In July 2025, Pavegen brought its interactive installation to Old Spitalfields Market – one of London’s most historic and character-rich destinations. With 180,000 people passing through every week, the market offered a rare opportunity to connect with a diverse community of shoppers, city workers, tourists, and local residents. The aim was simple: make sustainability feel human, intuitive, and woven into everyday life.
The Pavegen walkway transformed daily movement into measurable impact, blending playful interaction with real-time storytelling. Instead of simply passing through the space, visitors found themselves part of a collective moment – turning a casual trip to the market into something engaging, memorable, and meaningful.
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Bringing the experience to life
Brand ambassadors were on-site throughout the installation, speaking with visitors about the technology, answering questions, and keeping the energy high. During the summer heatwave, they were supported by our brand partner Nobl Water, by handing out cold water – offering a welcome pause for people exploring the market.
Adding a touch of theatre, we hired a “human tree” performer who wandered through the space, becoming a crowd favourite and adding a playful, unexpected layer to the activation, which quickly became a viral moment.Â
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How it worked
Pavegen’s design and technology created an immersive, intuitive experience:
• Kinetic Energy Floor: Converting footsteps into renewable energy in real time to light up LEDs
• Live Dashboard & LED Feedback: Tracking collective energy generation and tree-planting progress
• Campaign Signage & Digital Screens: Animated visual storytelling and live stats to show progress
• QR Code Integration: Links to tree-planting map and information about the Pavegen crowdfund
• Tree Planting Location: Trees planted in emerging markets via Evertreen
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Lasting Impact
Over 250,000 people interacted with the space in just three weeks, generating over 1 million joules of energy and helping plant 2,000 trees.
Each tree planted can sequester up to one tonne of CO₂ over its lifetime-meaning the experience continues to deliver environmental value long after the installation ends.
But the real magic was in the moments of connection. With temperatures soaring during the summer heatwave, our partner water brand joined the experience – refreshing visitors, starting conversations, and creating a natural touchpoint that elevated the atmosphere around the installation. People didn’t just walk past; they stopped, jumped, danced on the tiles, and brought friends over to try it too.
It became a place where movement, play, and purpose worked together to create memorable interactions – the kind people talk about, film, and share.
For brands looking to build awareness, spark trial, or communicate sustainability commitments in a way people can feel, the activation showed how kinetic engagement can cut through the noise. It transforms footfall into attention, attention into emotion, and emotion into lasting brand affinity – all through a simple, joyful step.
