ‘Seasonal Affective Disorder’ lighting, sacred geometry, and a bespoke soundscape designed to inspire relaxation, increased focus, creativity, and mindfulness.
“Every time you walk past ‘Beaming’ or ‘The Happy House’, we challenge you to hold back a smile” Tanya Clark continues “In a world that can feel increasingly disconnected, the simple act of smiling is immensely uplifting, it is nature's well-being elixir and a universal language that transcends culture and connects people. Plus, smiles are incredibly infectious! They have the power to create a ripple effect of joy. We’re delighted that our radiant installations will bring smiles to Londoners at Citypoint, and Principal Place this winter. And we are delighted to be working again with our hosts, one of London’s largest commercial developers and landlords, Brookfield Properties”
With a focus on sustainability, a commitment to excellence, and the drive for relentless innovation in the planning, development and management of buildings and their surroundings, Brookfield Properties is reimagining real estate from the ground up.
“As the darkness of winter closes in, IlluminoCity once again lights up the City of London with two new fantastic, illuminated artworks Beaming and The Happy House across Brookfield Properties’ Citypoint, and Principal Place. Located below the glowing warmth of the towers, these artworks playfully remind us of the excitement of the holidays''
– Saff Williams, Curatorial Director at Brookfield Properties.
