As part of a major renovation that aligned with the 10-year redevelopment of Dallas’ Arts and Business District, Sheraton Dallas installed a digital art piece spanning two LED columns—and it fits perfectly with the local vibe.
The piece was conceived and fulfilled by Columbus, OH-based leftchannel Content Design Studio. The studio designed a system of digitally animated modules that borrow from a portion of the community’s overall redevelopment strategy by infusing local art and cultural influences into the Sheraton Dallas Hotel’s aesthetic.
“The design challenge of this project was to keep the content feeling free-spirited and artistic (as the space exists between two art districts), yet ensuring a sophisticated feel for the Sheraton,” said Taehee Lee, lead designer with leftchannel. “While embracing the technology, we designed some of the content to depict urban art reminiscing the history and the culture of downtown Dallas. We also aimed to create something that’s orchestrated and meticulously timed to astonish the viewers and catch pedestrian’s attention.”
The installation, comprising dual LED columns, each standing 8-ft, 10-in. tall, is located at the hotel’s porte-cochère with multiple viewpoints from every angle to engage people on the street, in the hotel’s lobby and bar simultaneously. The art piece will change regularly to continually captivate repeat guests.
“The installation is a hybrid of 3D and 2D work, allowing 2D digital animation to exist in a 3-dimensional space,” said Alberto Scirocco, creative director with leftchannel. “Additionally, the challenge was to design work that would speak to two audiences—an external, outdoor audience simultaneously with the indoor hotel audience. The installation performs as an attractor and as a mood piece at once, situated at the entrance if the hotel, facing the street as a triumphal entry, while also facing the lobby and restaurant/ bar areas. The piece is innovative in its ability to perform on multiple planes dimensionally as well as emotionally.”
According to Maki Nakamura Bara, president/co-founder of Chartres Lodging Group, the renovation manager of the project, the digital art installation precisely interprets the hotel’s vision of a piece that captures the diverse Downtown Dallas Arts and cultural vibe while grabbing the attention of hotel guests and the public. “The digital columns are a fantastic way to showcase the hotel’s overall design theme of celebrating art since we are at the intersection of the Arts District and Deep Ellum,” said Bara. “Adding movement, perspective and technology just takes the theme to another level.”
In addition to the digital artwork, the hotel’s upgrade included 1,300 completely redesigned guestrooms and lobby, 239,000 sq. ft. of rejuvenated meeting and convention space, restaurants, bar and other creature comforts.
