Positioned at one of Vivid’s prime locations at Circular Quay, the giant illuminated love heart  rewarded couples with a light display according to how loudly they yelled “I love you” into a microphone.

“We were aiming for a sideshow-alley-meets-Las Vegas-wedding-chapel aesthetic,” says Chen, a BA Design Honours student.

Encouraging couples to take part in an extreme display of public affection was part of the installation’s appeal – the louder, more intense declarations of love displayed a brighter and more colourful pattern on the 3m x 3m heart.

Fellow Art & Design Honours student Nila Rezaei, UNSW Engineering graduates Nathan Adler and Sam Cassisi, and Media Arts/Computer Science Engineering students Tom Bremner and Jordan East helped Chen bring his idea to reality, guided by UNSW Engineering Scientia Experience Manager Selena Griffith. The giant love heart provided the backdrop for Vivid’s opening ceremony and received accolades from the Festival’s artistic director Ignatius Jones.

“I LOVE YOU is going to go off. It’s such a clever idea – and a simple one. Every year we get countless requests for proposals and these guys have nailed it,” he told The Australian Financial Review.

View the photo gallery here.