Laura Harrington and Jamie Allen are working in collaboration with IDP Architects on a renewable energy lighting artwork for a series of beach chalets as part of the regeneration of Blyth beach promenade.

The artwork adds a unique lighting system to the beach chalets using LED‘s powered by the wind through a wind turbine.

Being integrated to the architecture of the huts the lights consist of simple polycarbonite panels, which replace a number of the cedar slats from the huts on both the rear and front. Behind each slat and within the wall of the hut there is an LED fitting. The different strips of light are powered by wind energy, converting wind directly into electricity to power the lights. This is done through a wind turbine.

The strength of the light is dependent on the amount of electricity generated – a visual way of understanding how wind energy works. The people who occupy the huts will trigger the sequence of the lights, linking human intervention into the cycle of wind, energy and light.

Renewable Energy is an Inspire Northumberland strategic priority and builds on the partnership we have with NaREC, New and Renewable Energy Centre, in Blyth. A centre of Excellence and the only centre that researches and tests all forms of renewables in Europe.