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Komorebi, which was designed by Leslie Nooteboom, is a small device around the size of a small plant pot that projects a variety of patterns and shapes onto a wall that mimic the hues and positioning of natural light. Essentially, he’s created a simulation for natural light when it streams through a window – complete with moving branches or water reflections. Komorebi is a Japanese word, which when translated, is the word for the effect of sunrays filtering through trees.

The device has been designed primarily for those living in tower blocks, where trees are unlikely to reach. As you’ll see from the video on this page, the effect is incredibly realistic, despite the fact that the patterns are simply computer-generated routines. The projector rotates slowly throughout the day, and the user can have full control of the projection through a dedicated app.

‘In a time where indoor sunlight is becoming more scarce, the need for technological nature is increasing,” says Nooteboom. “With an ever-growing global population and urbanisation levels reaching huge rates, fewer living spaces are able to receive direct sunlight.”

komorebi from Leslie Nooteboom on Vimeo.

Nooteboom has recently graduated from the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London, and the Komorebi projector was his graduation project. He is currently looking for manufacturers to make the project a reality.

If this has piqued your interest in projectors, you might also be interested in the Moonlite smartphone add-on that projects children’s stories onto the wall or ceiling during storytime, or the smart projector that’s used to create an interactive climbing wall. Can you think of any other ways that projectors could be used to make life better or more interesting?

Main image © Renée Kemps