Finnish brand Light Cognitive has created a circular LED skylight, which gradually changes colour according to the time of day, in a bid to bring the benefits of natural light to a windowless retail space in Barcelona.
Called Oculus, the artificial window was created as a bespoke commission for a high street fashion retailer and has been shortlisted for this year's Dezeen Award in the architectural lighting design category.
Light Cognitive created the Oculus light installation for a retail space in Barcelona
Its name nods to the circular opening found at the centre of domes in Ancient Roman architecture, which allowed natural light to filter into the cavernous space below.
To recreate a similar sense of openness and connection to nature within the confines of the shop, Light Cognitive designed a nearly two and a half metre wide light installation. The installation circles through the natural colours of the sky throughout the day, from the vivid reds and oranges of dawn to the clear blue of the midday sun and the warm, muted hues of dusk.
The artificial skylight mirrors the colours and brightness of the sky outside
Crucially, rather than simply making use of generic sky-like shades, the colour and intensity of the light is based on an actual model of the sky above Barcelona, captured on a clear day.
"With this model, we can define what kind of light is radiating from any point of the sky at any time," Light Cognitive's founder Sami Salomaa told Dezeen.
"Based ...