‘Light Rain’ is a site-specific installation for the UK pavilion designed by Thomas Heatherwick at the Shanghai World Expo 2010. The work is a precursor to ‘Falling Light’ (2010), which operates on a similar mechanical process.
‘Light Rain’ consists of small engines suspended from the ceiling - each carrying a simple lens, a motor and a LED that undulates rhythmically, resulting in the projection of a drop of light onto the floor below. Each light drop rhythmically grows and radiates outwards reminiscent of a rain drop hitting the ground. In chorus, the ear can also make out a subtle humming sounds of the mechanisms, fusing sight and sound into one total impression.