The Digital Lighthouse was designed as a response to the prevailing infusion of technology in all aspects of our lives. Why should a lighthouse, a clocktower or an anemometer look like they used to then? The project uses an existing chimney which is no longer in use and turns it into a digital information tower which reacts depending on the conditions of the sea. The city of Varna is deeply connected with the Black Sea and many of the activities are dependent on whether the sea is calm or choppy. The Digital Lighthouse collects data from the local weather station and turns it into a light performance visible from many points within the city. When the sea is calm, the optic cable "waves" on the surface of the chimney are serene and when the waves are rough, the chimney's lights intensify and show the turbulence.

The lighting performance of the structure is enhanced by two more states - surface lit and back-lit which turns the Digital Lighthouse into a canvas for lighting artists to periodically create a different look for the structure.

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Project Publication