Voting opens on fun lighting display for Christchurch city centre

The hunt to find fun new ways to light up Christchurch’s city centre has sparked the imaginations of the country’s lighting professionals.

They have come up with some clever and inventive ideas for central city lighting displays.

Now it is up to the Christchurch community to choose which of those ideas they want to see brought to life.

Last month, the Christchurch City Council’s Enliven Places Programme invited lighting professionals to submit designs for a new interactive lighting display that could brighten up part of the city centre over the winter months.

Ten designs were submitted and considered by a panel. The panel has shortlisted three designs for the public to consider and pick their favourite.

The three designs are:

• Matrixis – Challenge yourself and others by making your way through the cube without activating the alarm. Can you complete the mission without touching the lasers?
• Spire – Enter a circle of spires and interact with an impressive celestial light installation.
• Hotel Hotel – Take a glimpse within the walls of a curious and colourful hotel. From the mundane to the surreal, interconnected stories and vignettes will play out creating a sense of wonder.

People can vote for their favourite entry through the Christchurch City Council’s Facebook page from now until Wednesday, 8 May. The entry which attracts the most Facebook “likes” in that period will be installed in Christchurch’s city centre over the winter.

“It is up to the public to decide which design they want to see in the city centre so make sure you vote for your favourite,” says Council Head of Urban Regeneration, Design and Heritage Carolyn Ingles.

The winning design will receive a prize of $2000 as well as a budget to deliver the project.