Star Wars™: Secrets of the Empire by The VOID and ILMxLAB
Why is this project worthy of an award?
The VOID, the global leader of a new category of location-based experiences, set to develop a new category of entertainment and change the perception of VR from an isolated activity into a dynamic and social experience. ILMxLAB is Lucasfilm’s Immersive Entertainment division which combines compelling storytelling, technological innovation and world-class production to create truly impactful immersive experiences. Together, The VOID and ILMxLAB created Star WarsTM: Secrets of the Empire, a socially interactive, breathtaking experience that blends physical and virtual worlds together. As a part of Lucasfilm, ILMxLAB was able to bring the authentic story to life hand-in-hand with The VOID and key contributors: the Lucasfilm Story Group, writer David S. Goyer, and The VOID’s Tracy Hickman for story; and key Star Wars talent like Diego Luna, Alan Tudyk, and Sam Witwer. The VOID and ILMxLAB worked collaboratively to bring the right story to the hyper-reality platform; with smell, heat, and touch, the story focused on Mustafar and leaned into a known and popular trope – infiltrating an Imperial base disguised as a stormtrooper. The planet Mustafar was creatively compelling to showcase hyper-reality and the perfect backdrop to take advantage of triggering all senses and inspiring exploration and discovery. The VOID’s proprietary gear, including head mounted displays, backtop™ computers, and haptic vests, participants feel the turbulence of the skiff below their feet, withstand the impact of blaster bolts, and smell the smoke as they approach the planet Mustafar. By mapping the virtual world over physical stages, it creates an immersive experience that engages all the senses and transports guests to a galaxy far, far away. Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire from concept to development to its first public appearance took less than a year. Launched over six locations from December 2017 through April 2018, the marketing campaign focused on consumer advocacy. Launch activity focused on paid search, social ads and a local media blitz in each location along with highly targeted and strategic OOH component In addition, Diego Luna supported by announcing his part via his Twitter account. Premiere events were held in Anaheim, London and Las Vegas complete with appearances by David S. Goyer, Sam Witwer, and stormtroopers, exclusive media previews and inviting Star Wars fans to bring initial buzz. Since its inception, The VOID entertainment centers featuring Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire have seen hundreds and thousands of guests, averaging over 1000 guests per day at each location. Guests reaction has been consistently positive with an NPS score of 87 from London, Anaheim and Orlando. Seven out of 10 guests to The VOID’s Westfield London pop-up have never been to the mall until then. The VOID has received 1,900 media placements which have generated over 9M media impressions that has brought heightened awareness to the brand and location-based VR experiences.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
Since Star Wars fans have such strong brand affinity, The VOID and ILMxLAB wanted to ensure they were developing an authentic story experience true to the universe. Star Wars™: Secrets of the Empire takes place between Episodes 3 and 4 and is an official part of the Star Wars timeline. Under the orders of the rebellion, teams of four guests must work together to infiltrate an Imperial base disguised as stormtroopers where they’ll navigate through to steal critical intelligence with help from familiar Star Wars characters including Captain Cassian Andor, K2SO and Athex along the way. With the Star Wars universe being known to be large and epic, The VOID designed the environment and the technology to convince guests that they have been transported deep into the universe by showing the breadth and distance such as traveling on a skiff, feeling the vibration and wind as you move across the planet. By augmenting the virtual world with real elements, the environment encourages guests to reach out, touch and feel which inspires their own exploration and discovery.
Who worked on the project?
