Opus: A symphony of light and data

The centre piece of GAM’s new London office at 8 Finsbury Circus is its client reception area which transcends the ground and first floors, connected by an internal staircase which sits within a striking and dramatic space measuring over nine metres in height.  

Initial ideas of how to fill this space centred on the introduction of trees and ‘off the shelf’ lighting, both of which were discounted as being a little predictable and unimaginative.  As a result of these initial discussions it was agreed that GAM should commission a piece of artwork to complement this unusual and unique space.  The design team initially proposed the commissioning of a piece of digital art although this too was abandoned on the basis of cost and its inability to adequately fill the space.

These initial efforts to do justice to the space led to the appointment of Dynamic Environments Group (DEG) who had experience in the design of impactful installations in large spaces through the creative use of lighting and technology.  

In the Spring of 2018 a group of people, drawn from acrossGAM, came together to develop a spacial installation piece.  A Foreshadowing workshop led by DEG explored what GAM sought from the proposed installation. The key criteria was GAM’s desire to create a unique, timeless and ever evolving piece which was linked in someway to GAM’s day to day business activities. From this session and using VR asa design tool, DEG explored different physicality and technology combinations, all with an emphasis on what was achievable within the project constraints.