Portal: A Luminary Journey Through Art and Technology

Akiko Yamashita's Award-Winning LED Light Hallway Transforms Urban Space

The design, located in the Weller Court Plaza in the Little Tokyo district, was commissioned by the building owner who sought to make the previously unnoticed hallway 'pop'. Yamashita was given the freedom to modify the floor, leading to an immersive design that viewers can walk through, touch, and interact with. The result is a 7000-pixel animated light hallway, bringing color and motion to the city center.

Yamashita's design was inspired by her favorite story, 'Alice in Wonderland', where perception can flip in a spiral. The 'Portal' creates a similar 'flow', with an animated beam of light that seems to breathe life into the hallway. The design has become a destination portal, inspiring creativity in both children and adults.

The realization of 'Portal' involved the use of individual addressable LED lights across 41 universes. Yamashita chose a 10mm LED strip light bar channel with a white acrylic diffuser. The architectural modeling and concept design were created using Autodesk Maya, while the animation system, LED mapping, and DMX output were achieved using Derivative TouchDesigner.

Despite budget limitations and the need for practicality in a high-traffic area, Yamashita managed to overcome these challenges to create a design that is both aesthetically pleasing and durable. The LED pixel tape proved to be cost-effective and suitable for an outdoor permanent installation that needed to withstand weather and potential damage from public interaction.

The 'Portal' project started in 2014 and was completed in 2015. It continues to run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, adding a dynamic and colorful element to the urban landscape of Los Angeles. The design was awarded Silver in the A' Lighting Products and Fixtures Design Award in 2018, a testament to Yamashita's remarkable expertise and innovation in the field of design.