Finalists for LAVNCH [CODE]’s 3rd Annual Out of This World Experiences Awards (OoTWEA) have been chosen and it’s time for you, our readers, to choose the winners.

Click here to vote for your three favorite installations. The three installations with the most votes will be crowned the winners with two installations being named runners-up. The winning installations will be publicly announced on LIVE on rAVe [TV] on April 10, 2024.

Editor’s Note: Installation descriptions for the Out of This World Experiences Awards were provided by contest entrants.

ARTE MUSEUM LAS VEGAS

Location: Las Vegas, NV

Submitted by: AVI-SPL

Integration Firm: AVI-SPL

Why It’s Out of This World: Las Vegas isn’t known for subtlety, but the ARTE MUSEUM takes the sensational to the next level, delivering an out-of-this-world experience unlike anything the U.S. has seen before. Forget paintings on a wall. Here, immersive technology designed and installed via a collaboration between AVI-SPL and d’strict, transforms the entire space into a portal to another world. High-definition visuals sprawl across floors and walls, creating a captivating large-scale, multi-sensory adventure. The state-of-the-art audio system acts as central element and core component of the multi-sensory experience. The immersive exhibits installed by AVI-SPL orchestrate space, content, and technology to create interactive storytelling experiences that bring joy and amazement. ARTE MUSEUM LAS VEGAS is not just an exhibition, it leverages advanced technology to pull guests in completely, making them part of the exhibit. Nature, art, and technology blend together, leaving visitors with a lasting impression of the power of human imagination, technology, and art.

Baylor University Hurd Welcome Center

Location: Waco, TX

Submitted by: Electrosonic

Integration Firm: Electrosonic

Why It’s Out of This World: The Hurd Welcome Center provides a technology-rich ‘front door’ to Baylor University’s campus and serves as an inspirational community space designed to make a lasting impression on current and prospective students, staff, alumni and visitors. This is not a traditional university welcome center, but an experiential digital canvas where students discover and envision their futures at Baylor. Four show-stopping columns towering almost 100 ft. into the sky make an immediate, inspirational impact on perspective students, creating an immersive experience that resonates with Generation Z. These are no ordinary columns, transcending mere symbolism to serve as a profound link to Baylor’s heritage. Yet, their true marvel lies within, enveloping visitors in an immersive, technology-rich experience like no other.

The Reflect Column elicits an instant ‘wow’ with its captivating projections of dazzling scenes from across campus. Enhanced by a 360° mirror, it creates a mesmerizing kaleidoscope of color, showcasing the beauty of Baylor from every angle. Inside the Connect Column, a 12-million-pixel video wall and beam-forming audio immerse visitors in their future life on campus. Prospective students make their mark on Baylor in the personalized environment of the Aspire Column. Scanning a QR code, students see their names and aspirations spiraling up a 72-ft. ribbon. The Amplify Column offers a global perspective with its unique half-globe LED screen—the only one in the world—showcasing the impact of Baylor alumni on a global scale.

Caterpillar

Location: Tinaja Hills, AZ

Submitted by: Pearl Technology

Integration Firm: Pearl Technology

Why It’s Out of This World: The outdoor desert demonstration grounds at Caterpillar’s AZ facility allow clients in the grandstands to see the machinery at work in real-world environments—while experiencing what is happening directly from the operators. The operators can communicate with each other while simultaneously choosing to broadcast audio and video of what they are doing to the grandstands. Operators can also hear what is being said by presenters in the stands. This installation posed several challenges for the design team including the large coverage areas and distances, maintaining ease of operation, broadcasting full bandwidth audio, ruthless desert environmental conditions, and the need for flexibility of wireless frequencies due to unregulated transmissions from across the southern border of the United States. Pearl Technology was able to use wireless technology that utilized custom designed quadversity RF over fiber antenna systems disguised among the desert landscape. These antennas were placed in the hills of the desert area and because of their remote location are all powered from custom solar panel arrays all hidden into the landscape. The demonstration arena features a viewing gallery that allows clients to see the heavy machinery firsthand. Along with high quality audio reinforcement systems the addition of a nearly two-story-high 48:9 direct view LED display wall brings the experience of Caterpillars clients to the next level. The capability now exists to show presentation data on the heavy machinery, wireless video feed from the operators focused on control operation, and exterior views of specific, close-up parts of the machinery. Attendees can even enjoy drone footage can be displayed for a full 360-degree vantage point of what is happening.

