Digital Phyllotaxy

Deriving its name from the arrangement of leaves on a stem, Digital Phyllotaxy is a physical metaphor for a tree. Designed for Hankook Tire’s new headquarters in Pangyo, Seoul, the artwork is inspired by the vertical journey through the building and explores the idea of split-level experiences. As people ascend through the vast architectural ‘oculus’ they witness the interplay of dappled light below, within and above the canopy. Leaves digitally rustle and change colour with the seasons transforming the journey on the escalator into an encounter with nature. 16m in diameter, Digital Phyllotaxy uses a bespoke media assembly comprised of edge-lit LED units and liquid crystal shutters. The layering of each component is choreographed to create delicate volumes of illumination and obscuration. A palette of inputs including sun paths, wind speeds and the movement of people passing by, trigger a generative atmosphere with the everchanging, arboreal crown.