Nice, Bay of Lights

In April 2019, I came to Nice for the first time. I had my iPad with me and was discussing the project with the client in a park. When I design, I always like to start by showing hand-drawn sketches. I revise them based on the client’s feedback. Once the sketches are approved, I move on to coloring and refining the final design. The Nice, Bay of Lights project was created exactly this way—sketched line by line, drawing by drawing. Even as AI continues to advance, I firmly believe that human creativity and hand-drawing are things it can never replace.

The 550 lanterns took one full month to install. The Nice, Bay of Lights project was one of the most important milestones in my entrepreneurial journey. It was during this lantern festival that I met a client who would later become a key figure in my business path. Of course, building a project like this in France is no easy task. France is a country with very strict regulations, especially in cities like Nice and Paris. Right across from Phoenix Park is the labor inspection office—inspectors could come into the park for an inspection in the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee. Luckily, our workers were highly professional and we passed every inspection smoothly. Nice is also known for its strong winds. During the design phase, we reinforced all structural fixings. The project was also certified by Secotec, a French third-party agency, as resistant to red-level wind warnings. I truly enjoy being in the city of Nice. It has such pleasant weather—even in winter, it feels warm. We didn’t need to wear heavy coats during the installation, and our hands never got too cold. Maybe thanks to the beautiful weather, everyone was in great spirits throughout the setup. If I get the chance, I would love to go back to Nice again.