Hirohito Totsune lights up the ICC
A Japanese lighting architect is leaving his mark on the city's tallest building
Hirohito Totsune proudly stands in front of West Kowloon's ICC Tower, the afternoon sun bouncing off the glass, giving his sharp suit a shiny gloss. He has good reason to be happy, for behind him looms the canvas for his latest project - a canvas that covers a whopping 50,000 square metres. You can't see it now but on Thursday the work of one of Japan's top lighting architects will unfold on two sides of the ICC building, breaking the Guinness World Record for the biggest light and music show on the side of a building.
"It's a delicate and sophisticated show and one that has to be in synch with the images and the music so the story flows … What I want the audience to take away from the show is the messages of happiness and fortune. I'm very proud of this project," Totsune, 38, says through an interpreter.
The story that will light up the city's tallest building twice a night will follow themes according to the four seasons. Thursday's show will start with spring, and will feature white images of birds and trees, and a message to love Hong Kong. But with the current debate raging about light pollution, many may find that message a hard one to swallow. A University of Hong Kong study released last month found the city to be more than 1,000 times brighter than international norms, making it the most light polluted city in the world.
"The issue of light pollution is a difficult one, but what's important is that my projects strike a happy balance: something that will make people happy, but not interfere too much with the natural environment. Every designer involved in this field follows - or should follow - the same mantra: how can we utilise minimum lighting for maximum pleasure? That's a big challenge," says Totsune.
In Japan, this philosophy is one that Totsune's projects follow. His works exude a soft, subtle look - an aesthetic the Japanese are famous for. His designs do not aim to dazzle or distract, but have an almost calming influence. "I lived in Belgium for some time when I was young, and I loved the subtle use of light in some of the projects," Totsune says. "I knew I wanted to incorporate this into the landscape of Tokyo when I returned to Japan. I wanted to help beautify the city."
For his first project in Hong Kong, as with all his jobs, Totsune considered the location and feel of the place.