The Bay Lights, the new LED lighting system for the Bay Bridge that was developed by Philips Color Kinetics, recently went live. Fulfilling the brainchild of Ben Davis, chairman of Illuminate the Arts (ITA) and the vision of acclaimed artist Leo Villareal, the bridge will glow as a one-of-a-kind lighted sculpture for the next two years. Installed with the support of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the bridge is expected to be viewed by over 50 million people and bring nearly 100 million in revenue to the local San Francisco economy. The new LED lighting system uses 85 percent less energy than traditional lighting technologies, energy that will be offset by dedicated solar panels set up in Davis, CA by CleanPath.
Villareal, creator of The Bay Lights, is a pioneer in the use of LED lights and computer driven imagery using Philips Color Kinetics eW Flex SLX product in 4200 Kelvin correlated color temperature for the Bay Lights project. eW Flex SLX is a versatile strand of individually controllable white light LED nodes. The durable, flexible form factor allows dynamic points of white light to be installed across nearly any interior or exterior surface which made it an ideal choice for The Bay Lights project. Philips Color Kinetics worked with Villareal to create custom spacing between the nodes to accommodate his design. In the end, almost 4.5 miles of product was installed on the bridge, roughly equal to the total length of the Bay Bridge, counting both spans. The lighting will be viewable from San Francisco and points north, but not by drivers crossing the bridge.
Turning the bridge into a monumental light sculpture is a unique application of LED lighting technology that sets the Bay Bridge apart. Villareal networked 25,000 of these LED nodes to create complex algorithms and patterns across the bridge’s western span. These patterns dynamically recombine themselves over the two-year duration of the installation, transforming the bridge into a living piece of art which organizers believe to be the world’s largest LED light sculpture.
Organizers of The Bay Lights have provided all the financial support for the project through private funding, not tax payers. Over the course of the year, it will cost approximately $11,000 in energy to light the piece, which translates into $30 per day or $4.25 per hour.
