# Mirror-Lit Mountain Towns Rjukan, Norway Uses Mirror Lighting to Provide Natural Light to the Area By Alyson Wyers | Published 2013-08-07 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mirror-lighting References: [weburbanist](http://weburbanist.com/2013/08/04/dark-city-giant-mirrors-aim-to-illuminate-town-in-shadows/) The town of Rjukan, Norway is using an interesting mirror lighting technique to bring more light to this shadowed paradise. The small city's surrounding hills block out most of the sun's natural light for almost half the year. This mirror project aims to light up the town square year-round. Several mirrors have been installed on the sunlit Rjukan hills. These mirrors rotate to [reflect the sun's light](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/library-of-light) onto the lush little town. The mirror lighting is controlled by computers set up in the Town Hall. While this undertaking may seem futuristic, the idea was originally pitched over 100 years ago, but was not implemented due to high costs at the time. Instead, the inventor built a cable car that traveled to the hill tops to offer the townspeople a bright refuge during the [dark winter months](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sunbooster). ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.6/10 - Popularity: 43% | Activity: 58% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Mirror Lighting Technique:** Utilizing mirror lighting to bring natural light to shadowed areas, presenting potential applications in dark or isolated locations. - **Sustainable Lighting Solutions:** Implementing mirror lighting as a sustainable alternative to traditional light sources, opening up possibilities for energy-efficient lighting systems. - **Reviving Historical Innovations:** Exploring past unrealized inventions and concepts to find practical applications in modern times, providing solutions to long-standing challenges. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Sustainable Energy:** Integrating mirror lighting technology into the sustainable energy industry to enhance the efficiency of lighting systems. - **Tourism:** Applying mirror lighting techniques to enhance the tourism industry by creating unique attractions and experiences in shadowed areas. - **Architecture and Urban Planning:** Incorporating mirror lighting in architectural designs and urban planning to mitigate the effects of limited natural light in cities and towns. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Emotional Light Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/miror-collection.md) - [Sunlight-Mimicking Panelled Lamps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sunne-lamp.md) - [Suspended Lighting Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/suspended-lighting-installation.md) - [Window-Emulating Lighting Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/window-chronicles.md) - [Suspended Mirrored Lighting Series](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mirror-collection-1.md) - [Physics-Based Artful Light Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aura-collection-1.md) - [Glass-Reflective Illuminated Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/invisible-house.md) - [Intelligent Illumination Mirrors](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lifx-supercolor-mirror.md) - [Desert Reflective Art Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shadow-travelling.md)