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WHAT WE DID
Project Engineering
CLIENT
Amsterdam Light Festival & Fabian Hupfauf & Adam Fierman

CLIENT
Janus van den Eijnden
CATEGORY
 Art & Culture

About the Project

The story

On the waters of Amsterdam's canals, seven luminous columns rise and fall with the rhythm of human breath. "Inspirare," created by artists Fabian Hupfauf and Adam Fierman, transforms the simple act of breathing into a mesmerizing light installation that invites the city to pause and breathe together.

Standing 2.2 meters tall, these semi-transparent plexiglass tubes seem to inhale and exhale light itself. Powered by LED Strip IP68 2700K systems and orchestrated by a DiGidot C4 Extended controller, each tube fills with warm light in a six-second inhale, followed by an eight-second exhale – the rhythm of mindful breathing. The tubes, mounted on floating platforms, respond to the gentle movement of the water, creating an additional layer of dynamism as passing boats send ripples through the installation.  

THE
PROCESS

We wanted to create a moment of collective mindfulness," explains Hupfauf, whose experience working on sailboats in Australia influenced the installation's relationship with water. "The lighthouse was always a beacon of calm for me," he recalls, "and we hoped to create something similar here – a guide to tranquility in the urban environment.

The timing of "Inspirare" coincides meaningfully with Amsterdam's 750th anniversary. As the city reflects on its past and looks toward its future, the installation offers a moment to literally breathe in the significance of this milestone. Each illuminated breath becomes a metaphor for the city's own lifecycle – its moments of growth, pause, and renewal.

The therapeutic benefits of controlled breathing are well established, from stress reduction to improved sleep and overall well-being. By translating this private ritual into a visible play of light, Hupfauf and Fierman turn mindful breathing into a shared experience, transforming an ancient practice into a contemporary light sculpture that connects personal and collective well-being.