Shining a light on Derby

Bondholder intu Derby has brought together colour psychologists, light artists and designers to help boost the mood and wellbeing of its shoppers, by creating 'The Light House Experience'.

A study conducted by intu shows yellow makes us happiest, with blue and green helping to ease anxiety, and this has been transposed into three glowing 'light houses' launched in Derby on 24th February, which will visit 12 other intu centres around the UK.

Adam Tamsett, General Manager at intu Derby, said: “We are committed to the wellbeing of our people and those coming to visit and have spent a long time working with colour psychologists, artists and designers to create colourful experiences to enjoy that are scientifically shown to positively influence our moods.”

Each light house is free to experience and aims to use the psychological benefits of colour to help improve the wellbeing of visitors as part of intu’s pledge to make its visitors happier.

The Happy, Calm and Energise houses feature different colour effects to evoke three different emotions including happiness when walking into a rainbow, calmness when sitting in a silent soft blue-lit room and an energy boost when walking through a glowing, neon-orange charged room.

Adam added: “intu Derby is a place where families can enjoy spending their time and leave happier than when they first arrived, and we’re hoping our Light House Experience will put big smiles on faces young and old.”

As part of the research, yellow was found to make us happiest with 55 per cent of those who wake up in pink rooms saying it helps them to start their day feeling happier. Wearing blue was shown to produce the greatest feelings of goodwill. People in Derby voted blue their favourite colour, with brown being the least favourite. It follows the release of Classic Blue as Pantone’s 2020 Colour of the Year.

Those involved in The Light House Experience include light artist Liz West, whose work is focused on using colour to positively influence moods, psychologist and colour expert June McLeod and eight designers who spent three months turning conceptual colour designs into colour-changing houses.

Colour psychologist June McLeod, who led the colour selection, comments: “In my world, colour is the most powerful form of communication. Its psychological impact can make us feel happy or sad, cold or warm, energised or lethargic. intu’s Light House Experience is an opportunity for millions of people to feel the powerful influence of colour, and discover how it could hold the key to reducing stress, calming the mind and boosting our mental health.”

Artist Liz West, who designed the houses, added: “Each Light House has been created to enhance and influence the mood of visitors in a different way to feel calmer, more energised or happier.

“The cylinder shape of the Calm House is designed to create a feeling of being cocooned in a soft seamless space, the Energise House uses infinity mirrors to surround visitors with warm, energy-provoking colour and the Happy House mixes vivid colours and luminous light to create a spectral environment known to increase positive thoughts.”