Illuminating Resilience: Expo Light’s Award-Winning Cross of Heroes Design
At the IALD Enlighten Americas conference last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mykola Kabluka from Ukraine’s Expolight. Mykola and his team earned an Award of Merit for their exceptional work on the Cross of Heroes, a monument symbolizing Ukraine’s strength and unity amidst the ongoing conflict with Russia.
A Monument of Light and Hope
The Cross of Heroes is more than just a lighting design. It is a powerful symbol of resilience. Mykola explained, “This light is a symbol that even small lights could win the huge darkness if this light could multiply if we are all together.” Visitors to the monument enter its space, symbolically sharing the burden of the cross carried by the nation, making it an emotional and reflective experience. I wrote about this job AUG edition of designing lighting. You can read that original article below:
AUG/SEP 2024 Edition of designing lighting (dl) featuring, “Lighting Hope Against Darkness.”
Creating Light as a Particle of Hope
When designing the lighting, Mykola and his team wanted it to feel almost intangible. “I wanted to have light itself intangible,” he shared. They integrated the lighting into mirrored surfaces and the concrete floor, making it nearly invisible until it illuminates. To achieve this, they used fiber optics and custom metal elements to secure the light sources behind the mirrors. Mykola explained, “From the front side, we just see a 2 mm opening with pure light.”
Additionally, the fiber optics embedded in the concrete create an illusion that the light emerges from nowhere. “We arranged the rough concrete, used small fiber optics, and after polishing the concrete, the light goes from nothing—just from concrete,” Mykola said. This subtle design brings an inspiring message of hope to those who visit.
MyKola Kabuki receives and Award of Merit at the IALD Enlighten Americas Conference. Photo compliments of IALD
A Place for Reflection
The Cross of Heroes has quickly become a popular destination. According to Mykola, “At least 100 to 200 people visit during normal days, and during holidays, it’s thousands.” The installation provides both a place of reflection and a symbol of national pride. It serves as a daily reminder of Ukraine’s resilience and the strength of its people.
Completing the Project in Record Time
One remarkable aspect of the Cross of Heroes project was its short timeline. Mykola described the process: “Our first presentation of the idea was just four and a half months before completion. That included production, drawings, light sources, experiments, and installation.” Despite the challenges of working through winter, the Expo Light team completed the project on time. This showed both their dedication and commitment to the vision.
From Concept to Completion
Expo Light managed the entire project from start to finish. “We did the whole process—starting from the idea, the concept, the sculpture, and the architectural elements,” Mykola explained. The final result is a beautiful blend of art, architecture, and lighting. The monument touches visitors on an emotional level while delivering a visually stunning experience.
As we concluded our conversation, I mentioned that visiting the Cross of Heroes is on my bucket list. Mykola graciously extended an invitation, saying, “I invite you, and we’ll visit together.” The Cross of Heroes stands as both a national symbol and a personal achievement for those involved in its creation.
Read about Schuler Shook’s Award of Merit for the lighting design of O’Hare’s Terminal T5