Lift is an interactive light feature that senses and responds to human activity.

In the future, we will work, attend school, play, and sleep in intelligent, responsive environments. As architecture and digital interactivity converge, the design decisions we make around that interactivity become increasingly important.

Lift is a motorless, heat-sensing, interactive light feature that uses muscle wire to achieve fluid, organic motion. Just as a plant changes shape to face the sun, Lift changes shape to orient itself toward the people in a room.

Each of Lift’s 24 geometric petals is embedded with a microcontroller, which receives data from one of six low resolution thermal cameras implanted in the vertebrae of the artwork’s spine. The contraction of Lift’s petals is achieved through the use of nitinol, or “muscle wire,” a shape memory alloy that shrinks when heated. Lift does not use any motors, and as a result its motion is completely silent.

Environments that acknowledge our presence within them help us to relax—to feel that we belong. Interactivity engages us, helping us to tune into our surroundings, embrace the present moment, and connect to the people we share physical space with.

Lift is approximately ten feet long and can be installed either as a single piece or as a cluster to create a larger installation. We can also create custom shapes and sizes. For pricing, please contact info@pattenstudio.com.