A new participatory public artwork titled 11 Million Dots, created by artist Rafael El Baz, has been unveiled on the six-story façade of a data center near Park Royal in Ealing, west London, covering 2,700 square meters (29,000 square feet) and marking the city’s largest such installation.
El Baz collected ambient sounds from the area along with over 120 audio interviews from local residents and business owners. He transformed these recordings into binary code and audio waveforms, which were etched onto aluminum panels to visualize abstracted data. The artist described the work as showing how data, often used invisibly in daily life, appears when captured in a specific moment.
The installation emphasizes materiality, sustainability, and overlooked waste streams, turning community stories into a durable public form. Featured as part of London’s Design Festival, it revitalizes the data center site with patterns drawn from local dialogues, landscapes, clouds, trees, and traffic. Justine Simons, deputy mayor for culture and creative industries, noted that such public art sparks discussions, celebrates diversity, and unites communities.
Athmaja Biju is the Editor at Abir Pothi. She is a Translator and Writer working on Visual Culture.
