Delighthouse

Responding to the brief of Radiance, as part of the 2023 Winter Stations series. The project was designed by an Edinburgh-based team, architect Nick Green and graphic designer Greig Pirrie, who sought to reinterpret the traditional typology of the lighthouse into a technicolored, fairground-inspired landmark. Unlike conventional lighthouses, with their traditional role as warnings, this installation is a vibrant beacon of fun and optimism, drawing visitors to the beach during the winter months. The form was inspired by the tapered and timber clad lighthouse structures around coastal Canada, and consists of eight frames leaning into each other representing many parts coming together to find strength as a whole - a fitting metaphor for a community-focused initiative such as Winter Stations. Scaled to house one of many lifeguard stands, scattered across the beach and unused during Toronto's harsh winters, the tower is clad in painted timber boards. A rhythm of solid panels and openings lets light fall through while allowing visitors to catch glimpses of the structure and of what sits within. A colourful pattern wraps around the tower, evoking a sense of play, and casts onto ground panels which radiate outwards to embrace visitors and to anchor the tower to the ground, stabilising it against winter storms. Originally installed on Woodbine Beach for two months, Delighthouse has been embraced by the local community and, due to its popularity, has outlasted its initial expected design life. It was first relocated to the grounds of a local arts centre in Summer 2023, and will be returning to The Beaches where it will be sited on the local high street, Queen Street East for the 2024 Winter Stations