Client: University of Texas at Austin

Overview

Global architecture firm Gensler designed the Moody Center, a live events arena and home to the Texas Longhorns’ basketball team that features an array of dynamic elements to engage and immerse visitors. One such element is an interactive digital art piece custom-engineered by Design Communications Ltd. (DCL). The display wall, located in the northwest quadrant of the venue’s Dell Concourse, was the result of a design build collaboration with Gensler’s DXD team in Austin.

The concourse installation features a 10 mm pixel pitch video display from SNA Displays’ BOLD™ Interior product series. At 9’5″ tall and 66’2″ wide, the video wall is part of an interactive design that incorporates audio and reacts to visitor gestures and movements.

Goals

The artistic video wall was designed to engage visitors in an immersive experience, activating the space through an interactive audio and light show.

Process

DCL engineered and prototyped large sections of the display wall to resolve a layered assembly of light baffles, diffusive acrylic, and CNC-cut wood overlay to achieve the design team’s desired look and feel.

“Considering the tight configuration of holes cut into the wood veneer panels, SNA Displays’ full-matrix LED video modules were specified as opposed to individual LED pucks because they allowed for infinite versatility in creating content scenarios that aligned with the decorative pattern,” said Jeff Grantz, director of creative technologies at DCL. “Our design team coordinated with SNA Displays to provide a custom mounting structure for the LED cabinets to maximize the unique, artistic diffusion effect.”

In addition to manufacturing the LED video technology used in the art piece, SNA Displays customized its louver panels so the installation’s perforated cover could be mounted in front of the LED face with a tight fit. The substrate is completely removeable to allow front service to the LED cabinets.

Additional Information

“One challenge the project presented was discreetly integrating the array of infrared cameras within the wall itself,” said Grantz. “These cameras were used to detect the movements of people in front of the display, enabling Gensler’s team to develop a variety of gesturally interactive animations that help activate the space and engage visitors.”