After working with elderly people in a Norwegian village, Birgitta Ralston and Alexandre Bau of Ralston & Bau, wanted to create an outdoor lighting system specifically for Nordic cities, which are situated close to nature and have long, dark nights during wintertime. It was also important to Ralston & Bau to design lighting that wouldn't interfere with "the amazing light of stars and aurora borealis," (otherwise known as the Nordic lights) so they came up with Shroom, a series of light fixtures that are fully lit only when needed.
At night the Shrooms maintain a 10% light output, but the when the built-in detection system senses a passerby, the lights smoothly transition to full luminosity, lighting up the path or bus station or park bench. "This is both energy saving and avoids unecessary light pollution."
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