Arc ZERO: Eclipse Seoul Recognized at LIT Lighting Design Awards

Arc ZERO Eclipse in Seoul is a light and mist installation . It is located on the rooftop of a mixed use building in Godeok, southeast Seoul. The work belongs to the Arc ZERO series, which uses elemental materials instead of digital effects. The installation explores perception through simplicity, frames a bridge through its mirrored half ring, and balances visual clarity from a distance with sensory subtlety.

Design Concept

This version reinterprets the 2017 Arc ZERO Nimbus from Japan. That piece wrapped around bridges for full immersion. Here, the half ring floats above a custom infinity pool. Its reflection completes the circle. The diamond profile form minimizes self-reflection, preserving visual continuity. Positioned on a rooftop garden, it faces the Han River and a key bridge. Drivers on the nearby freeway can see its luminous mist at night. This aligns with trends in architectural design, where art mediates infrastructure and environment.

Materials & Construction

The ring uses a bespoke diamond-shaped aluminum profile. Fabrication was technically demanding. Mist comes from low temperature vapor generators. Programmable LEDs emit directional light. The reflecting pool was built specifically for the piece. It integrates with the building’s drainage and maintenance systems. These choices reflect current approaches to building materials. Unlike past versions, this one avoids enclosing viewers. It keeps the visual field open to the city. Documentation of earlier iterations appears in the archive.

Urban Impact

Godeok is a fast-growing district in Seoul. The installation adds to the city’s civic art portfolio. It was commissioned by The Ton, Seoul’s public art agency. The corner site was selected for its sightlines. The piece is visible from afar at night. It joins another permanent version in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. No future demolition or relocation plans exist. Its presence contributes to debates about art in cities.

Conclusion

As urban spaces increasingly host experiential art, Arc ZERO Eclipse in Seoul prompts reflection. Can minimal, elemental works maintain intimacy at city scale?

Architectural Snapshot: A half ring of mist and light completes itself in water, silently framing Seoul’s infrastructure through elemental minimalism.

ArchUp Editorial Insight

The article presents Arc ZERO Eclipse in Seoul as a poetic extension of an international series, blending sensory description with technical detail while sidestepping critical inquiry into its role within private development. It frames minimalism as inherently meaningful, without interrogating its instrumentalization. Still, the deliberate elimination of viewer reflection offers a subtle commentary on urban surveillance. Whether such works endure beyond their moment of spectacle remains an unspoken question.