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Crystal Pipe

Designer

James Gemmill

Asylum Supervisor

Mark Curtis

We were approached with a private commission, requiring a domestic installation of a pipe, covered in translucent gems that light up to decorate a construction feature within a room.

Along its cylindrical form, circular RGB LED bulbs were evenly dispersed in both directions to exude a range of over 16 million colors. 2,912 modules were fitted, totaling to approximately 9000 individual lights.

Each one is controlled by an industrial embedded linux computer for added reliability, which hosts a webpage accessible via mobile phone. This allowed the client to customise the shades, hues, and patterns at a click of a button to create any atmosphere he or she would like to inhabit.

The overall experience is emphasized with a tactile effect provided by a light diffusing outer shell slotted over the top of the LED bulbs, which has over 3000 individual crystal shards glued to its surface.