In looking at the work of British designing brothers Roger and Martin Dean who formed Magnetic Storm Studios in the late 1970′s and early 1980s today, one element popped out at me. Here are some details about their green crystal.
Top: in 1980, the Deans worked on designing video game cabinets for Space Invaders to be distributed by Taito. Their alien-bug heads toppers for the cabinets became known as “Taitans.” The eyes were made of a poly-carbonite material and they had lights inserted so they would glow from within. Although they were not expensive to fabricate and produce, they didn’t sell in part because the green colour was considered to be unlucky. Later, the Deans displayed their prototypes in an experimental arcade as part of their Tectonic House pavilion display alongside a lightening burst and the green crystal used in the stage set for the rock band Yes.
Second from top: a detail of the Crystal stage set for Yes, the British tour, 1980
Second from bottom: the crystal was made in just a few weeks using three asymmetrical moulds with a enormous variety of geometric shapes considered
Bottom: The crystals glowed from within and were mounted behind the keyboard and drum kit. They were hollow and were lit in sequence from inside.
