Ray

Polimi, European Space Agency and Foscarini, Concept Design Studio, 2020. "In Caravaggio's paintings you only see light. I dont' know where the switch is" -Bruno Munari. Ray is a lighting concept design for the International Space Station in collaboration with ESA and the lighting company Foscarini. The project has been developed starting from the idea of bringing natural light on board, exploiting it as a tool to increase the astronauts’ wellbeing. Light transforms the modules from aseptic spaces into cozy rooms, which emote the familiar feeling of home. In particular, light projections are used to depict the reflections given by hypothetical windows, giving the illusion of being in a room with openings. The lighting system is easily integrated in the current lighting system present on board. An OLED screen is placed inside a cylindrical rotating mask with cut-outs. They mimic the temperature and the intensity of natural light using shadows. Selected by the European Space Agency to be prototyped at the Swiss Space Center. ray. let the sun in.