THE BEACONS, LEICESTER
AWARD-WINNING DIGITAL ART INSTALLATION
Aim:
The brief came from Hammerson to create vibrancy and relevance in the new urban setting of St. Peter’s Square. Something playful and interactive was envisioned to bring a new landmark to Leicester, drawing locals and visitors to a newly created public realm.
Levitate architects and the Studio of Cinematic Architecture commissioned ADI to help turn their initial artistic concept into a reality. Their vision for a tall digital light sculpture that would be visible above the crowds – and literally act as a beacon to attract passers-by- translated into a towering seven totem LED installation.
Services:
Consultancy
Content Creation
Design-Engineering
LED Screen Manufacture
LED Screen Installation
Content Management System
Interactivity
Project Management
Groundworks
Service and Maintenance
Visualisation
Leicester, UK
Pioneering public art for Leicester.
ADI brought their expertise in custom LED design and manufacture to the project, engineering a unique chamfered LED tile. Mounted at 90-degree angles on three sides of each totem, this created a seamless edge to every surface, allowing digital content to smoothly flow across the entire installation, and creating a different viewing experience as you move towards and around The Beacons.
From most angles, The Beacons are an abstract sculpture at a busy intersection, but when viewed from certain perspectives it creates the illusion of a single large image, offering a versatile canvas to showcase local artists, animators and design agencies.
End to end project management.
As part of their wider role, ADI took on the responsibilities of Principal Contractor, ensuring a smooth experience for the client in an otherwise complex city centre construction project. ADI managed all aspects of the site and additional contractors, from the groundworks and power requirements, through to installation and commissioning.
Unique Content solution.
A fully bespoke CMS was designed for The Beacons, supporting interactivity, ambient play-out and ease of scheduling. Sensors are built into the hardware to allow changes in content to be triggered depending on proximity of people.
“Highcross Leicester already plays an important role in the local community and The Beacons reaffirm the centre’s position by creating a new focal point not just for Highcross, but also for the whole of the city to enjoy and interact with”
Outcome:
The Beacons are an award-winning project, harnessing the versatile and visually impactful qualities of LED display technology to deliver an innovative public art piece. Its ever-changing concept ensures its continuous interest and relevancy for the people of Leicester.
Local creative and artistic communities have a vibrant platform for sharing their work, while it also serves to support local causes and initiatives unlike any other digital media.
ADI were able to showcase their full in-house expertise on The Beacons, taking the initial creative and running with it; applying our knowledge in design engineering, bespoke LED manufacture, construction, content and interactive applications to deliver every element of this unconventional public art installation.
