Canberra's iconic llumicube lights up again for the first time in seven years

The lights went out on the iconic cube in 2017 because the then sound-activated artwork was, apparently, not reacting too well to the "cacophony of car horns late at night".

But it's back. Brighter than ever.

The lights of Illumicube - outside the Canberra Centre on the corner of Ainslie Avenue and Cooyong Street - were officially turned back on on Thursday night.

The cube has a new lighting system that can be changed remotely.

To allow for the greatest range of lighting programs and patterns, it was decided to install individually programable LED lights for every glass brick, a total of 570 lights.

This will allow the coloured lighting to be changed to coincide with community events and celebrations or for raising awareness to various causes.

Illumicube will be lit up in green and gold at various times during the Paris Olympics, with the opening ceremony on Saturday.

This work, created in 1988, was presented to the people of Canberra to commemorate 25 years of electricity supply. The colour of the light originally changed in response to sound.

Forge Construction was engaged to carry out repairs to the structure of Illumicube.

This included replacing all cracked and broken glass bricks, regrouting the entire structure and sealing the grout. They also cleaned and polished the stainless-steel edging and sealed all joins with silicon.

Illumicube's creator, Brisbane artist Kerry Simpson, was in Canberra on Thursday to see his work come back to life.

Canberra Centre general manager Gary Stewart is thrilled to see Illumicube operational again.

"It is great to see this iconic Canberra structure illuminated once more," Mr Stewart said.

"Later this year, we will introduce new landscaping, complete with additional seating around the Illumicube, creating a vibrant and welcoming space for everyone.

"This initiative underscores Canberra Centre's ongoing dedication to working with the ACT government to enhance the city's nighttime atmosphere, transforming it into a dynamic hub for entertainment and dining."