Martin Exterior PixLine 20 convert department store facades into artistic, urban fix
points that support corporate branding and engage passersby.
“We wanted a permanent facade lighting solution for our two department stores to
raise awareness in the cityscape which at the same time would allow us to interact
with passersby,’ says Salling design manager, Jens Severin. Via a total of 1241 Martin
Exterior PixLine 20, run by two P3 050 System Controllers and 24 P3 PowerPort 1500,
Salling, Denmark’s equivalent to Macy’s or Selfridges, excelled in optimising the
facades of their two large department stores to lead the way in contemporary
architectural media design that facilitates community interaction and involvement.
When designing a media architecture project, its success is not about technology,
square meters, LED pricing or for that matter how much power it consumes. It’s about
urban planners, designers and how the entire process is integrated from ideation to
final delivery.
“Media architecture is the next layer of city branding’ – Stephen D. Willacy, Chief City
Architect, City of Aarhus.
Over the years, Martin by HARMAN has built a considerable know-how in facilitating
and customising partner-driven architectural lighting projects of all sizes, from huge
Middle Eastern mosques to sports stadiums and department stores. We are not just a
manufacturer with a price tag on our products. We are a partner delivering in all
phases of a project, teaming up with all stakeholders throughout such processes,
including local authorities and the professional lighting design community. A direct
involvement with end-users and designers often sparks ideas for product optimisation
and new ways to approach a project that has earned us our position as a highly
respected partner.
Community engagement
The ability to engage with customers has become increasingly important, and the
Salling Department Store media facade is a great example of how retailers and other
organisations can integrate media architecture into urban spaces—with truly cool
results. “We created an interactive element that allows people to contribute to the
content on the facade by drawing on their smartphone and have it represented in
real-time on the facade,’ says Rune Nielsen, Partner PhD, Architect MAA, Kollision
Design Office. The solution demonstrates how an interactive facade offers a unique
way to make a business a visual player by tapping into cultural events and interacting
with the local community and also raises the bar in urban, corporate branding.
Martin Exterior PixLine
The Martin Exterior PixLine is a fully weatherised linear LED video fixture for media
facades and creative installations. The Exterior PixLine can be combined with a wide
variety of lenses and diffusers for the right look for every application. The Exterior
PixLine is driven by the Martin P3 System Controller family for easy setup and video
display, and it is also backwards compatible with DMX for smaller setups. The fixtures
are fully customizable in terms of length and colour to match every installation
requirement, while the power source is hidden.
