2026 Dongshan Old River Port Lantern Festival

A single gust of wind sets countless lights into motion.
The night at Dongshan Old River Port is no longer a static composition of light and shadow, but a continuously rewritten spatial narrative shaped by the wind. As kites rise into the sky, they not only trace trajectories across the horizon but also redefine how light exists—flickering, drifting, and breathing with a sense of life. This project draws inspiration from Dongshan’s local kite culture, transforming traditional craftsmanship into a contemporary light environment language. It creates an immersive spatial experience where wind and light intertwine, integrating cultural translation, light art, and spatial storytelling into a unified design approach that redefines the value of local culture in a contemporary context. Structured around the traditional process of Framing, Pasting, Painting, and Flying, bamboo frameworks establish structural order (Framing), materials diffuse and carry light (Pasting), colors construct emotional narratives (Painting), and finally, the act of flying releases light into dynamic motion (Flying). This transformation elevates traditional craft into a spatial experience with cultural depth and contemporary perception. Guided by wind and shaped through light, the project reinterprets Dongshan’s perception of time and space. Centered on light environment art, the design responds to the historical textures of the old riverway while connecting local culture with contemporary life. It establishes a continuous nighttime light corridor extending from Dongshan Railway Station to Dongshan Bridge. Through a linear light curation strategy, the site evolves from isolated installations into a cohesive spatial narrative system, enhancing continuity and immersion. Light installations transform the once-static river port into an interactive and readable environment, where historical memory becomes a perceivable contemporary experience. Rooted in kite culture—the wind drives the kite, and the kite guides the light—the project translates invisible wind into visible light. As the wind rises, light flows, flickers, and moves through space, visualizing natural phenomena through artistic interpretation. This establishes an innovative sensory interaction between nature and light. The entire site becomes a continuously evolving living canvas, reflecting local memory while projecting future possibilities, elevating the design from object-based installations to a perceptual system.