teamlab transforms the fukuoka castle ruins into an immersive light festival

art and technology collaborative teamlab presents a multi-part installation at the fukuoka castle ruins in japan. the team was inspired by the historic stone walls which characterize the fukuoka castle, the largest castle in kyushu. the beautiful four layers of stone walls make the vast site a magnificent national historic treasure and a fascinating canvas for teamlab’s interactive light works.

the design team was inspired by the historic stone walls which characterize the fukuoka castle

for the first component of the piece, ‘animals of flowers, symbiotic lives in stone wall’, teamlab has created a series of flowers which grow from the bodies of animals along the high stone walls. the flowers bud, bloom, scatter and fade away in a continuous cycle. as people approach the animals, the flowers scatter in a fleeting light show. when all of the flowers have scattered, the animals disappear.

teamlab creates a series of flowers which grow from the bodies of animals along the high stone walls

the second installation, ‘spatial calligraphy’, offers a contemporary interpretation of traditional japanese sho (calligraphy) in an abstract space. the artwork reconstructs japanese ‘sho’ in three dimensional space and expresses the depth, speed and power of the brush stroke. the next phase brings the steps of the castle to life for ‘stone steps of oblivion’. the light of each step is autonomous, shining brightly and then fading as if breathing slowly. as someone approaches the stairs, the light glows strongly and a color and sound tone resonates to the exterior. 

the flowers bud, bloom, scatter and fade away in a continuous cycle.

the final component of the installation takes the form of ‘resisting and resonating ovoids’ — a series of scattered, colorful eggs that decorate the lawn around the castle ruins. when an ovoid is pushed, the color of the light emitted changes and the unique tone creates an echo effect. the light and sound emitted from the eggs illuminates the surrounding trees, creating a dialogue between art and nature. the light and sound waves interact with the walls of the castle and movement of people, creating a field of interaction stimulated by the changing location of people. the piece offers visitors a heightened sense of awareness of the presence of other people in the same space.

‘spatial calligraphy’, offers a contemporary interpretation of traditional japanese sho (calligraphy)

the immersive and multi-stage piece continues teamlab’s exploration of the boundaries between technology and nature. ‘digital technology has allowed us to liberate art from the physical and transcend boundaries‘, says teamlab. ‘we see no boundary between ourselves and nature; one is in the other and the other in one‘. 

the artwork reconstructs japanese sho in three dimensional space

the shadows contrast with the illuminated stone wall to create fluid forms 

the light of the walls is autonomous, it shines brightly and then fades, as if breathing slowly

the breathing walls react to the movement of passerby

a series of scattered, colorful eggs that decorate the lawn around the castle ruins

the light and sound emitted from the eggs illuminates the surrounding trees

the field produces an interactive dialogue between trees and the artwork 

when an ovoid is pushed, the color of the light emitted changes and the unique tone creates an echo effect

the large-scale ovoids are larger than a person 

teamlab incorporates the steps of the castle for ‘stone steps of oblivion’

as someone walks on the stairs, the light changes as though the steps are breathing slowly 

as someone approaches the stairs, the light glows strongly and a color and sound tone resonates to the exterior