Seoul's Living Light installation informs on city's air quality

Situated in Peace Park, just across from the World Cup Stadium in Seoul, stands a functional art installation that lets citizens know about the quality of air in their city. The Living Light canopy consists of blocks representing each section of the city where an air monitoring station is situated. If an improvement in air quality is recorded, the corresponding block on the canopy grid lights up. Blocks are also illuminated when users send text message information requests to the structure.

The city of Seoul already displays real-time air quality information on digital signage and online, the Living Light outdoor pavilion is an extension of this system. The tree-like canopy is made up of 27 shaped blocks, representing areas where the Korean Ministry of Environment operates air monitoring stations. When an improvement in air quality in an area is recorded, the appropriate panel in the canopy is illuminated.

At regular intervals, the canopy map lights up the best to worst real-time air quality performers frame by frame. Members of the public can send a text message containing a specific location information code to the structure and receive air quality data by return. The corresponding panel then blinks in response to user interaction.

The Living Light structure was designed and built in association with Columbia University's Living Architecture Lab, and sponsored by the City Gallery project.