Nativity Scenes

The lighting installations are a specific design commissioned by the City of Madrid to represent Nativity Scenes in various monuments and emblematic buildings in the centre of Madrid. The designs are a development or variations of the Nativity Scene in the Puerta de Alcala, also designed by Brut Deluxe as early as 2006 and modified and improved over the years on several occasions (necessary in part by changing from incandescent lighting to LED).

The Nativity scenes are composed of several layers. The central figures are represented in an abstract outline and superimposed with different more diffuse layers portraying floral motifs, divine light, clouds and stars creating a collage of light.

The light installations are inspired by the gothic rosettes and glass windows that acquired a double symbolism. On the one hand, their mission was to illuminate the interior of the temples and on the other hand it was to add mysticism to the altar by the rays of light filtered through the multicoloured stained glass windows. In our case, we applied this double function of the light pieces on an urban scale, converting the location scenarios into thresholds of passage to the sublime.

Technical data:
Puerta de Toledo motif: 47m2 (4,50m x 10,50m), 212kg, 15.234 Leds, 6,1 kW
Viducto motif: 50m2, 210kg, 16.518 Leds, 7,9 kW

design: Ben Busche / Brut Deluxe www.brutdeluxe.com
team: Philip Baumann, Elisa Luda
client: City of Madrid
contractor: Ximenez SA
area: Puerta De Toledo, Puerta de San Vicente, Viaducto calle Segovia, Plaza Mayor
year: 2019
photography: Miguel de Guzmán + Rocío Romero www.imagensubliminal.com
status: temporary/ built