Disney Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Submitted by: Sony

Integration Firm: All of it Now

Why It’s Out of This World: This installation seamlessly married the real world with the magical realm of Encanto, through the use of innovative new technology and techniques that engaged, immersed, inspired, and delighted audiences at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and at-home viewers on Disney+. Being able to work in the realistic 3D space provided by the Spatial Reality Display allowed this project to push the boundaries of visualization by showing content, as opposed to asking someone to imagine it. This workflow also gave the behind-the-scenes creatives and artists more realistic insight into the full process and their own work, when compared to 2D mockups. Using the Spatial Reality Display, All of it Now was able to unlock new forms of creativity and help streamline their pre-production workflow. Many of the effects used in the augmented reality broadcast were particle-based and having a display that could support 2D and 3D visuals provided better context, and spatialization. Using Sony’s Spatial Reality Display, the All of it Now team was also able to view and navigate the Hollywood Bowl and visualize the camera movements in a 3D space.

DraftKings Sportsbook at Wrigley Field

Location: Chicago, IL

Submitted by: Nanolumens

Integration Firm: McCann Systems

Why It’s Out of This World: Historical landmarks like Wrigley Field, require many levels of approval for work to begin on a project such as the DraftKings flagship located inside the stadium. Gensler’s designers worked alongside the National Park Service, the State Historic Preservation Office, and the Commission on Chicago Landmarks to work through the project timeline for Wrigley’s new addition. They kept the historical architecture and made the new space tie into the Wrigley Field experience with accents evocative of the stadium. Passersby’s won’t have any clue about the modern technology that resides inside as the sportsbook looks like part of the existing infrastructure. Even without the ability to place bets, this is an impressive venue that greets visitors with a sprawling display. The sportsbook will be open year-round both on gamedays and non-gamedays, with a premier food and beverage experience to complement its innovative visuals.

Johnson Controls OpenBlue Innovation Center

Location: Milwaukee, WI

Submitted by: Electrosonic

Integration Firm: Electrosonic

Why It’s Out of This World: This installation is truly out of this world due to its groundbreaking use of advanced technologies and immersive experiences. At the core of the OpenBlue Innovation Center is its ability to transport visiting customers into virtual environments directly relevant to their business needs. Through innovative virtual reality experiences within the modular pods, visitors can interact with OpenBlue technology in realistic environments, providing them with engaging, lifelike, hands-on experiences.

The company’s Glendale campus also represents a live demonstration of how building technology and design can improve a building’s efficiency and reduce environmental impact. This installation stands out because it seamlessly integrates cutting-edge technology to present Johnson Controls’ global capabilities and diverse product portfolio in a fun, immersive and engaging manner. Visitors can experience the ‘blueprint of the future for smart buildings’ in a unique, highly personalized environment.

A great example is the interactive projected book. As visitors scroll through the pages, they can explore individual products in a format that goes way beyond traditional touchscreens. Utilizing RFID technology embedded in the pages, the book interacts with animated projections—enhancing engagement and providing an immersive learning experience.

Outernet London

Location: London, UK

Submitted by: Solotech

Integration Firm: Solotech

Why It’s Out of This World: Outernet London is the most advanced immersive space in the world—at the heart of the district is The Now Building featuring 23,000 sq. ft. of floor-to-ceiling wraparound screens able to create never before seen digital experiences. Inside, visitors will find five different spaces including the main Now Building with a 14-meter-high atrium, the Now Arcade, the Now Venue Cinema Expansion, and two pop-up buildings—Pop 1 and Pop 2. The Now is one of the most exciting parts of Outernet, featuring a four-story high LED wall—as well as retractable walls, creating a flexible immersive space. Thanks to early involvement in the project, the Solotech team was able to design an audio network capable of meeting different demands and offering a variety of options for the client. Named as “London’s most visited tourist attraction” by The Times newspaper in 2023, Outernet has attracted 6.25M visitors in its inaugural year; it is the largest digital exhibition space in Europe.

