giant motion-activated media reacts to passersby in washington DC office building

giant motion-activated media reacts to passersby in washington DC office building

inside terrell place — an office building and civil rights landmark in downtown washington DC — ESI design has realized 1,700 square feet of motion-activated media displays that activate with the movement of staff, visitors and passersby. created for building owner beacon capital partners, the reactive installation transforms the site’s common areas and expansive first floor lobby space with an interactive display of ‘digital nature’. 

terrell place, washington DC
video courtesy of ESI design

realized as a single media canvas, the large-scale installation spans 80 feet wide by 13 feet high (24 by 4 meters) and can be seen through the oversized windows that look out onto the street. technology has been seamlessly integrated into architectural surfaces, creating an ever-changing artwork that captures the bustling pulse of the building.

the three displays created by ESI design fluctuate from ‘seasons’ to ‘color play’ and ‘cityscape’, presenting a selection of scenes that can be programmed with varying durations and sequences. these customizations ensure that passersby never see the same scene — even if they arrive and leave at the same time every day.

the motion-activated media displays activate with the movement of passersby

when in ‘season’ mode, the media displays the lifecycle of washington DC’s iconic cherry trees. in the ‘spring’ phase, these trees blossom as people pass by the screens, their movement causing petals to eventually fall off; when people pause in the lobby, butterflies flutter around the screens. ‘color play’ shows algorithmically-generated patterns of multi-color threads which spread across the walls, weaving an interactive tapestry that echoes the ever-changing activity of terrell place. ‘city scape’ pays homage to the city of  with iconic architecture, statuary and transportation scenes that are brought to life by people passing by.

when in ‘season’ mode, the media displays the lifecycle of washington DC’s iconic cherry trees

in the main hallway, the environment is enhanced by ambient sounds that reflect tones from nature, the surrounding city, and music. 

‘the different media create distinct rhythms to give terrell place a unique identity and strong street presence,’ says michael schneider, senior creative technology designer at ESI design. ‘each of the media scenes reflects the time of day and the movement of people through the lobby, acting almost as a large abstract data-visualization of the ebb and flow of terrell place.’

in the ‘spring’ phase, the trees blossom as people pass by the screens

visitors’ movement causes the digital petals to fall off and float around the screen

‘color play’ shows algorithmically-generated patterns of multi-color threads

the threads weave an interactive tapestry that echoes the ever-changing activity of terrell place

the large-scale installation can be seen through the oversized windows that look out onto the street