SINGAPORE, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Light art festival "i Light Marina Bay 2017" kicked off Friday evening with 20 sustainable light art installations illuminating Singapore's iconic Marina Bay waterfront.
Organized by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), the fifth edition of Asia's leading sustainable light art festival converged artists from nine countries and regions, including Singapore, to present sustainable light art installations themed on "Light & Nature".
Created with environmentally-friendly lighting, the installations highlight the importance of sustainability and reinforce Marina Bay's position as a sustainable precinct.
According to the organizer, a record number of 79 building owners and organizations have pledged their support for the "Switch Off, Turn Up" campaign by switching off non-essential lighting and turning up air-conditioning temperatures throughout the festival period. The energy saved from this festival tradition will offset the power consumption of the light art installations at the festival.
Designed by Luke Jerram from the United Kingdom, the light art installation "Ocean Pavilion" marked the official launch of the festival. The 8.5-meter-high upcycled dome-shaped structures are made of more than 25,000 re-purposed plastic water bottles and illuminated by energy-efficient LED lighting. The installation was put together by more than 300 members of the community over three weeks.
Besides "Ocean Pavilion", local students were also involved in the creation of five other light art installations showcased at the festival. The festival also saw the highest participation from local educational institutions this year.
Jason Chen, Festival Director and Director (Place Management) of URA, noted the festival has grown beyond a showcase of sustainable light art installations, it is also a platform for active involvement of the community and partners to drive the sustainability cause in various ways.
"i Light Marina Bay 2017" will last until March 26. This year's festival also features a variety of sustainability-centric programs organized by festival partners to provide interactive experience for the public.
Since 2010, the stunning festival has showcased light art installations around Singapore's Marina Bay waterfront, serving as reminders for the general public to adopt sustainable habits in their everyday lives.