Model and Strategy
A stroll along Market Street from the Ferry Building to Van Ness reveals the gamut of San Francisco's humanity. Market Street is unquestionably our City's most diverse and dynamic street. Yet as a whole, it remains tragically unexplored, divided, depressed.
By creating a shared sense of awe through moving pulses of light, Lightrail cuts across geographic, socioeconomic and cultural divides. The experience of awe creates an invisible bond of humanity among every person on Market Street, be it stockbrokers, skateboarders or homeless people. Light's presence allows us to see our surroundings differently and to see others more clearly. It lets us be seen as well.
Presented by the people behind The Bay Lights, Lightrail will enable San Francisco residents and visitors to experience the built-environment and each other in a new light. It will encourage us to push past perceived boundaries and interact with new communities. This enlightenment, this human connection, forges empathy.
Impact
Lightrail aligns perfectly with Battery Powered's three core focus areas.
THRIVING COMMUNITIES: The installation literally runs along the length of our civic spine. It's purpose is to unify and strengthen, creating a common thread of connection among diverse communities. It is designed to encourage more people and more resources to come to Market. It asks no one to leave, it simply asks more people to come, stay and explore.
NEW MEDIUMS: To view our civic spine as a canvas, to tap into the existing APIs of regional transit systems, to unleash creative and technical teams to design and manufacture the new product required to fulfill this vision, to create a work that is free and radically accessible to millions of people annually, such bold actions demand the active exploration of new frontiers and new mediums for public art.
RESEARCH & THE CREATIVE PROCESS: Illuminate believes The Bay Lights provides proof that aweinspiring large scale works of illuminated art have the power to improve public health, increase generosity and altruism, combat narcissism, encourage empathy, and foment higher social functioning. We are highly encouraged from our direct conversations with Dr. Dacher Keltner and Paul Piff of the Greater Good Science Center that our work has farreaching positive results in the urban environment.
Leadership
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Ben Davis
CEO