It is understandably difficult to see the beauty in some abandoned buildings. The neglected and sometimes damaged areas can lead one to associate the structure with decay and ugliness rather than possibilities. Lighting designer Luisa Alvarez understands that shadows are a part of light; a necessary facet of any place’s beauty. She transformed an abandoned house into a color-filled wonderland using some unusual materials and a healthy amount of optimism.

(all images via: Inhabitat)

Not knowing what they would find inside the abandoned home, Alvarez and her group made their way into the shadowed building. Although they didn’t encounter any squatters (human or otherwise) they did find a lonely, empty home covered in graffiti. They then set about recreating it for just one night.

Using old color-tinted photographic negatives and gels, Alvarez created room dividers, window coverings and furnishings that filled the home with colors and silhouettes. After wrapping old chairs with strips of colorful negatives and lighting them from inside, mesmerizing blocks of colors were thrown onto the walls and other interior surfaces.

The project, called Habitando, also featured ropes of LED lights draped all throughout the building. Their changing colors gave a sense of movement and made the home feel lived-in once again. The negatives hanging over the windows featured silhouettes of people, creating phantom inhabitants that swayed and danced along the walls.

Using recycled materials, light and color, the team transformed the house – for one night only – into a humanized place. Given the state of disrepair it was in before they entered, it is likely that the home had not seen so much activity in a very long time.