The VOID 1. Cliff Plumer, Chief Executive Officer 2. Curtis Hickman, Chief Creative Officer 3. Kari St. John, COO I President 4. Jason Howard, Head of Studio 5. Farrell Edwards, Head of Technology 6. Joe Bourrie, Senior Designer 7. Paul Gerla, Technical Artist 8. Sean Forsgren, Producer 9. Steve Duckworth, IT Director 10. Sam Curnow, QA Manager 11. Brooke Chapman, Project Manager, Customer Experience & Studios 12. Sarah Marsh, Chief Experience Officer 13. David Cox, Creative Director 14. Matt Peterson, Art Director 15. Tracy Hickman, Director of Story Design ILMxLAB 1. Vicki Dobbs Beck (Executive in Charge) 2. Mark Miller (Executive Producer) 3. Judah Graham (Producer) 4. David S. Goyer (Executive Producer/Writer) 5. Ben Snow (VFX Supervisor) 6. Ian Bowie (Experience Designer) 7. Daria Fluor-Scacchi (Production Manager) 8. Sarah Barrick (Senior Production Assistant) 9. Aaron McBride (Art Director) 10. Jason Breneman (Creature Technical Director) 11. Ed Fornoles (Lead Animator) 12. Steve Henricks (Lead Environment Artist) 13. James Gray (Lead Programmer) 14. Diana Williams (Content Strategist) Skywalker Sound 15. Bill Rudolph (Sound Designer)
View the project video: https://www.webcargo.net/l/0dCDFVTEIQ/
#StillShaking
Company Landor
Introduction Date April 16, 2018
Project Website
Why is this project worthy of an award?
Have you ever felt your life shaking right under your feet? Nobody understands the horror of how it feels to be in an earthquake until you experience one. The tremors left behind are uncertain, sometimes unacknowledged and too often, forgotten. Like any other crisis, this truth ought to be unveiled and honored. On September 19, 2017, the earth trembled with a magnitude of 7.1 in Mexico City causing at least 217 fatalities, just the same day of the great earthquake that in 1985 left more than 5,000 deaths. That day Mexico City, still collapsed and uncommunicated, was filled with people helping the victims despite the disorder, desperation and trauma. The media around the world echoed the news, and help began to arrive from different parts of the world. But that was only at the beginning ... after 4 weeks of the event, everything was forgotten ... and another type of victims appeared, those who were left without family and relatives, without a home, without financial means and with psychological disorders difficult to overcome. #stillshaking is a social awareness campaign, inspired by Mexico City’s 19 S catastrophe, that portrays the struggles and the terror caused by an earthquake. The pieces were created out of vibrations emitted from magnitudes of worldwide historical seismic events using UNAM’s, The Autonomous University of Mexico, earthquake simulator. The result? Trauma, devastation, confusion, desperation imprinted in a series of unique posters that hope to increase consciousness and raise funds for reconstruction efforts. Forgetting is the one thing we must not do.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
Words are frequently not enough to express the feelings lived through an earthquake. On-site videos are too explicit, and news becomes impersonal and detached. In this light, design became a new language to express our experience through such times and, hopefully understood by those who have not lived through it. The power of #stillshaking campaign lies in its manufacture. All the force and expressiveness of the content has been created directly by real seismic movements with black and white inks. To achieve this beauty and plastic tension, a multitude of tests were made with different densities of paint and silicones to reach perfect mixtures on different substrates on the UNAM’s seismic table. The goal was to communicate in a very dramatic and expressive way what the different magnitudes of an earthquake can cause and to create awareness about this reality with an innovative point of view. Hence the initiative, to continue creating awareness and empathy that the effects of an earthquake are tattooed forever.
Who worked on the project?
Chema León, Executive Creative Director. Miguel Castillo, Design Director. Damian Arce, Design Director. Abraham Rojas, Art Designer. Luis Guerrero, Art Designer. Antonio García, Senior Production Specialist. Juanita Rivera, PR.
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TEDxCERN Main Titles
Company Ouchhh
Introduction Date November 22, 2016
Project Website
Why is this project worthy of an award?
The title animation was inspired by this year's main theme "ripples of curiosity," where TEDxCERN will explore curiosity and the innovations it sparks. Topics include artificial intelligence, DNA editing, biotechnology, global literacy, DIY science, drones, oceanography, as well as dark matter and gravitational waves.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
ADC AWARDS Motion: Motion / Title Sequences Merit Awards http://tedxcern.web.cern.ch/
Who worked on the project?
