Header: Andrii Avdieienko
In a site where horror and death seem to be engraved, designer Mykola Kabluka, Expolight, has just completed his memorial installation titled “Road of Life.” The site is that of the destroyed Romanivsky Bridge in Irpin, which played a crucial role during the early days of the Russian invasion as it served as a vital evacuation route. Since then, the spot has become a symbol of resilience and survival. As a tribute to the Romanivsky Bridge and the people of Ukraine, the Kyiv Regional Military Administration asked Expolight for help, and the designers delivered.
The installation incorporates light to emphasize the bridge’s physical destruction and its symbolic importance. Narrow-beam lights create sharp, red lines across the structure’s remains, resembling threads connecting the fragmented sections of the bridge. These lines symbolize scars on a healing wound, representing the nation’s ongoing recovery and resilience. Furthermore, pulsating light patterns accentuate these threads, reinforcing their connection to the main themes of endurance and continuity.
The design, which won an award in the LIT Lighting Design Awards, highlights key elements of the site, such as the fractured concrete and bent metal. This focus aims to draw attention to the scale of destruction caused by the Russians while still honoring the bridge’s historical significance. The red threads link the broken halves of the structure, suggesting both a temporary repair and a process of a deeper, longer reconstruction.
This project combines memorialization with symbolism, as light reflects the strength of the human spirit in the face of tragedy. The lighting design, therefore, evokes the duality of loss and renewal, as there was never the intention of overshadowing the survivors with the actions of the brutes. “Road of Life” is a tribute to those affected by the events at the bridge, but it also tries to inspire hope and unity in an uncertain future.
Lighting Design/Product Company Expolight
Lead Designers Mykola Kabluka
Client Kyiv Regional Military Administration
Photo Credits Andrii Avdieienko
Other Credits “Kyiv region. Places of Memory” project
Completion Date 24/08/2024
Project Location Irpin, Ukraine
