An installation in Shoreditch

The Beacon is a 6 metre tower of coloured Plexiglas, solar panels and light. The installation produces its own electricity through an array of solar panels, mounted at the top of the tower, and through innovative solar paving slabs, which are made from photo voltaic cells, embedded in a mixture of recycled glass and resin – manufactured in Hackney, from glass produced as a waste product in the borough.

During the day, the Beacon will be illuminated by sunlight, which at the same time will charge up a bank of batteries in the base of the installation. At night, the batteries will use their stored solar energy to power 16 efficient fluorescent tubes. The Beacon will not be lit constant at night, but only if the solar panels have converted enough energy to drive the lighting display. How long the Beacon remains illuminated (if at all) depends on ecology. How fast the light when on display depends on the view: the more movement the brighter and faster the Beacon.

Paving stone system

Lottolab studio has developed a paving stone system for turning urban thoroughfares and open space into locations for generating solar energy.

Each paving stone is made from recycled bottle glass. Embedded in each stone are 9 high-efficiency solar panels. Paths and/or squares are made by 'daisy-chaining' the stones together, forming circuits for driving independent light sources. Each circuit is controlled by a computer energy system that distributes thes stored energy when and where it’s needed.

For further information and sales, please contact Beau Lotto

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Location

Junction of Old Street and Great Eastern Street in Shoreditch - Postcode (of Road Trip Bar, which is right next to installation): EC1V 9EY

Buses

21, 35, 43, 55, 76, 78, 141, 205, 214, 243, 271, 394, N 35, N55, N76

Tube

1 minute from Old Street Northern Line or Liverpool Street Central Line

Map

Beau Lotto

“This project, as with all my work, explores how we come to understand the world around us, in this instance by showing people what a visual illusion really is. Illusions are not simple parlour tricks that – in the eyes of some artists – demonstrate the ‘fragility of the humans’ senses’. Illusions show us that context is everything; more than that, illusions tell us that even our most basic sensations are predicated on the relationships the brain found useful to use in the past. The human brain evolved to tell itself narratives, stories that guide behaviour.

The Beacon, therefore, aims to remind people that we are dependent on our environment, not only for food, shelter, etc., but also as the basis for what we think, believe and even see. The installation is also an experiment into exploring whether it is possible to turn the very ground we walk on (pavements, public squares, etc.) into sites for generating energy – solar energy in this case. Through a shared ownership agreement, my hope is that this will be a public project that is not just enjoyed, but also contributes to the larger community.”

Shoreditch Trust CEO Micheal Pyner

“The Beacon represents a cutting-edge approach to lighting – Shoreditch Trust is committed to innovative approaches across all its activity. This incredible contribution to addressing challenges regarding the use of energy and using an art installation to bring this to the public attention makes real that commitment. Shoreditch was the first area in London to install municipal street lighting, powered by burning waste. So, it’s fitting that we should now pioneer a 21st-century alternative that uses materials recycled in Hackney and solar energy.”

About the Shoreditch Trust

Shoreditch Trust is an award-winning charitable regeneration agency, funded through the Department for Communities and Local Government’s New Deal for Communities programme. Shoreditch Trust is committed to improving housing, health, education, community safety, employment, the environment and business in the local area. The Trust has developed a sustainability theme as an integral part of the regeneration programme, delivering long-term social and environmental benefits through a range of social enterprise projects such as the Water House Restaurant that remain a community asset owned by Shoreditch Trust. www.shoreditchtrust.org.uk

Stage 4: Completed installation

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Stage 3: Construction

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Stage 2: Development

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Stage 1: Conceptual

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