Heliotrope began with a conversation about how much the city needs an injection of light once nights start drawing in. What happens to us when the seasons change, why do so many of us feel lethargic and withdrawn? Could we create a large sunny spot in the middle of cloudy, grey Glasgow to help us deal with our cravings for light?

Producers Trigger and DO Architecture were early collaborators, with psychiatrist John Eagles providing specialist scientific support. We applied successfully to the Wellcome Trust and Creative Scotland for funding to develop the project, and brought in additional team members. Hanna Tuulikki came on board as a sound artist, Stefanie Posavec as a graphic designer, Justin Quillinan as a programmer and Tom Brown as a second
psychiatrist. We issued an open call for a writer, and found Molly Naylor. Briefed to create a piece of fiction about seasonality, she worked closely with John Eagles to co-author complementary pieces of poetry and prose that explore our relationship with light. You can read these by clicking on the Writing planet [link?].

Very quickly we established circadian rhythms, the rotation of the earth and the number twelve as themes. Everything references these: the logo and design work, the timing of the piece (12 minutes long), the shape of the installation, the writing. We worked closely together as a team, learning about each others' processes and exploring collaborative ways of working that allowed us all to impact on and influence each other.