Talking Stick Resort

Location: Scottsdale, AZ

Submitted by: CCS Presentation Systems

Integration Firm: CCS Presentation Systems

Why It’s Out of This World: When Talking Stick Resort sought to create a first impression to take its guest’s breath away, CCS rose to the challenge. The project features a massive dvLED wall mounted to the ceiling in the main entryway of the hotel—a circular rotunda measuring 40×40 ft. The entryway went from a static space to a dynamic experience that highlights the uniqueness of the culture’s native to Arizona and the beauty of the desert. Working with OpenEye Global, content was specially designed to create the effect of a sky theater and, through forced perspective, take guests on a visual journey using images generally referred to as anamorphic. The goal was to transform the rotunda into a memorable first stop for people visiting the hotel and casino. Talking Stick wanted this to be such a mind-bending spectacle that people would pull out their phones, take pictures and videos, post them to social media, and spend a few moments staring at the technology and trying to figure out how it was accomplished. The content pays homage to the two Native American Tribes whose culture led to the creation of Talking Stick, the Pima and the Maricopa—as well as to other cultures. The content contains a tribute to the Arizona desert landscape, brilliant footage of wildlife (butterflies, eagles, coyotes, horses), and breathtaking scenery of mountains, deserts, and rushing rivers. There are also holiday-themed scenes, scenes for special ceremonies and festive occasions, and even fully immersive anamorphic content.

University of Maryland Global Campus Homecoming 2023

Location: Metaverse

Submitted by: Get Real XR

Integration Firm: Get Real XR

Why It’s Out of This World: University of Maryland Global Campus’ (UMGC) Homecoming 2023 – Reach for the Stars involved design elements that literally can not be replicated in the real world. The fact that it was hosted in the metaverse meant that there were no real physical boundaries or limitations to the potential of what could be delivered to the client. The combination of limitless design possibilities and the metaverse truly delivered an out of this world experience for all who attended.

The journey with UMGC showcased Get Real’s ability to blend creativity with technical prowess to deliver a unique virtual immersive experience to the UMGC team, students, and alumni. The project underlined why Get Real continues to innovate using immersive technology to foster stronger ties between key members of its clients’ community.
The engagement metrics supported the success of the project, highlighted by:

• Over 2,200 visits to the Welcome Area (Hub) yielding over 39,000 total user minutes.
• Over 1,100 visits to the Networking Lounge, with an average of 24 minutes spent in the experience per visitor.
• Over 13,000 total user minutes spent in the Celebration Zone during the live DJ event.

Windsor Great Park Illuminated

Location: Windsor, UK

Submitted by: LCI Productions

Integration Firm: IMG Events/LCI Productions

Why It’s Out of This World:The trail encompassed 11 distinct zones, each showcasing traditional light trail elements such as LED beacons, architectural lighting, and pixel chains. Additionally, interactive experiences including hydro screens; aquatic and 3D projection mapping; and immersive holograms of forest creatures, floating fairies, and motion-tracked fireflies added to the enchantment. LCI Productions integrated storytelling throughout the trail, weaving a cohesive and unforgettable fairy-themed experience that sparked visitors’ imagination and transported them to a fantastical new world.

By integrating a cohesive narrative into the visitor flow, it helped to add a layer of depth to the overall experience. Visitors were not simply moving from one attraction to another—they were actively participating in a story unfolding. Each scene and storyline unravelled in a way that guided guests organically from one point to the next, keeping them engaged and eager to discover what awaited them around the corner. Notable features throughout the trail included Fountain Land, an illuminated water fountain and a water screen that showcased a festive display of Santa and Christmas elves, a fairy disco, a 43m long custom-built LED tunnel of light, and a projection mapped Dreaming Tree. LCI incorporated interactivity in the Firefly Forest, with an infrared camera detecting the motion of approaching guests, as well as new Holofan technology which housed 7m x 1m holofans decorated with neon circles.

Help LAVNCH [CODE] Choose the 2024 Out of This World Experiences Award Winners

You’ve seen the entries—now help us choose the winners via our online voting system. Click here to vote for your three favorites. Winners will be publicly announced on LIVE on rAVe [TV] on April 10, 2024.