Direction_Design_Animation: Ouchhh (ouchhh.tv) Sound Design: Audiofil
View the project video: https://vimeo.com/192602987
The Alar
Company Marin Architects, P.C.
Introduction Date February 2, 2018
Project Website http://www.marinarchitects.com
Why is this project worthy of an award?
The Alar was a conceptual design created in February 2018 for Fisher Brothers' "Beyond the Centerline" competition, a call for creative ideas on how to reinvigorate the medians of Park Avenue. It was selected as one of 17 finalists from over 150 entries.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
New York City's Park Avenue was once simply known as 4th Avenue and carried a busy parade of trains. As the city was developed, portions of the tracks were sunk and the grassy areas that grew in their place led to the thoroughfare being renamed Park Avenue, though it has never resembled a park. Park Avenue is used as a main thoroughfare to travel through the city. On weekdays, corporate America fills the sidewalks and on weekends it's nearly devoid of life. Despite attractions such as St. Bart's, the Waldorf Astoria, the Seagram Building, or the pièce de résistance – Grand Central Terminal – Park Avenue ceases to be a "destination" point of New York City. The intent of The Alar is to encourage the enjoyment of Park Avenue from beginning to end, making it a hub for tourists and residents alike to experience the avenue from a different perspective. Inspired by the Mimosa Pudica plant, the "leaves" of The Alar's towers offer a unique connection between the subterranean and the world above ground, closing and reopening in reaction to the movement of the passing trains below that are so integral to the history of Park Avenue. Stimuli from the pressure of each passing train will be transmitted by sensors in the train tracks, causing The Alar to come to life, its leaves to close and the reopen. At night, LED lighting installed along the edges of the leaves will illuminate to create a light show. The undulation of The Alar's walkways, winding through greenery, mimics the natural form of the earth's surface, while the varying heights of the towers mimic the jagged teeth of the surrounding skyline, bringing together the built city and the natural world as one. Though bold and futuristic in its design, the dynamic, responsive, and sculptural qualities of The Alar are intended to enhance, rather than intrude upon the existing surroundings. The curvature of The Alar's paths was specifically designed to work around notable features of Park Avenue, such as the plaza of the Seagram Building, so that they may be appreciated from a different vantage point. This continuous path along Park Avenue, beginning at Grand Central Terminal, elevates the pedestrian above the street for a sublime experience and previously unseen view of the avenue and its landmarks. With the addition of The Alar, Park Avenue will become a more synchronous space for pedestrians, cars, flora, fauna, architecture, art, bicycles, commerce, trains, and the natural elements all to exist and interact at once. The concept of The Alar was developed on the premise that the city can communicate with us, and thus, no two experiences will be quite alike, allowing for a continuous reinvention of Park Avenue.
Who worked on the project?
Walter Marin, Ming Chuang, Fatih Ergun, Elif Unsal, Leonardo Diaz-Montiel, Alana Gage, Hamide Rihtim, Milan Michail, Luis Mejia, Nuhad Kassab
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The Backcountry Hut Company
Company Leckie Studio
Introduction Date January 25, 2017
Project Website http://www.thebackcountryhutcompany.com/
Why is this project worthy of an award?
