LUCIDA BASILICA

Christmas in a new light.

LUCIDA BASILICA is a transformative take on Christmas lights for Oxford Street in London. Materialising as a design proposal to deck the halls, or rather, deck the streets of London, particularly the area of Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street, LUCIDA BASILICA celebrates this festive occasion by illuminating the area with decorative light installations with references to the Christian belief as the root of the festival.

With a mesh-like form, the installation adapts the Baroque-style interior of St. Paul’s Cathedral, a renowned piece of Christian architecture within London. Such adaptation reinforces the local identity of the area, giving the Christmas lights a nuanced uniqueness that embraces both global and local features of the occasion. The lights themselves take on a cruciform arrangement, both emulating the plan of St. Paul’s Cathedral, as well as alluding to Christian iconography to further accentuate the Christian ideas behind its design.

Walking under the Church-like wireframes that illuminate the Christmas skies, viewers will be able to feel the festive atmosphere as they engage in different activities in the area. The illuminated skies with the arching naves, domes and vestibules create a sense of space for pedestrians, removing them from the harsh reality of the real world momentarily to enjoy the festivities of Christmas.

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