It’s been a great experience to create this artwork for Urban Splash, and seeing it being built below my feet from the scaffolding while it was being installed was amazing!

I’ve always been fascinated with how lighting can provoke a positive emotion from people, the dancing colour patterns lighting creates is quite magical. It’s this mesmerising and enchanting response that drives me, and the reason why I set up my studio - Rousseau Design LTD, in 2001 - to quite literally light up people’s lives and spaces. I hope that’s what I’ve achieved here in Waulk Mill.

I knew Urban Splash wanted something exciting and fun that would really enhance the building - after assessing the space I spent a lot of time considering a piece that could be appreciated from many different viewing perspectives. There are so many viewing points and it’s really important that it looks great from them all - outside looking inwards, from the entrance as you enter the building, not to mention the view from all of the different balconies! I was also really inspired by the extra dynamic of the lift view as you go up and down.

I knew it wasn’t the most practical option to have a free-standing sculpture and I was so taken by the amazing height of the space that it felt like a natural choice to create something over head. Your eyes naturally gravitate towards it as it draws you inwards and upwards, really accentuating the area and providing a show stopping moment.

My first idea was to use a uniform series of linear light strips that formed a giant twist over 90 degrees as you entered the building. However that all changed after my first site visit when I discovered the fantastic spiral staircase. It carries such a good energy as you enter the building that I knew it had to feature, so the design evolved into a giant fully formed spiral made from strips of beautiful light.

I created it using digitally controlled RGB LED’s and aluminium extrusion mounted on a mild steel frame. I powder coated this to match the plumbing of the building so it had a common language and the lights were suspended from a steel cable to elicit a delicate sense of position.

I grew up in Colchester, England's oldest recorded town, but I’ve always had a desire to shape the future so my work definitely leans towards the more modern and high tech. I’ve been surrounded by old buildings and structures since I was very young, so I always like to take an interesting detail from a project site and incorporate it into a design to bring a strong narrative to the creation.

I’ve been lucky enough to have worked all over the world with some amazing brands and businesses, creating everything from illuminated hotel suites from Ice in Arctic Sweden, to making fire sculptures in Latvia. I’ve built projects in the Nevada desert for the Burning Man Festival, and have had work exhibited at the V&A museum. All my work has a common theme and that is the creation of a unique interactive experience with a positive flow of energy to it.

I’m incredibly grateful to Urban Splash for their vision and trusting me to create this commission. It’s especially poignant as I used to come to this part of Manchester years ago although it looked very different then! I’ve always loved these old warehouses and the chimney stacks - and although the area has changed hugely, it’s great to see the buildings have still retained their charm. I’m also beyond grateful to the whole crew who helped plan and build the scaffold which wasn’t easy in a confined space – I couldn’t have done it without them!