March 2026 Project of the Month: Sea Beacons
When the FIFA World Cup 2026 comes to Seattle, it will mark more than a series of matches. It will mark a chapter in our city’s history.
There are moments when a city feels the world looking in and in that gaze, sees itself more clearly. This is one of those moments.
In partnership with Seattle FWC26, the nonprofit local organizing committee preparing Seattle to host six matches of the FIFA World Cup 26™, and through the creative vision of local artist Shogo Oto of Tireman Studio, we have the honor of fabricating Selfless Stations to be placed throughout the city, along with two limited-edition illuminated works: The Sea Unity Beacon and the Sea Pride Beacon.
These pieces are public art, fundraisers for community initiatives, and beacons of connection throughout Seattle.
Historically, beacons have been guiding lights, points of reference in the dark. Along coastlines, they oriented travelers with steady signals of safety and arrival. In cities, they marked gathering places and moments of significance.
The Sea Beacons were designed as a limited-edition series, forming a visually unified network of light in the city. Installed at our local businesses, each illuminated work will hang inside windows or spotlighted space, shining outward for residents and visitors alike to recognize as a shared symbol.
Long after the final match, they are meant to remain as reminders of the year Seattle welcomed the world. Soccer is often called a universal language. So is art. Both have the power to connect people across place and time.
SeattleFWC26 has worked to ensure Seattle’s role in the tournament leaves a legacy beyond the matches. During the Host City Poster selection process, outreach was conducted in five languages, and a panel of nine community leaders helped select the finalists. Ultimately, Shogo Oto was chosen for his instantly recognizable whale fluke design, done in his signature style.
For Shogo, the opportunity felt instinctive, “I saw the poster competition ads and of course I knew the World Cup was coming to Seattle. I used to play soccer too. I’ve been making local band posters for at least 15 years, so I was like, ‘I have to try this.”
He submitted multiple sketches and focused on creating something distinctly Washington. “I saw two arches under Mount Rainier somewhere and I wanted to make something iconic. I wanted to mix two things together using Seattle and Washington – the arches as an orca whale. Two visions together under Mount Rainier.”
Rather than crowding the composition, he focused on clarity and balance. “It’s easy to recognize without explaining too much in the visual. Not too much, but a nice balance and focal point is there.”
Originally from Japan and based in the Pacific Northwest for nearly two decades, he draws inspiration from both region’s mountains, rivers, and coastline.
That connection extends beyond geography to culture. “Indigenous culture is really important for the World Cup too. There’s a wave on the bottom under the orca whale tail. There are cedar trees inside the waves to celebrate.”
These details honor the region’s Indigenous heritage, including the Coast Salish tribes and the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, whose lands have shaped this area long before global tournaments arrived.
The concept of the beacon grew from a sense of shared participation. “When you see the same beacons in different locations – stores, anywhere – it creates a united feeling. Almost like having one symbol. ‘You have that? The World Cup – it's coming!’ That kind of united feeling is really important and fun to me.”
Shogo hopes the artwork becomes part of someone’s personal history. “It would be cool if the visual of this poster became someone’s memory. Maybe a kid from another country remembers, ‘Hey, Seattle – I had that poster in my room.’ Years later, if my visual becomes someone’s memory, that makes me really proud.”
From Shogo Ota’s creative vision to the fabrication floor here at Western Neon, each beacon is shaped by hand to represent the many stories, and generations behind this project.
In total, 120 Sea Unity Beacons and 30 Sea Pride Unity Beacons created each measuring approximately 17”x14”. Every piece is hand-fabricated from ½" custom aluminum cabinets, designed to stand securely or be suspended. Internal LEDs shine through digitally printed translucent colored vinyl, while 10mm Seacrest exposed hand-crafted neon crowns a laser-cut whale fluke acrylic panel UV digital print. Each beacon is packed in a custom-fitted and designed box with a complete installation kit for safe delivery.
As Seattle prepares to welcome the world, these illuminated forms become part of a shared visual language across neighborhoods. A signal that something meaningful is happening here.
Years from now, people will recount where they were when FIFA came to Seattle.
The Sea Beacons are created with that awareness, not just for the event, but for what it represents in the arc of our communities. Together, they form a constellation across Washington, illuminated for the world to see.
Western Neon creates custom signage, interiors, and public art. With 40 years of experience, we make your vision a success from the first idea to the finishing touch. Start a project today!