'Multi Surface experience' or the transformation of receptions into interactive and augmented reality environments

The architectural studio Gensler and the interactive advertising agency The Hive have combined experiences to transform waiting rooms and receptions into a multimedia environment with augmented reality, with the 'Multi Surface experience' project.

The reception of the Los Angeles office of the architectural firm Executioner, one of the most prestigious in the world, has been transformed into a multimedia and interactive environment that incorporates augmented reality technology to improve the experience of its visitors while they wait to be received..

This experimental project has been possible thanks to the joint work between Gensler and the interactive advertising agency The Hive, who want to transfer this development to other companies in order to transform receptions in an innovative way, lobbies and waiting rooms, that can apply personalized content according to your needs and sector.

Denominado ‘Multi Surface experience’, The objective of this installation is to demonstrate the possibilities offered by the integration between physical space and digital systems, in order to involve and inform visitors in the philosophy of a company, a hotel, a hospital, etc. improving your experience while waiting and corporate image.

In this sense, In Gensler's office in Los Angeles there is a table with a book, called SLO Gen table, that integrates digital systems and augmented reality, Gensler and a group of architecture students from the California Polytechnic School collaborated on its development..

Thanks to the interface integrated into the table, Visitors can interact using hand movements to digitally explore content about architectural projects completed by Gensler. The system allows each object to be increased, building displayed with a new layer of digital content and adds new context to the book's contents.

Besides, This interface allows visitors to access and view the company's extensive portfolio on a 4K video wall connected to the table and located on the reception wall., which shows the projects carried out by Gensler in various sectors, ranging from international airports to luxury stores.

For Alan Robles, Gensler designer in Los Angeles, “As architects and designers we try to understand how technology and experience influence the spaces we create. “Multi Surface experience is an elegant and innovative space that allows people to interact with their environment in a way that has never been done before.”.

In this line, yahav ran, multi-screen technology expert, points out that “spaces are evolving, as well as space expectations of users. This installation is a channel for the user to experience, with creative content to attract your attention, and we have created a sustainable mini-channel that excites and entertains the public”.

 

Technological integration project

The technical and technological systems of Multi Surface experience are based on the WUX5000 REALiS projector from Canon, for the interface and augmented reality components; an LCD screen in videowall configuration (4×4) Clarity Matrix de Planar showing the contents of Gensler's portfolio.

This system is managed with the CMS digital software of YCD Multimedia, that allows 4K playback on the Planar video wall and that allows you to interact with custom software created by The Hive to improve the user experience and integrate augmented reality components.

Added to this is the sensor Microsoft Kinect, for Windows cameras, as well as Kinect for Windows Commercial SDK and OpenCV (open source computer vision). All of these vendors have worked with Gensler and The Hive in what was the first iteration of a long-term technology collaboration..

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/72629496[/vimeo]