The luminaires are located outside the arena in the Paseo, a 400ft x 65ft area where visitors gather before and after events. A perforated steel canopy above the area serves as a projection surface: four 12ft x 9ft glass kiosks suspended 10ft off the ground each house two VL3000 Spot luminaires, two VL1000 fixtures and a video projection system. Each kiosk also has its own enclosed three-ton air conditioning unit. Barbizon provided the Vari*Lite automated fixtures to Genesis Audio Systems for the project.
Jim Jorgensen, owner of Genesis Audio Systems, was originally brought in as a vendor to provide materials, and was later asked to act as consultant and project manager. Jorgensen then sold the architect and designers on the technology and function for the area. "The planners wanted the area to be more entertainment focused," Jorgensen explained. "They wanted to give it sort of a sports bar look, and wanted it to have a dynamic feel, not just become a giant Lava Lamp."
"I went with the Vari*Lite fixtures because I think they are the best moving fixtures on the market," Jorgensen continued. "The combination of zoom and gobo wheels made it the right choice for this application."
The biggest challenge of the project was the glass kiosks. Hall explained that the architect and engineer actually designed the kiosks after they were provided with information about the automated lights and the projection system. Each of the kiosks allow for approximately 200° of pan and 180° of tilt from the Vari*Lite fixtures and maintain working temperatures of less than 90°F even in the summer heat of Phoenix.
"There were probably 15 different kiosk designs, from curved Plexiglas to transparent graphite to glass," Jorgensen said. "We received samples of each and went through trials and tribulations with every option. In the end, we went with regular UV treated glass. There's a little bit of coloration and a lot of reflection, but we've designed it so that it is all a part of the look."
All of the Vari*Lite fixtures are loaded with custom gobo images such as sun, moon, clouds and stars, "all of the standard images you need to throw overhead," according to Hall. In addition, logos were created for all of the sports teams that will call the new arena home - the Suns (NBA), Mercury (WNBA) and Rattlers (AFL). The Paseo will be home to many outside events supporting the Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB) and the Phoenix Convention Center.(Lee Baldock)
