There is a distinct similarity between Arch of Constantine, built only 312 years after the birth of Christ and the Pont de Bercy that spans across the river Seine in Paris. The same similarity is also found in ancient buildings constructed by the Romans, Greeks and Persians and new modern buildings. Some of these buildings are being constructed as this article is written. If your guess is “arches”, you will be absolutely correct! Even the word architecture begins with the word ‘arch’ in it and for good reason!
Flexible Arch Design for a Russian Mall
Design Tunnel
A Brief History of Arches
From a historic point of view, credit goes to the Romans for being the first to use arches in buildings within the continent of Europe. They are also the first to entirely appreciate the advantages of the arch design aesthetically and structurally. The basis for this fact is that engineers of the Roman Empire constructed arch structures throughout the regions they conquered. These include bridges, aqueducts, gateways and as well as triumphal arches (military monuments). Around the 1st century BC, vaults began appearing as roofing in halls and temples that had domed covers. Even the oldest continuous civilisation on the planet did not spare their buildings from using arches!
Ancient Chinese were as attached to arches as the Romans. Proof of this is found in the Anji Bridge, built circa 600 during the reign of the Sui Dynasty which also happens to be the oldest stone based open-spandrel segmental arch bridge. This begs the question: Why haven’t humans moved on from being attached to this ancient architectural concept? Our answer to that question is rather simple actually: Arches are to architecture as the wheel is to vehicles! Even LED light suppliers have factored arches into their products simply because they are not just attractive, but also due to the fact that it is versatile and practical.
LED Arches
LED arches are simply tantalising when applied with creativity. From using it to build LED tunnels that make those who walk through the tunnel feel as though they are in a different realm. This is simply because the arches fit seamlessly to even form complete cylinders that project high-resolution graphics, videos or text. The flexibility of arch displays allows industry experts such as Street Communication to come up with a variety of unique arch designs not to mention that customers are able to create their own designs. The fact that these LED arches can be tailored and customised with interactive LED technology makes these LED products even more desirable.
For instance, the waterfall arch design by Street Communication ‘releases the waterfall’ only when a person walks through it. Another arch design also by Street Communication that would catch the attention of just about anybody is the ‘constellation tunnel’ that makes those in the tunnel feel as if they are walking through a ‘wormhole’ in space. Companies such as Street Communication stand out because they are able to take the ‘Arch Concept’ as high as possible! In other words, with companies such as Street Communication, how customers need their Arch constructed is entirely up to them. Just present your project, design and creative ideas and leave the rest to the wizards at Street Communication. To make the deal sweeter, customers are given the chance to choose the technical specifications for their arch LED.
Pictures of the “Accumulation” project – installed at the main gate of Le Meridien Seoul. “Accumulation” symbolizes the history from Ritz Carlton Seoul to Le Meridien Seoul. The LED light tunnel expresses the accumulation of time. The composition of the frames concretes continuity and shows the locational context.
Ranging from the size and resolution to shape, curvature, viewing angles and pixel pitch, the options are limitless. However, it is advisable to get a second opinion from one of the Arch LED wizards from Street Communication.
This is to just ensure that you are on the right track from a technical standpoint. It is always better to leave the creative effects portion of the job to the experts. As the old adage states: – “when you do something, get it right the first time or don’t do it altogether”
Notable Projects by Street Communication
In order to have a better perspective of how these LED arch look, feel or function, it is best to visit Street Communication’s showroom in Paris. The LED light showroom is located at 11, Rue De l’Aqueduc in Paris. At this place one can truly enjoy the creative effects and splendour of LED lights in a variety enchanting ways. The waterfall themed LED arch took to the fancy of the Daiwa House Group a leading homebuilder in Japan. The group installed the unit in their lobby which works magic on visitors due to the ambience that it creates. The reason the popularity is basically the flexibility of LED arches.
Apart from that, the fact that the resolution, size, shape and pitch pixel could be changed wantonly renders LED arches a ‘one size fits all’ solution that could be used just about anywhere. The LED arch in the lobby of Daiwa uses a 2.6 pitch Indoor Led arch. This smaller pitch pixel size coupled with a high-end video controller connected to a PC delivers astounding visuals! Small pitch sizes that usually range from between 1.6mm to 2.0mm pixel pitch sizes are usually used indoors (Ultra-Fine Resolution). However, there aren’t any specific limitations for LED arches in terms of creative effects, versatility and flexibility. It is due to these characteristics that customers are able to choose configurations that they feel are perfect for them.
Technical Terms
FLEXIBLE PIXEL PITCH 2.6
Module Size
Model pixel
Pixel density
Pixel configuration
Best viewing distance
Max power consumption
Average Power consumption
Fixed method
Refresh frequency
Horizontal view angle
Gray scale
Brightness
250 x 250
96 x 48 pixels
147 929 dots/square meter
1R1GB SMD 3 in 1
2.6m – 25m
800W/square meter
267 W/square meter
Magnet
> 1920
> 160 °
> 14 bit
800 cd/m2
This means that regardless of pixel pitch whether 20mm or 20mm, the size and shape of the space that the arch needs to be installed, it could be done. The DVI card coupled with full colour control card used for arches ensures that the qualities of visuals projected are crisp. The Adidas Boost Experience and the LED stairway at Printemps are some of the elements that could be incorporated into arch design easily. It has been well over 2000 years since we first discovered arches and our fascination with arches has not diminished. It looks like the aesthetics of arches will remain the cornerstone of designs for as long as humans build and create.