Lighting: In the not so deep, dark forest

1 June 2017

Lighting: In the not so deep, dark forest

Beneath the towering canopy of the Redwood Forest in Rotorua, New Zealand, sits an extraordinary vision of light.

David Trubridge, a New Zealand designer and contemporary light maker was commissioned to design and create incredible, eco-friendly lighting to decorate a section of the Redwood national park.

Trubridge created the large installations using MEDITE TRICOYA EXTREME plywood, which was the perfect material to make the desired impact, whilst continuing to be durable enough to withstand changing outdoor weather conditions and resist any fungal decay, for the length of their 50-year guarantee.

New Zealand’s first design-led tourism experience is a permanent project, having been designed to be installed for the next 20 years; it also aims to be one of the primary tourist attractions in the Rotorua area.

The installation was created to enhance the Redwood Tree walk, a suspended walkway high above the forest floor, which now weaves through the beautifully illuminated foliage.

The lights have been masterfully installed by hand, without the use of heavy machinery that would negatively impact the environment.

David designed the lanterns by taking inspiration from the New Zealand’s local birds.

The 30 giant lanterns adorning Rotorua’s Redwood Forest are a sight to behold, with each beautifully crafted lantern hanging at an impressive 2.5m.

With David Trubridge already a well-established name in the designer indoor lighting market, the brand now plans to design a range of smaller sized outdoor lighting products for the commercial market.

Ben Pearce, Head of Marketing at David Trubridge, said, “We are always getting asked for outdoor lights in our style and here, at last, is a material we can use. As it’s a wood-based product, it has the right balance of beauty and practicality, such as easy-to-replace panels should a tree branch fall onto it.”

“We were so impressed by the use of the material on the large project that we’re trialling it with our signature kitset range, which has typically been used for our internal lighting features.”