Dezeen Magazine

Lee Broom creates kaleidoscopic light installation in London showroom

The light and mirror installation at British designer Lee Broom's London showroom for London Design Festival appears to transport visitors into the interior of a kaleidoscope.

Kaleidoscopia sees two of Broom's most-used design elements – light and reflections – combined to create a hall of mirrors, with an assemblage of lamps at its centre.

Kaleidoscopia installation by Lee Broom for the London Design Festival 2019

The installation is made up of just 17 individual lights and two mirrors, but a cascade of reflections creates the appearance of one large chandelier formed of more than 200 lights.

"It is actually a fairly uncomplicated design using mirror, black carpet and clever angles," Broom told Dezeen.

"But the overall effect is very extensive, giving the impression of a super-sized lighting installation. It's like stepping into a Tardis."

Kaleidoscopia installation by Lee Broom for the London Design Festival 2019

Broom's Orion lights are combined in different colour-ways and positions to recreate the tunnel shape of a kaleidoscope.

Each light consists of a glass and gold-coloured polished steel sphere mounted on a contrasting tube in the respective other colour.

In this constellation, the modular units are arranged both vertically and horizontally to form pillars and sun-like rays radiating from the centre of the piece.

With Kaleidoscopia, Broom hopes to take visitors on a "journey of altered perspectives," hypnotised by endless reflections, optical illusions and a dreamy electronic soundtrack.

"I wanted it to be imposing yet intimate, that same kind of feeling you get when you approach the altar of a cathedral, or like a child going into a hall of mirrors for the first time," said Broom.

Kaleidoscopia installation by Lee Broom for the London Design Festival 2019

For previous iterations of London Design Festival, the lighting and furniture designer has made use of mirrors to transform his flagship store into a double-image living room and a Yamoi Kusama-esque hallway of pendant lights.

The London Design Festival is running from 14 to 22 September, with a range of installations, exhibitions and events on offer across the city.

A rundown of our pick of the best things on show throughout the week, including a circular bamboo nest and grow-it-yourself couture, can be found in our roundup of the 12 things to see and do at LDF 2019.

Kaleidoscopia installation by Lee Broom for the London Design Festival 2019

Photography is by Luke Hayes and filming by Edouard Fousset.