David Geffen Hall is the latest Commercial Integrator 2023 Integration Award winning project to earn the spotlight. Of course, CI’s annual Integration Awards highlight the most dazzling, most technology-forward applications of audiovisual technologies in venues across the world. Our independent panel of expert judges evaluates dozens of applications, selecting the best across numerous categories.
David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, earned top honors in the highly competitive Best Large Venue Project category.
Transformation at David Geffen Hall
David Geffen Hall sought to completely transform its audio and visual experience from initial guest arrival into the performance space itself. The design and delivery needed to complement the wider experience of a visit to Lincoln Center and meet the performance needs and goals of the New York Philharmonic.
Decision-makers wanted the arrival experience to focus on generating excitement for upcoming events and performances, while also making visitors feel welcome and bringing together the local community. This included attending to the requirements of 11 resident art organizations and 30 performance spaces across the Lincoln Center campus.
Experience design studio AV&C was the perfect partner. After all, the studio is renowned for its unique team, approach and process, as well as its impressive portfolio of work. Its remit was to deliver an experience that would bring digital landmarks to the physical world; showcase best practices and creativity; and deliver an experience that would give a platform to the New York arts community. AV&C delivered the full solution — experience design, content strategy, user experience, full system delivery and coordination with the client, architect and construction teams. This included network design and architecture, procurement, installation, and software design and development, spanning the interactive media and accompanying interactivity solution.
AV&C Selects SiliconCore
AV&C chose SiliconCore as the perfect technology solution for David Geffen Hall because of the company’s local presence and its high-performance, sustainable products.
The LED displays in particular play a key role in the guest-arrival sequence. AV&C needed a solution that could meet exacting requirements with regard to pixel pitch and resolution. The studio also wanted to deliver superior material and image quality with high brightness, great contrast and no motion blur.
When guests arrive in the Karen and Richard LeFrak Lobby, the Hauser Digital Wall, a SiliconCore Camellia 0.95mm LED display located at the rear, greets them. This 50’x10’ digital wall is available to the public during the day, free to be explored while people walk through the lobby or enjoy a coffee. The content entails a curated series of digital artwork, live multi-camera feeds of performances and rehearsals, event information and generative ambient media that flows across all the canvases when they’re not otherwise tasked.
A motion-tracking camera system is located within the room’s interior. A high-tech rigging system allows the camera to operate at a substantial height. This setup enables visitors to engage with the responsive generative media without the distraction of any technical equipment operating in full view.
Moreover, the lobby hosts two Info Column displays. Each portrait display is nearly 3’x9’ and is composed of SiliconCore Lotus 0.83 LED. The Info Columns are programmable to display their own content or can be choreographed to act in concert with the Hauser Digital Wall.
The Welcome Center features a 48’x 6’ SiliconCore 1.2mm Lavender LED display with a 90-degree return. The exterior-facing surface engages pedestrians at street level. Meanwhile, the interior-facing surface welcomes guests and supports box-office activities. The displays’ high resolution, deep contrast and detailed graphics are creditable to SiliconCore’s proprietary technologies. Its Common Cathode Technology greatly reduces power consumption; this is a factor not only for increasing product lifetime but also supporting long-term sustainability.
Delving into the David Geffen Hall Installation
The initial installation at David Geffen Hall began in 2020, with the venue set to reopen in 2024. However, the easing of COVID-19 regulations presented an opportunity to complete the project two years ahead of schedule.
SiliconCore reports that it is the only manufacturer to make its own driver chips. Thus, the company quickly adapted its processes to overcome global supply-chain challenges associated with post-pandemic component shortages. As a result, product was available for this installation. SiliconCore’s proprietary and patented technology made possible the implementation of LED displays of this scale and for this specific use case. All displays feature SiliconCore’s Common Cathode driver technology. This powers individual LEDs in a more efficient way by controlling the power voltages to eliminate heat wastage at the PCB level. This enables sustainable performance and protects the client’s long-term investment.
Indeed, this technology results in 20% to 50% cooler operating temperatures and lower power consumption than the market average. Consequently, SiliconCore can deliver a longer LED lifespan of more than 100,000 hours, while also supporting the benefits of being sustainable (e.g., lower operating costs, no need for HVAC equipment).
SiliconCore’s proprietary encapsulation technology, LISA, enhances display durability by protecting at the PCB level. This increased robustness is ideal for displays placed in public locations like in David Geffen Hall, as it protects them from any knocks and inadvertent damage.
SiliconCore’s display technology also enables the unique placement of the Box Office display. This has a portion as a window display, while the rest flanks around to form the internal display. SiliconCore’s viewing angle and color uniformity ensure the same tiles can seamlessly flow from a high-ambient window environment and into the building.
The Client is Delighted
Unsurprisingly for a Commercial Integrator Integration Award winning project, the client is delighted with how the renovation of David Geffen Hall turned out. Indeed, all project participants had words of praise and enthusiasm. The decision-makers’ goals were to create a space that would make patrons and new audiences feel welcome, while simultaneously expanding the possibilities for engagement. AV&C, in designing and implementing 22 digital touchpoints to support placemaking, engagement, curatorial and informational aims, achieved this with smashing success.
Now, the renovated lobby, as well as new spaces like the Welcome Center, Kenneth C. Griffin Sidewalk Studio and Music Box, testify to the power of designers and vendors coming together to deliver experiential excellence throughout David Geffen Hall.
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