Installation "Arc ZERO: Eclipse",
design: Studio JT
On one of the rooftops of southeastern Seoul, high above the traffic and the rhythm of everyday life, appeared a realization that does not demand attention - and yet attracts it. "Arc ZERO: Eclipse, " a permanent installation by James Tapscott and his Studio JT, operates at the intersection of art, landscape architecture and light design, offering an experience that is difficult to clearly categorize. The realization was named Design of the Year at the LIT Awards, where it was recognized for its consistency, precision and ability to redefine the role of light in public space.
On one of the rooftops of southeastern Seoul, high above the traffic and the rhythm of everyday life, appeared a realization that does not demand attention - and yet attracts it.
Photo by Studio JT
A project that took years to mature
"Arc ZERO: Eclipse" is not a one-time gesture or a spectacular experiment. It's the next step in a long-term creative process that James Tapscott began in 2017 in Japan with the first version of the project known as "Nimbus." The realizations there were more architectural, even total - often embracing the viewer with a ring-like structure, drawing him or her physically into the installation space. The Seoul installment clearly changes the emphasis. Instead of intense immersion, it proposes attentive looking. Instead of closure - opening. The installation does not lead the viewer by the hand, but leaves him or her with a choice: one can stop, walk around the object, look at it from afar, or let it become a background. This shift in narrative from "being inside" to "being next to" turns out to be crucial to the reception of the entire installation.
Installation "Arc ZERO: Eclipse" in Seoul - Seoul's installment clearly changes emphasis I Instead of intense immersion, it proposes attentive looking
Photo: Studio JT
A form that does not dominate, but organizes
At the heart of the project is a semi-ring embedded directly in the water - in a specially designed edgeless pool on the building's roof. During the day, the object remains discreet, while after dark its reflection in the water surface completes the composition, visually creating a full circle. This simple geometric logic organizes the roof space and gives it a clear point of reference. The ring has a diamond-shaped profile, which, although extremely difficult to manufacture, plays an important perceptual role. Thanks to this solution, the object's surface does not act as a mirror, and the viewer is rarely confronted with his own reflection. Instead, attention remains focused on the light, the mist and the object's relationship with its surroundings. The form of the installation remains open - the half-ring frames the view of the river and the bridge in the background, drawing elements of the urban landscape into the composition.
Installation "Arc ZERO: Eclipse" in Seoul - the heart of the project is a half-ring embedded directly in the water - in a specially designed edgeless pool on the roof of the building
Photo by Studio JT
Light that changes the pace
When darkness falls, the installation begins to function on a completely different level. Illuminated mist floats above the water, creating changing, soft structures that constantly transform. The ring gives the impression of being suspended in the air, as if detached from the physical confines of the roof. Light is not a decoration or accessory here - it becomes a material that builds the space. Under the controlled conditions of Tapscott's earlier works, the central emptiness of the ring was sometimes perceived as almost tangible, "like a shadow suspended in space." In Seoul, the artist consciously opens the installation to the context of the city. As a result, Eclipse remains legible also from a distance - seen from the nearby highway, it acts as a calm, pulsating sign inscribed in the neighborhood's night skyline.
The installation "Arc ZERO: Eclipse" in Seoul
photo by Studio JT
A roof that lives after dark
The installation was created in the Godeok district, one of Seoul's fastest growing areas. The rooftop garden of the new mixed-use development was designed as a relaxation space accessible to both residents and the general public. Placing the installation on a corner part of the roof proved to be a strategic decision - the site is visible from many points in the city, while remaining an integral part of the daily use of the space.
Between everyday life and a moment of pause
The installation's greatest strength is its flexibility. The object does not require concentration, but rewards it. You can pass it, you can sit by it, you can look at it for just a moment - from a car window or from afar. Tapscott consistently avoids technological imitations of nature, reaching for light, water and fog in their direct, physical form. As a result, the project does not impose emotions, but creates the conditions for them to emerge.
Installation "Arc ZERO: Eclipse" in Seoul - you can pass by it, you can sit by it, you can look at it just for a moment
photo by Studio JT
Studio JT and the global context
Studio JT was founded in 2017 by James Tapscott, an artist who has worked at the intersection of art, architecture and light for more than two decades. His realizations have been created in Asia, Australia, Europe and the United States, and his "Arc ZERO" series has been repeatedly presented in public spaces around the world. A permanent installation in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, was awarded the CODA Award for landscape art in 2023. The Seoul installment of the project was created through a collaboration with local public art agency The Ton, responsible for commissioning the work and coordinating its implementation. The recently awarded Design of the Year at the LIT Awards confirms that "Arc ZERO: Eclipse" is not just another light installation, but an important voice in the discussion of how modern cities can use light - not to speed up the pace of life, but to slow it down for a while.
Elaborated: Anastazja Gibas
Illustrations provided courtesy of Studio JT.