The Backcountry Hut prototype was born out of research into the principles and methodologies that allow individuals and groups to have more agency in building their own structures, and in doing so, ultimately afford people increased power and opportunity to shape their own communities. The research was focused on architectural applications of user participation in the design and construction of architecture, with a particular emphasis on self-assembly and communal construction. The fundamental questions were: What is the right amount of user participation in the process of design and construction, and in what form? What construction methodologies and approaches are feasible for the production of self-build architecture? How can we develop a framework for emergent systems of architecture and planning? How can we create a model that addresses the universal human requirements for shelter while also affording opportunities for specificity and customization, and also ensure a success outcome. We founded The Backcountry Hut Company to assist individuals and organizations in the design and construction of affordable small-scale structures - utilizing the principles of prefabrication, DIY assembly, and sustainable design. The hut prototype is a ‘kit of parts’ system that was originally developed for the benefit of outdoor enthusiasts, outdoor clubs, alpine associations, and backcountry lodge operators. In addition to ‘backcountry’ applications (i.e. without road/vehicle access), the hut is adaptable for both rural and urban ‘front-country’ sites (i.e. sites easily accessible by vehicle). The separation of the structure/shell from the interior configuration allows the hut system to adapt to a wide range of functional uses and applications, and thus also appeal to a wide audience. What we are really finding is that the core values of the company - function, quality, sustainability, and value - are resonating with a very broad audience of like-minded people, all of whom are interested in living in a way that is inspired by Dieter Rams’ ethos of “less but better”. In these scenarios the hut works as a small structure that can be understood as part of the Tiny House Movement. The Promethean myth of the architect and the ‘starchitect’ aspirations of mainstream professional practice have led popular architectural discourse to ignore the pedestrian notions of ‘the built environment’ - i.e. everyday construction and local vernacular - which account for more than 98 percent of construction worldwide. Rather than simply accept the built environment as an autonomous entity that exists outside the formal practice of architecture, the DIY structures of The Backcountry Hut Company work to disrupt and rethink traditional methods of architectural practice by directly engaging the fundamental social, political, cultural, and economic forces that shape the built environment. Accordingly, The Backcountry Hut is not an an-architectural endeavor, rather it has been developed as a response to the observation that popular architectural discourse has elevated itself above the level of everyday construction. As we work through the construction of the first few prototypes, we are exploring ‘open-source’ models for the project, including registering the design under the Creative Commons licensing program for general public use.
What else would you like to share about your design? Why is it unique and innovative?
Inspired by the idea of IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad of providing affordable well-designed products ‘for the many people’, The Backcountry Hut Company provides a turnkey solution to housing through the provision of a flat-packed ‘kit-of-parts’ assembly system with the following characteristics: PREFABRICATION Prefabrication allows for an economy and conservation of both material and energy usage in the production and assembly of the building components. Components are flat-packed onto pallets for shipping to a location close to the site and assembled in a short time frame using simple tools and techniques. SUSTAINABILITY Site preparation is minimal and requires no use of heavy machinery, thus avoiding substantial disruption of the site. Piling holes are hand-dug and concrete is then poured into paper tubes to form the piles that comprise the foundation. Environmentally sensitive products are used for all materials, including: FSC certified lumber, sustainable engineered wood products, and 100% recyclable components. In off-grid applications solar photovoltaic panels are oriented either vertically (for low- and high latitude sites), or at 45 degrees on the roof (for mid-latitude sites). The Backcountry Hut Company adopts a zero-waste philosophy in the design and implementation of its products. MODULARITY + SCALABILITY The hut system is conceived as an aggregation of modules - each module has 160 sf of floor area on the main floor and 90 sf of floor area on the upper floor. These modules are added to one another to create an incrementally scalable form. The starting point for each multi-module hut is an entry module - which contains a covered entry transition space as well as a flexible utility that can be accessed from either inside or outside the hut. Subsequent generic structural modules are added to create increments of additional space for living, eating, and sleeping. MASS CUSTOMIZATION In its most simple application, the notion of the primitive hut is comprised of 4 posts, 4 beams, and a roof. The structural shell acts as shelter for domestic life, allowing users to then customize the interior space based on functional requirements - i.e. densely populated bunk rooms and communal areas in the backcountry; and domesticated living spaces, full kitchens, bathrooms, and spacious bedrooms in the frontcountry. The asymmetrical form of The Backcountry Hut is a modern interpretation of traditional alpine structures. Rustic and simple in nature, the hut is designed for durability in remote conditions, while the exterior cladding can be adjusted to reflect the local context and material resources.
Who worked on the project?
Co-Founder / Principal : Michael Leckie Architect AIBC, M. Arch Co-Founder/ Principal : Wilson Edgar Architectural Design by Leckie Studio architecture + Design
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