As part of an urban regeneration scheme in the city of Birmingham, Alabama, LightRails by San Antonio, Texas based artist Bill Fitzgibbons, is the first of several permanent light installations to placed around the city. Located in the 18th underpass, which connects the downtown area of Birmingham with a new urban space of Railroad Park, it functions as much needed illumination element and as a work of art, redefining the space not only as a well lit public byway but as a destination in its own right.
The beautiful Art Deco architecture of the site lends itself to the warm glow of the rainbow effect of thousands of LED lights which highlight the classic forms of its well worn surfaces. The multi-coloured patterns of light are connected to 250 individual digital programmes which may be manipulated to produce 16 million plus options which reference the vibrancy of the city and its people.
It is hoped that this pioneering move, which has transformed a previously dark and somewhat threatening underpass with very little pedestrian traffic to a bright safe road, will bring new life and energy to the area and have a knock on effect of creating a more positive and progressive environment to this exciting city centre.
