Dynamic musical experience needs the support from various lighting techniques to satisfy the functional and ambience requirements
Picture 1: The main exhibition combines chronological zones with thematic installations
David Atkinson Lighting Design (DALD) was appointed by AEG Europe in 2007 to design the lighting for BME (The British Music Experience) at the O2 Arena.
DALD worked closely with Land Design Studio to create a dynamic lighting design for this high-tech, interactive music exhibition, which covers over 7,000sqm on the top floor of the 02 bubble.
The main exhibition combines chronological zones with thematic installations. The nature of popular music has encouraged the unprecedented use of digital media, with a mixture of interactive and linear applications, integrated with a coveted collection of music memorabilia.
Picture 2, 3: ‘Dance to The Decade’ is a black box area where members of the public can interact and learn to dance. The area is lit for camera by Anytronics DMX controlled light boxes
Lighting Concept
The Pre Show space gives a brief 5 minute introduction AV about the BME and how to view the various areas with the unique Smarticket system. This allows the visitor to activate the interactive elements of the exhibition and also to register further interest in specific BME features.
The lighting in this space consists of RCL DR2 & Martin Smartmac’s, used to illuminate the audience for walk in and walkout. These units are suspended from a high level box truss.
From the Pre Show area the audience is taken through a space referred to as the ‘Sound Corridor’ to the main Core space, Jam Studio and Gibson interactive studio. The lighting to this area consists of lighting track with Flos Pure spots fitted with wall wash optics to light the bold text graphics.
The Jam studio has been designed as a classroom space and area for musicians to rehearse. General lighting to the space comes from RZB polycarbonate spheres which are suspended above the space and fitted with dimmable compact fluorescent lamps. Accent lighting to wall graphics is from track mounted small Flos Pure Spots.
Within the Gibson Interactive studio members of the public can play various instruments including guitars and drums and even mix a music track. Mounted above the space a series of cymbals are up lit by wall mounted metal halide fixtures fitted with red glass filters. The various instrument and large black & white images are lit with Metal Halide spots fitted with daylight colour correction filters to help add good contrast to the red up lighting of the cymbals.
Picture 4: One display area, Rock Galaxy
The dramatic Core space consists of a large central drum projection screen and maze of suspended speakers which is referred to as the ‘Speaker Scape’. Mounted around the perimeter of the space narrow beam metal halide Meyer units up light the ‘Speaker Scape’ in deep blue, which creates an immersive floating quality. Pools of saturated blue light over the floor area come from high level Teclumen fixtures suspended above the space. To help support the projection on the central drum screen ETC source 4 Junior Zoom HID fixtures project custom line up grids to the side of the projection area.
Around the perimeter of the space, graphic text links to the entrances of the various time zones are carefully lit by 20 watt Low voltage recessed fittings with elliptical spreader lenses.
Within the core area there are several interactives, which include a ‘Playback & Transmission’ showcase which displays anything from an original Sony Walkman Cassette player to early television sets. The lighting to this showcase is by a combination of DMX activated LED heads and Fibre Optics.
‘Dance to The Decade’ is a black box area where members of the public can
Interact and learn to dance. The area is lit for camera by Anytronics DMX controlled light boxes.
The Edge Zones start in 1945 and work round to 2009. In each Edge Zone, there are timelines documenting specific time periods, interactive showcases and ‘Table Talks’, which allow the public to listen in on conversations between the biggest stars.
Picture 5: ‘Playback & Transmission’ showcases anything from an original Sony Walkman Cassette player to early television sets.
With strong dynamic graphics the lighting to the zones is there as subtle enhancement from discreetly positioned low voltage track spots fitted with sculpture lenses and colour correction filters. The showcases are illuminated by Fibre Optic heads with Metal Halide light sources fitted with mechanical dimmer shutters to achieve the 50lux conservation requirement.
‘Futures’ is effectively a holding area for the final stage of the BME experience where large scale projected media of the future of music is shown. Lighting to this area is low key with track mounted fixtures washing the floor space in a cool hue of colour.
The experience is rounded off with a virtual concert – a splicing together of snippets of some of the biggest acts to come out of the UK in action which gives an aural experience.
DALD worked closely with the Media producers ISO & Land Design to add an almost three dimensional immersive quality to the Exit Show video. After extensive programming, off and on site with the aid of ‘WYSIWYG’, dynamic lighting looks from Martin SmartMac’s, Pulsar Demon Strobes and Chroma-Q Color punches (for dynamic washes of colour over the audience). These are used through haze effects within the space. Audience blinders and general exit lighting to the space is from Remote Controlled Lighting DMX DR2 AR111 fixtures.
Picture 6, 7: The experience is rounded off with a virtual concert – a splicing together of snippets of some of the biggest acts to come out of the UK in action which gives an aural experience.
The Exit Show and Pre Show area have also been designed for special events with the dividing wall between opening the space up into a large multi functional venue. All the lighting within the space has been designed not only for the pre & exit show but as multifunctional for live events.
On exiting the show the audience is taken through the retail space, which is mainly lit from twelve 1700mm diameter suspended spheres from RZB lighting, with accent lighting to merchandise from metal halide track mounted fixtures.
Project Information
Client：
The British Music Experience (BME)
Location：
The O2 Center London
Designers：
Land Design Studio（UK）
Lighting Consultant：
David Atkinson Lighting Design (DALD)
Lighting Suppliers：
Lightworks, Commercial Lighting Systems, AC Lighting Special Projects, RZB (UK) lighting
