We are proud to at last be able to share the project that we have spent the last 6 months dedicating the vast majority of our time to. Although smaller in stature than we are normally used to, this Sky Q box Interactive Digital Tensile Membrane project was incredibly complex, and Shade Sculpture were chosen to develop the design concept, fabricate, engineer and install an interactive experience that is now in pride of place in the O2 and Westfield. Shade Sculpture helped to create and deliver a unique and innovative interactive brand experience, to promote Sky and the launch of their new offering – the Sky Q box.
From concept to completion, Shade Sculpture were involved in developing each stage of the process. Working with Onedotzero and their software and IT partners from day one, our experienced architects and designers were able to lead the project to its completion, under incredibly tight timelines, and with a brief that was constantly evolving. Our expertise in all areas meant that this project was able to be achieved, and within the immovable deadlines which we were working to, this was certainly a challenge at points!
With the assistance of the experiential marketing company’s visual brief and after intensive design evolution and project development, Shade Sculpture helped turn the project from visual concept to a physical reality. Shade Sculpture designed not only the steel works, the timber carcasses, the lighting and of course the elasticated membrane, but we also held shaped the brief into a functional reality, with a flawless finish.
Design Engineering
Shade Sculpture produced three separate versions of interactive digital membrane experiences, with interactive photo booths to capture the participant’s information. Behind the interactive digital membrane sat bespoke kinetix technology and powerful projectors – projecting ‘fluid imagery’ onto the digital membrane. In ‘play mode’ users were able to manipulate by touch the projected imagery across the elasticated membrane. The experience went one step further in ‘screen to screen’ mode. When holding a tablet near the digital membrane, users were able to move and flick the fluid imagery from one screen to the next. The portrait photo booths enabled participants to have fluid image montages to be taken and then directly emailed to them to keep.
Interactive Digital Tensile Membranes
Shade Sculpture produced a fluidly designed and LED back lit structure which spanned the length of the upper parts of the Sky Studios at the O2. At the entrance to these Sky Studios we installed another fluidly designed and back lit structure, which echoed the upper parts and once again gave users the chance to be interactively involved in the project. We installed a freestanding static structure into Sky’s Iconic Store at Westfield London. This structure was a double sided digital membrane with two fluid portrait booths, enabling simulations multiple experiential participation. Finally Shade Sculpture designed and built three retail touring units, which were smaller (but by no means less intricate) versions of the Westfield structure – designed to be demountable and re-constructed in shopping mall environments, as they embark on a nationwide tour to promote sky and the launch of their new Sky Q Box.
This was a project which at no point was off the rack and materials were carefully chosen, not only for their fire ratings and robustness, but also for their ability to be washed and cleaned with ease. Every single stage and turn of the project required a bespoke solution, for which Shade Sculpture provided guidance, fabrication insight and design engineering development. It was a project which also utilized all elements of our in-house Architectural Design, Form Finding, Steelworks Frame Design, Fabrication Drawing, LED Lighting and Project Management teams, making this one of the most inclusive projects we have worked upon to date.
We’d like to thank all of the partners who were involved in helping take this project from concept to reality in such a short space of time and under such immense pressure, and, for putting in all the extra man hours and work that was needed to bring this evolving vision into being.
Creative Concept Design by: Onedotzero.
Lighting Design by: Design 360 and Shade Sculpture.
Engineering and Architectural Design by: Shade Sculpture.
Custom Pc’s by: Aztec Events Services.
CRM and Data Capture by: Fat Unicorn and Yoke.
Fabrication by: Shade Sculpture
Installation by: K2 and Shade Sculpture
Shade Sculpture are one of Europe’s premier companies behind the development of interactive media facades and interactive tensile membrane architecture, and whilst this experiential interactive project may be small by scale, it by no way required less development and input from our team than would be expected on larger scale projects such as Stadiums and Arenas.
For more information on interactive digital membranes or to discuss this project in depth and the expertise that Shade Sculpture has to offer please contact us on +44 (0) 1249 848649. Or to contact Philly Gaisford directly, please feel free to email: philly.gaisford@airsculpt.co.uk
