The Trees - Choi+Shine

The Trees

Stockwood Discovery Center, Luton, UK

April - December 2022

FABRICATION

CONCEPT

Design

Jin Choi and Thomas Shine

Structural Engineering

Thomas Shine

James Axley - PhD, MS, MArch, BS

(Emeritus) Professor Yale School of Architecture

Kirsty Sutherland BEng CEng MIStructE

James Parker CEng MICE MEng MA

EXPEDITION

Installation

Unity Contracting Company

Building Assembly Volunteers

Aiden Carpenter

Alan Wicks

Andy Russell

Brian Morvan

Chris Broomes

Claudette Satchell

Colin Ward

David Lusted

Dilys Ogilvie-Ward

Fahim Qureshi

Hugh Tessier

John Berezansky

Kalima

Mick Hale

Phil Russell

Sam Javid

Sean Nicholls

The lace Trees celebrate Luton’s industrial tradition and craftsmanship of lace making, while symbolically weaving different people and cultures of Luton, and the past with the future of the city. Generally, lace is used as an embellishment, a special celebration for milestones of our life. The Trees in lace are feminine, intricate and transparent, creating visual poetry that celebrates the Luton’s cultural heritage and ultimately, the new departure of the city for the future.

Special Thanks to:

Mike, Discovery Center

The Trees interact with natural light during the day, and glow when illuminated at night. At night, the mysteriously glowing large tree in lace create a sense of magic as if we are transported to different time and place. Mysteriously glowing, diaphanous trees invite visitors to come in to see the people, park and the sky and rediscover their world through this visual filter. At night, the occupants will glow within the lacy room, creating an illusion of ethereal levitation, while the they become part of the artwork. During the day, the lace surface of the Trees reflects, absorb and retransmit sunlight, casting intricate, patterned shadow that creates a visual interplay of light.