Media Architecture Institute

“Water and sustainability” is the motto of this year’s international world exhibition held from 14 June to 14 September in Zaragoza, Northern Spain. In 140 pavilions, approximately 100 nations are presenting solutions for the responsible use of the precious resource. Ledon’s contribution is the visionary illuminated façade “Wall of Africa”, an impressive example of the variable use of light-emitting diodes.

The main objective was to create an inviting and attractive façade which at the same could be used for commercial messages. Currently the Creative LED Media façade is used for animations, advertisement, logo’s and artistic color effects. The orignal idea of the architect was to mount LED pixels on every cross section of a flexible steel net (part of the building is covered by such a net).

Aleph is an experimental public display, that is using the spaces, people and objects it faces as a palette to display messages from hidden viewpoints. When looking at a small mirror, it reflects a fraction of the space around us, when looking at a mirror façade, it reflects most things around us, containing segments that are dark or bright, red or green. But if we build a matrix of small mirrors, which can adjust their tilt according to the site they are facing, we can create a display that uses the ever changing flux of the place to show images from certain points in space.

Concept explaining collage This image is generated from unedited photos using a mirror and tilting it to reflect various brightness levels.

It will not be comprehendible from all viewpoints, just from specific ones, asking visitors to explore the space, or providing surprising flashes in a public setup that can stay around the edge of comprehension. We can for example limit this point to the height of a child, so whenever she or he looks at the mirror, drawings emerge from the reflections of the clouds, drawings that appear only for them, that adults will not be able to see.

via: www.aether.hu

This Project is some years old; even older than Blinken Lights and also very influential. By posting it now, we are fixing a big hole in our collection

Performance for a matrix of 64 gas balloons, lights, and sound

A room is filled with deep, evolving noises from a four-channel sound system. An eight-by-eight array of white, self-illuminated spheres floats in space like the atoms of a complex molecule.

Through variable positioning and illumination of each atom, a dynamic display sculpture comes into being, composed of physical objects, patterns of light, and synchronous rhythmic and textural sonic events. Change, sound, and movement converge into a larger form.

Concert Hall Aarhus is the setting for an interactive piece that invites the citizens of the city to be part of a shared experience. In contrast to billboards, Aarhus by Light is not driven by commercial interests. Rather it is an alternative staging of the encounter between the citizens of Aarhus and a cultural landmark. It is a blend of architecture, ornament, and interactive entertainment.

People experience the facade in a multitude of situations. They may be headed for the Concert Hall or passing by on their way to shopping. Some may cast a quick glance and hurry on, while others will be lured to explore the interactive potentials of the facade.

Urban Alliance´s mission is to integrate modern communication technologies in the built environment in order to create interactive public spaces and objects. Urban Alliance combines expertise in design, content production, engineering and construction. This way UA is a one-stop-shop for tun-key mediatecture solutions. Urban Alliance works for developers, governments, advisers and architects on projects indoors and outdoors for purposes as city marketing, social safety and arts.

Situated in a breathtaking 7-story high glass atrium, The Comcast Experience is a joint gift to the citizens of Philadelphia from Comcast Corporation and Liberty Property Trust; one that combines sculpture, architecture and technology into an inviting and unique public environment. By transforming a public transportation hub into an artistic focal point for the city, The Comcast Experience encompasses a number of important “firsts.” From a technology standpoint, the world’s largest four millimeter LED wall is 83.3’ wide by 25.4’ high (25.38m x 7.74m), and is comprised of 6,771 Barco NX-4 LED modules. With 10 million pixels mounted in a seamless flat array, the wall provides an extremely high degree of photo-realism — five times the resolution of high-definition television.

The winning competition entry for the “Espacio de Creación Artística Contemporánea” by Nieto Sobejano architects from Spain proposed the integration of a light- and media façade on the building surface facing the RíoGuadalquivir.

The Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planing at The University of Sydney has recently installed a SmartSlab LED screen inside the window display facing the yard in front of the faculty building.

SmartSlab has attracted quite some attention since it was introduced a few years ago by b consultants ltd, an architectural consultancy run by Tom Barker. It is specifically unique due to its resistant structure and modular approach: the screen is shipped in 600 x 600mm tiles that can be built up into large arrays of any size. The steel and polycarbonate structure allows it to be even used as flooring or curtain walls in buildings.