Barco, the technology company focusing on innovative visualisation solutions, has shared details of two recent projects in China that showcase how its projectors can meet the varied challenges posed by different attractions to create vibrant experiences.
The firm has deployed its 18 UDX-4K22 and 4 UDX-4K32 projectors at Hengdian Dream Bund Film Experience Resort, a unique cultural theme park. Barco projectors have been used for the park’s Tram Ride immersive tunnel and its Havoc in Heaven flying theatre.
At Gansu Bamboo Slips Museum, 75 Barco laser projectors have been used to create an innovative immersive experience and interactive imaging technology that explore Chinese wisdom and the culture of the Silk Road.
Historical Shanghai experience
The Hengdian Dream Bund Film Experience Resort takes guests on a journey through time to Shanghai’s Bund waterfront district in the early 20th century. This one-of-a-kind cultural theme park spans approximately 400,000 square meters of building space and evokes Shanghai’s magnificence from the 1920s to the 1940s.
Barco supplied UDX-4K22 and UDX-4K32 for the resort’s major attractions, the 50-metre long Tram Ride immersive tunnel which features a 10-meter-high curved screen, and the Havoc in Heaven flying theatre with a 25-metre diameter giant dome screen.
In addition to their enormous curved projection screens, these attractions boast cutting-edge designs with full-size trams and dynamic tracks to provide an immersive voyage through time. The project, developed and built in collaboration with Holovis, establishes a new benchmark for the cultural tourism sector, receiving worldwide recognition and positive feedback from guests.
The projectors for these experiences needed to offer detailed and vibrant images to meet the expectations of the resort’s visitors. Barco’s projectors deliver high brightness, high contrast, and high colour accuracy using 3-chip DLP technology. 18 of the UDX-4K22 model and 4 of the UDX-4K32 were used to produce a stunning visual experience for guests.
In addition, the project demanded stability and reliability over long periods, with exacting requirements for installation, calibration, and maintenance. The UDX series’ lightweight design, modular structure, and comprehensive ecosystem of supporting peripherals make the implementation, installation, and calibration process more versatile and efficient. Furthermore, it offers stable performance for operations at extreme temperatures.
A spokesperson from the firm says: “The success of the Tram Ride and Havoc in Heaven attractions showcases Barco’s ability to deliver high-quality, immersive visual experiences. Visitors are consistently impressed by the vibrant images and seamless integration of technology, enhancing their overall experience at Hengdian Dream Bund Film Experience Resort.
“Barco’s innovative immersive solutions continue to drive urban renewal and enhanced tourist attractions in China, contributing significantly to the development of cultural and tourism entertainment.”
Shining a light on rare historic artefacts
Gansu is a key region for bamboo slips; long, narrow strips of bamboo that, until the widespread introduction of paper, were the primary means of document writing in China. The Gansu Bamboo Slips Museum is China’s largest specialist Han slip museum and is exhibiting hundreds of rare bamboo slips for the first time, with exhibitions titled Introducing China on Bamboo Slips, Understanding the Silk Road from Bamboo Slips.
Barco solid-state projectors have been used to create all 32 of the museum’s projection displays. These share the history of Han dynasty frontier residents and of the bamboo slips, with their stories of the Silk Road and calligraphy art.
The installation needed to ensure that the artefacts would not suffer light damage from the projectors, and that temperature and humidity requirements were maintained. The museum also has limited internal space, so careful planning was required so that the projector positions and wiring did not disrupt the museum aesthetics or visitor experience.
Working within these parameters, Barco projectors have been installed throughout the exhibition halls to create colourful and engaging historical scenes. 15 projectors have been used to create immersive experiences in the Bamboo Slips Era Hall, while a CAVE space and panoramic scenes are created using 28 projectors in the Silk Road Sketch Hall.
The Frontier Family Hall uses 17 projectors in interactive holograms and immersive simulations of Han soldiers, and 13 more units with ultra-wide screens and creative effects bring the Calligraphy on Bamboo Slips and Silk Hall to life.
A spokesperson from Barco comments: “The Gansu Bamboo Slips Museum, through Barco’s innovative projection technology, not only promotes the history of Hexi and Silk Road civilization but has also earned recognition as a national first-class museum and received the highest exhibition award from National Culture Heritage Administration. The use immersive scenarios to tell China’s stories, brings history to life, and empowers the future development of knowledge popularization and cultural transmission.
“The Barco projectors, with their professional quality and powerful lineup, provided high-quality visualization solutions for the museum installation.”
Last month, Barco shared that its UDX-4K40 projectors powered the visuals for National Geographic’s immersive runway experience at New York Fashion Week.
