Christie, the global visual and audio technology company, has revealed that its HS Series 1DLP laser projectors are powering a spectacular immersive experience at La Selva, an educational geodesic dome created to promote appreciation and preservation of the Colombian rainforests.
The project is a collaboration between Lonko Labs and Parque Empresarial El Tesoro shopping mall in Medellín.
Promoting conservation
Rainforests cover 36.5% of Colombia’s land area, with the biggest stretches in the Amazon and Chocó regions. These places support a broad range of animal species, plants, fungi, and other forms of life, contributing to Colombia’s position as the world’s second most biodiverse country.
To highlight these critical ecosystems and boost conservation awareness, Parque Empresarial El Tesoro built La Selva, a sensory experience made possible through a realistic and immersive digital environment developed by Lonko Labs.
La Selva features a dome with a negative pressure system, that extends to 13-metre (43-foot) in diameter and 8.5-metres (288-foot) high. Its exterior mimics a typical maloca or jungle home. Inside, six 13,500-lumen Christie HS Series projectors are blended to create a 360-degree projected image across the 265-square-metre (2852 square-foot) surface with a total resolution of 3500 by 3500 pixels.
The projected content features 3D animations of flora and fauna, and was designed for La Selva with guidance from scientific experts. Visitors are immersed in the Colombian rainforest and engage with mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, insects, and plants. Multiple audio channels create surround sound, which enriches the overall immersive experience.
Excellent results & reliable operation
Christie projectors were chosen for the project for their dependability and low maintenance requirements.
Victor Abarzúa, founder and director of Lonko Labs, says: “These projectors allow us to achieve excellent results and provide peace of mind, ensuring flawless execution of the project.
The HS Series’ laser illumination, low power consumption, and high image quality were also important considerations.
“The colour richness of the 1DLP projector is very close to the quality of a 3DLP, and it’s lightweight, making it easy for two people to handle,” Abarzúa adds.
“I would also emphasize its network connectivity for control, monitoring, and calibration functions, as well as its responsiveness in EDID Manager protocols and good synchronisation. Its flexibility to work in any physical position is also noteworthy.”
Lonko Labs led numerous areas of the project, including creative art direction, 3D modelling and animation, geodesic dome infrastructure, audiovisual integration, and the development of original music by a large ensemble of musicians playing traditional instruments.
La Selva has 12 daily performances, each lasting around 15 minutes and accommodating a maximum of 60 people. Seating options include beach-style chairs, individual pouffes, and a huge central pouffe for children. All are designed to allow for comfortable stargazing. La Selva will be in Medellín’s Parque Empresarial El Tesoro for two months, with ambitions to expand to other Colombian cities.
Abarzúa says: “La Selva is a truly unique project in Colombia, involving an unprecedented creative process by a multidisciplinary team of over 100 people working under rigorous conceptualization. In short, it is an immersive experience with an unconventional mise-en-scène, meticulously crafted down to the smallest detail.”
Last month, Christie revealed that its Christie GS Series laser projectors are illuminating putting areas at Atomic Golf on the Las Vegas Strip. The venue opened in March and spans four floors and more than 99,000 square feet. It offers 100 golf bays and eight virtual putting areas designed by Beaudry Interactive, an award-winning experiential design and production studio, with projectors selected by Coherent Design.
