Corian Lights, 2006

EnBW headquarters, Berlin, Germany

The power company EnBW runs a gallery for exhibitions and cultural events at its Berlin site. An elongated, curved media wall forms the central design element of the room, which passers-by can look into through the glass façade. Varying generative graphics show interpretations of the theme of energy, depending on the current focus.

LEDs are embedded in the rear of the white Corian wall. When switched off, these are not visible from the front, but when they are switched on the LEDs shine through the wall and change it from an architectural object to a voluminous, cinematic surface. Various auto-active graphics were developed for this media wall which take up the motif of the media wall’s curved form, featuring flowing, abstract, organic shapes. The flow of particles visualises energy as a shaping force.

An interactive application was created especially for the gallery opening. Visitors can project energy onto the wall by means of a microphone: depending on how loudly they speak into it, different shapes are created which flow across the entire wall. A reactive application has also been created for concerts: notes are translated synaesthetically into shapes and colours.

 The graphics are designed computationally, so theoretically an infinite wealth of dynamic sequences can be generated within a predefined spectrum. In this way the shapes change constantly, transforming both the atmospheric effect of the wall and ultimately the way visitors experience the space. They form a flowing, visual landscape which extends the gallery out into the urban environment, giving it a visual identity.