INDIA: A striking array of Claypaky lighting fixtures took centre stage at The Banyan Tree installation during the Sixth Sense Festival in Bengaluru, India, transforming a century-old glass factory into a breathtaking multi-sensory environment where light, sound, technology, and audience interaction merged into one immersive experience.

Produced by Swordfish Events & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., the multi-day festival marked India’s first and largest multidisciplinary immersive experience, with The Banyan Tree serving as one of its most captivating centrepieces. Designed by Production Designer Stephen Bontly, the site-specific installation explored themes of mutual relationships and symbiosis, using windows, mirrors, lights, smoke, and lasers to create a stylised high-tech tree that invited visitors to step inside and become part of the story.

Known as The King of Trees and a powerful cultural symbol in India, the Banyan Tree installation was designed not only as an interactive art piece but also as a dynamic stage backdrop for the live performances surrounding the exhibition. Lasers traced the tree’s perimeter, converging into a core of mirrors, prisms, and glass, while lidar sensors allowed visitors to directly influence the environment; triggering mirror and light panel movements, activating LED screens, redirecting lasers, and filling the space with atmospheric smoke.

“I used lidar sensors to track the audience; they were placed around the room to trigger sounds and voice messages. The audio then communicated to software I built to trigger lighting effects throughout the tree,” Bontly says. “The piece was actually controlled by the visitors, and no one moment was the same during the interactive show. In between, a timecoded story highlighted all the features on the tree just to make sure everyone got to see its full potential. I couldn’t let it stop there, The Banyan Tree was also able to switch into live mode giving the control to my team and I during the live performances.”

To realise this ambitious vision, Bontly deployed a broad selection of Claypaky fixtures including Tambora Flashes, Tambora Battens, Panify 2 motorized lighting platforms, B-EYE K15s, Valero Waves, and Sharpy X Frames—each selected for both visual impact and functional precision.

Eighteen Tambora Flashes formed the core of the tree, delivering the larger bulb, short bar fixture profile required for the centrepiece. “Even running them at 5 percent they delivered quality color,” Bontly points out. Eight Tambora Battens were arranged around the structure, chosen specifically for their tight beams from the longer bars rather than their uniform tilt.

The Panify 2 motorized lighting platforms played a pivotal role in shaping the installation’s kinetic visual identity, holding clusters of prisms through which lasers were projected. “The tree was actually two parts: a flown element that was the tree canopy and top of the trunk plus a ground-supported trunk,” he explains. “This allowed me to stack the Panifys vertically, facing one another” using a custom steel plate Bontly designed. Four Panifys formed the canopy, while two were positioned in the trunk, creating dynamic prism movements and beam redirection. “With total control of the direction of the prisms, we had a lot of fun just spinning them around and redirecting beams of light,” he recalls.

Five B-EYE K15s were aligned within the trunk structure—two facing upward and three positioned downward from the canopy. “With the washes’ zoom set to 0%, they lit up the center quite well and did wonders for chase effects,” says Bontly. “The two closest to the center illuminated the Panify elements so well – they were honestly the two most important lights of the piece. These core lights really illuminated the structure of the piece, which was important for the overall concept.”

An additional four K15s were installed on the ground for concert use. “During the shows, we really got into the pixel engine on the K15s, giving us another level of detail not easily obtained with simpler fixtures,” he adds. Six Valero Waves were also ground mounted to support the live performances.

The 36 Sharpy X Frames served both as a symbolic and atmospheric design element. Reflecting the Banyan Tree’s descending root structure, they illuminated the floor as visitors approached, reinforcing the installation’s interactive nature. “As far as the look, I always love the uniform grid arrays over a large space. It really makes the space super dynamic and fun, running chases across a warehouse will never get old, especially from the dance floor.”

Bontly also notes the strong colour consistency across the fixture family. The Tambora product line colour matched seamlessly, while the K15s “fell in line with the Tamboras with almost zero difference. We landed on a good, synchronized look.”

With the Panifys reserved for the defining visual peaks of the show; “all the lights out, fog on, lasers at the core, Panifys spinning”; the installation delivered moments of pure theatrical impact that left a lasting impression.

Bontly credits Mumbai-based production company Light N Light and Sahil Phodkar for support, noting that “the Claypaky fixtures worked flawlessly.” He also acknowledges Swordfish and Bharath Muniram, his Production Manager, for “holding the project together and funding the dream. I could not have done it without these teams. We built [the installation] for three weeks, and they kept it maintained for another ten days.”