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Issue #7/2008
LED screens of unusual shapes
When we hear the word "LED screen" or "LED display" we immediately imagine a certain rectangular object with 3:4 side ratio (like a standard analogue TV) or 9:16 ratio (like a screen in a cinema) or something like it. This is not surprising: the majority of LED screens are indeed rectangular and this helps create a stereotype.
Gigantic LED screens are different. Apart from displaying advertising information, they frequently perform other functions, attract attention of the audience by their immense size. The architects, designers and other specialists in urban planning have long realized the potential of huge LED structures. New architectural concepts were born and the industry came up with innovative solutions – the race for unique and unusual LED screen shapes was officially on.
First, the convex LED screens started to appear in different cities around the world. The easily merged into the urban landscape and favourably compared to standard rectangular shapes of other LED screens. The modular construction principle and specially designed plastic allowed to create various curving shapes that naturally follow the curving shapes of the buildings.
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| Convex LED screen J.P. Morgan Chase at Times Square Photo: Web journal EDC www.electronicdisplaycentral.com |
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| Convex LED screens in Tokyo Photo: "Screens" |
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| Convex LED screens in Tokyo Photo: "Screens" |
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| Convex LED screen in China Photo: "Screens" |
We should not forget that for a static viewer the image of a video broadcast (animation or live broadcast) on curved surfaces will be distorted. Therefore, special software was designed to compensate for the curvatures and to correct the visual defects for viewers.
Apart from convex shapes we can sometimes encounter concave LED screens (curving inwards). Nobody ever made a statistical evaluation, but convex shapes seem to be prevalent. We found some examples of concave screen shapes in St. Petersburg (Russia) and Las Vegas (USA).
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| Concave LED screen by ATV Outdoor Systems in St. Petersburg (Russia) Photo: "Screens" |
Convex LED screen at hotel "Wynn" in Las Vegas Photo: "Screens" |
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| A Hotel "Wynn" in Las Vegas liberally uses concave shapes in the architectural design and in the LED screens that invite visitors inside Photo: "Screens" |
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A modular principle of constructing LED screens allows to create various shapes and forms of modules. It is no longer necessary to manufacture rectangular modules, they can be round or diamond-shaped, or stretched into a line or pipe. Such variety of structural elements makes it possible to cover all sorts of buildings with LED modules.
A good example is the stadium LED screen in Doha ("Element Labs"), a well-known media-façade of a "Lisboa" casino and hotel in Macao (the project completed by Daktronics, USA, had been named the "Faberge Egg") and the recently upgraded façade of the ABC TV studio in New-York ("D3", Rancho Cordova, CA) where the regular rectangular image is "cut" into nine curving strips that create unusual visual effects for viewers. (see our previous issue #6/2008).
It is amazing that the "broken" image can be easily reconstructed by our brain – the gaps between video strips do not prevent viewers from seeing a complete image. This natural ability of the human eye to reconstruct a wholesome image from fragments is utilized by other innovative approaches to constructing LED screens. More detailed information about this project you can read in our issue Good Morning, Times Square!
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| The ABC Times Square Studios’ LED screen |
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| LED-covered Coca-Cola can on Times Square |
That same famous Times Square hosts another innovative project – an LED-covered Coca-Cola can. The 3D screen not only advertises the Coca-Cola brand but also displays short audio-visual clips about company history and New-York landscape. It seems that LED technology is winning over both large and small architectural structures already.
It should be said that Coca-Cola frequently orders construction of unusual LED screens. Another interesting example is a noticeable LED screen on Piccadily square in London.
This curved LED screen is the largest in Britain, and once again proves the fact that Coca-Cola remains the leader in using innovative techniques in outdoor advertising.
Convex and concave shapes is the easiest way to avoid "dull" standard rectangular architectural solutions. For this reason the leading manufacturers of LED screens are rapidly designing LED equipment with flexible capability in terms of architectural shapes. This is required everywhere: in restoration of old historical buildings, in following the requirements of modern eclectic architecture.
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| Coca-Cola curved LED screen in London Photo: Diliff - Wikimedia Common |
The curving LED screens are in great demand in show business: Barco, the European leader in LED solutions, created a unique LED screen for the world tour of George Michael.
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| Unique LED screen by "Barco" for the world tour of George Michael Photo: "Barco" |
Bold experimenting with LED technology allow designers to create new interiors where LED lighting dominates and indoor LED screens add to the atmosphere. During trade shows, exhibitors try to single out their own booth by ordering LED screens of unusual shapes.
For example, China Annual International LED Show in Guangzhou (04-06 March, 2008) has presented the following exhibits:
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| Curved LED screens at China Annual International LED Show in Guangzhou Photo: "Screens" |
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It’s impossible to stop the progress, and the new LED solutions help create brighter and more decorative urban environment for all of us.
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