LUMEN DRIFT,
Clerkenwell Design Week 2025
Illuminating History with Dynamic Architectural Light
At Clerkenwell Design Week (CDW) 2025, the acclaimed architecture and design studio Jestico + Whiles unveiled LUMEN DRIFT—an evocative installation that transformed a poignant moment from London’s past into a beautifully lit, immersive experience. Working alongside Studio Fractal and Architainment, the project used light not only to illuminate space, but to guide visitors through an emotional and historical journey.
LUMEN DRIFT recounts the story of Mary Moore and Ann Wade; two young girls arrested on St. John Street in 1825 for stealing fabric from a local haberdashery. Although initially sentenced to death, they were spared through the reform efforts of Elizabeth Fry and exiled to Australia instead. The installation acts as a “portal between centuries,” inviting visitors to walk through a dense forest of suspended fabric—representing the very material that sealed the girls’ fate.
Light as Emotional Storytelling
The emotional impact of LUMEN DRIFT relied heavily on the precision and spectral sensitivity of its lighting design. Central to this were Architape Opaline RGB luminaires, integrated seamlessly to wash the hanging textiles with richly saturated colours and smooth gradients.
Studio Fractal developed a bespoke one-hour lighting programme shaping the visitor experience across three key pillars:
- Expressive Transitions: Mirroring the journey from the cold, oppressive shadows of Newgate Prison to the warmth and hope of new beginnings.
- Textural Definition: Using Opaline RGB’s smooth opal diffusion to reveal the subtle grain, weave, and kinetic movement of the fabrics.
- Atmospheric Interactivity: Responding subtly to visitors' paths to deepen sensory immersion.
A Sustainable, Circular Approach
In keeping with strict circular design principles, the luminaires used for LUMEN DRIFT were re-used from the previous year’s CDW installation and have now returned to Architape’s working inventory for future deployments.
This cyclical lifecycle model prevents electronic waste while proving that high-performance architectural linear luminaires can be redeployed creatively year after year without sacrificing optical fidelity or visual impact.
Products Specified in This Project
IP67
IP67
Heavy Duty
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