BACK TO THE ‘80S WITH [D]ARC AWARDS 2024 – LET’S GET PHYSICAL

The [d]arc awards is a special event organised by arc and darc magazines, known worldwide for their authority in lighting design. Teaming up with creative consultants Light Collective, they made sure every design practice can participate in the awards.

This year as well, the [d]arc awards party took place at the iconic Fabric London, with a throwback to the 80s theme. Neon light art, 80s-inspired food, dress code, and a retro video game arcade sponsored by Lutron added to the nostalgic vibe. Guests enjoyed ‘Alexy’s Revenge’ selfie spot by Unibox and UV face paint, with 90% of the 600 guests being designers.

With guidance from Light Collective, the light art installations were a collaboration between manufacturer sponsors and lighting design studios. Working within a £600 materials budget, teams created inspiring and recyclable designs. Our contribution, “Let’s Get Physical,” was a collaboration with Michael Grubb Studio.

Dan Noronha, partner at No Grey Area, says: “Our installation concept came to life thanks to the brilliant minds at Michael Grubb Studio, who presented us with three captivating ideas. After much deliberation, we found ourselves drawn to the aerobics theme, enticed by its quirky charm and the promise of getting our audience involved in some interactive fun. Unfortunately, our grand plans of leading spandex-clad workouts were
quickly shelved after a festive season of, let’s just say, a bit too much indulgence!

But hey, who doesn’t love the ’80s, right? The energy at Fabric London was electric, and I was blown away by the
creativity of some of the installations. Among many, I was particularly captivated by the collaboration between Nulty and Appelec who created the awesome Tetris game out of sample panels of light sheet. Our own creation, though I may be biased, exceeded our expectations. It was our first time experimenting with printing black on a clear fabric which really helped create the effect of a retro media wall. The reflective black lacquer ceiling also created a really cool effect against the ‘screen’. By tapping into the ’80s aerobics craze, we wanted to create something unforgettable, and judging by the visitors’ feedback, I’d say we nailed it!”

We enjoyed our second year participating in the [d]arc awards light art installations. Looking forward to the next edition already! See you there!