Now this is far out!

The Sunlight Table

'Light Play' was a collaborative research project with Anab Jain (http://www.anab.in/)

'Light Play' was winner of the "Helen Hamlyn Research Center for Inclusive Design: Design for our Future Selves" award in the design for a better working environment category

This project examines how sustainable work environments are established to emphasize the significance of a work/life balance. It uses the research carried out in the difficult environment of call centers to provide insight into the wider context of stressful and sedentary office based work.

The resulting artefact "The Sunlight Table" brings natural light into workspaces and creates unspoken, ambient interactions while working. By doing so, it encourages a dialogue between work and nature and re-establishes a connection with the outside world.

The table is populated with optical fibres creating a “sunlight display grid” on the surface of the table. The fibres are connected to a second input grid placed on a window. Light and shade are transmitted from the window through the fibres and into the table.

Movement outside the window, like passing of birds or the rustling of leaves, brings a little of the outside world to the desk and the user, creating ambient unspoken moments of delight.

This is a beautiful thing. Imagine this transfered to other planes like whole walls.

I recall reading something about fibreoptics being used as a natrual way to illumate space. Maybe it was Popular Science? It uses a "sky light" to bring light into the home via overhead lights, during non-sunlite hours, florecent light is used. I think that they said it was only possible to bring light from three stories, after that the losses are too great.

yes, there was a post on ppb1 about some light fixtures with the same system. I don't know if it would be that cool to have all the lower part of the desk crammed with optic fiber cables. The light idea was more usable