Woodbridge, Suffolk —
Over the Christmas period, our Mistree prototype took centre stage at Whisstocks Place in Woodbridge, transforming the waterfront square into a gently glowing festive landmark. While Mistree is best known for its daytime evaporative cooling fog and illuminated mist in hot climates, this deployment focused on testing and showcasing the DMX lighting system in cold weather conditions.
Wireless DMX
To put the lighting control through its paces, the team programmed Mistree wirelessly, sending sequences and timing cues over DMX to create a calm, flowing palette of festive colours. The result was a continuous, ambient cycle of soft transitions that moved through the “canopy,” and creating a welcoming evening atmosphere for winter visitors. The wireless setup allowed rapid iteration on-site, enabling us to tune brightness, colour harmonies, and transition speeds without interrupting the display.
A Winter Adaptation with Perspex Globes
“I wanted to design something that felt alive, something that interacts with people and enhances their experience of a space,” says John Gould, Suffolk artist and industrial designer. “It’s about presence, mood, and emotion. It’s functional, but it also creates a welcoming public space which encourages people to spend more time outdoors and socialise”
Because winter temperatures aren’t suited to evaporative mist, we piloted Mistree’s cold-climate configuration: Perspex globes fitted to the tips of each branch. These globes acted as light diffusers – glowing orbs that carried colour beautifully across the structure, effectively replacing the illuminated mist effect that Mistree delivers during the summer months. The adaptation validated our year-round approach: a sculpture that cools and shimmers in heat, and glows with character in the colder season.
Suffolk Talent at the Core
Mistree’s concept and design are led by John Gould; the cooling and electronic systems are engineered by Electronic Terminations Ltd (ETL) in Woodbridge; and the lighting design is developed by Tom Taylor, a local audio and lighting engineer. Their combined expertise ensures Mistree performs as both public art and practical infrastructure – from summer cooling to winter illumination.
“This was a great opportunity to refine the lighting experience for winter,” said Tom Taylor. “The wireless DMX let us experiment live, and the Perspex globes gave us a beautifully consistent glow. It’s the same design language as the mist, just a different medium for the season.”
With the winter configuration validated, we’re preparing for summer 2026 demonstrations that showcase Mistree’s signature evaporative cooling fog and illuminated mist canopy.
If you visited Whisstocks Place over the holidays and have thoughts to share, we’d love your feedback. Your insights help us shape future installations for squares, parks, promenades, and events in Suffolk and beyond.
For technical specifications, project discussions, or event hire information, please get in touch via our Contact page.