Trubridge Horoeka Lantern is an impressive wood structure towering 9m tall and suspended 15m from the ground. Photo / Supplied
A new 9m-tall light installation at Redwoods Treewalk promises a beam of hope for Christmas in Rotorua.
From Wednesday this week, Redwood Forest has been lit up by a light installation by designer David Trubridge.
The installation, titled Trubridge Horoeka Lantern, is a wood structure towering 9m tall and suspended 15m from the ground.
Redwoods Treewalk co-founder Bruce Thomasen said the installation offered a symbol of brightness and light as the country moved into summer.
"It's been a hard year for many, and here at Redwoods Treewalk we feel confident in the tourism industry's future and hope the Horoeka Lantern will be celebrated and enjoyed by New Zealanders across the country," Thomasen said.
"Horoeka Lantern signals the start of the summer for us. It's an exceptional marriage of design and engineering that is a similar scale to a treehouse.
"As Auckland border restrictions ease after almost 18 weeks in lockdown, and the sun starts shining, we're excited at the prospect of New Zealanders making the safe trip to Rotorua."
The Trubridge Horoeka Lantern is the fourth collaboration between the artist and Redwoods Treewalk since opening in 2016.
The suspended structure features no bolts or anchors into the trees, and is created out of the eco-friendly material Tricoya.
Trubridge has exhibited his work in Paris, Oslo, Brussels, Monaco and Chicago. He has also been named by the French magazine Express as one of the top 15 designers in the world.
In 2019, Trubridge was honoured as an Officer of the NZ Order of Merit for services to design.
"Creating a light structure is difficult enough - creating a light structure to fit within the canopy of ancient trees is a new height of difficulty," Trubridge said.
"Horoeka Lantern symbolises a place to play, a place to leave your stresses behind, and a place to unlock your inner child."
Trubridge said Horoeka Lantern was his largest project so far and he was hoping the positive impact the installation brought to Redwoods was just as big.
Horoeka Lantern was created with sustainability at heart.
The structure is made from an environmentally friendly MDF product derived from radiata pine grown in NZ. It has a 50-year lifespan and will eventually get covered in green moss – much like the current lanterns – as it gets absorbed into the natural environment.
"Given the Covid nature of our world, visitors are excited to reconnect back with nature, to enjoy the simple, spiritual presence of the forest," Thomasen said.
"This isn't an adrenalin rush or a theme ride – it's a front-row seat to the amphitheatre of nature."
We're celebrating the best of New Zealand as we head into the 2024-25 summer.