Reason wanted a central light feature in the bar to continue an ongoing theme of using light to interact 'live' with the people within specific Hard Rock spaces. This had been started at previous Hard Rock projects and has taken many different formats. However for the new-look London venue she wanted something completely different.
Reason became aware of PID, and the VersaTILE product, and contacted them for a demo. Apart from the amazing liquid effects made possible, there was also an obvious connection in using a stage lighting technology product and the Hard Rock theme.
Reason wanted the entire back of the bar area to be covered top to bottom in VersaTILES, complete with three different sized screens (one plasma and two TFTs) embedded into the surface. She originated a 350 pixel design, measuring 4m long by 1m high, with each pixel (i.e. VersaTILE) required to measure 10 x 10cm. Each of the special sized tiles is edge lit with 18 LEDs, six red, six green and six blue.
Video inputs are fed into the 'VersaWall' via an Element Labs C1 controller, specified by PID as a simple to use and operate solution for all types of fixed installation. It has a Compact Flash card memory and can store up to 256 individual patterns.
For content, Reason looked through a series of video clips available from Beacon and Amorphous collections, from which she selected about 12 sequences. PID's Rob Fowler then programmed these into the C1 using Element Labs' Rastermapper software.
"We are very proud to have been involved in the new look Hard Rock Café and whilst the project happened so fast it is now rewarding that Paula's design just looks fabulous - creating a truly immersive environment to the basement bar," says PID's David March.
PID also undertook the installation themselves as it was such a precision job and one of the most challenging aspects of the project. Lead time was exceptionally tight as the refurbishment was already underway by the time Cadmium decided to go with VersaTILE for the light art element of the project.
(Lee Baldock)
