DC Tower - Top of Austria

Permanent Media Installation

The DC Tower - Top of Austria stands out from other designs due to its unique properties. Photos are captured and collected from the tower's roof every 5 minutes, representing the location and the uniqueness of every moment. These photos are then displayed on a huge LED wall in the foyer, showcasing time-sliced montages in real time. The application seamlessly switches between different layouts, presenting slices of the last 24 hours or packing moments from the last 12 weeks into a single image. The installation also incorporates sensors that react to the presence and motion of people within the tower, further enhancing the dialogue between the individuals and the building itself.

The realization of this design involved mounting a weatherproof high-resolution webcam on the tower's roof, which captures a pool of images over weeks and months. These images are then delivered to a real-time application that feeds the LED wall in the foyer. Additionally, LiDAR laser range sensors were installed in the foyer to track the position of people within the space. The tracking data collected by these sensors is used by the application to actively react to the presence of individuals in various ways.

The technical specifications of the DC Tower - Top of Austria include a 10.5-meter by 5-meter LED wall, two LiDAR laser range sensors, and a 6-megapixel weatherproof webcam on the tower's roof.

This design can be classified under responsive art, digital art, digital staging, digital brand communication, and media installation. The design team members responsible for this project are Katharina Mayrhofer, Andrea Maderthaner, Martin Zeplichal, Markus Pargfrieder, and Wolfgang Maier.

The media installation operates fully self-controlled and automated, thanks to automatic shut-down and start-up routines. The interaction and responsiveness of the installation are provided by the laser range sensors, which constantly track and process the data to create dynamic visual experiences.

The DC Tower - Top of Austria project was launched in August 2020 in Vienna, Austria, and it is a permanent media installation in the DC Tower 1.

The design of this installation was based on extensive technical research, which involved evaluating and testing the webcam and sensors over an extended period. The final technical concept incorporated the learnings from this research.

The design of the DC Tower - Top of Austria presented several challenges. It needed to capture the uniqueness of the tower's location and its own distinctiveness. Additionally, it aimed to emphasize the human aspect of the tower community and the dialogue between the people within the building. Lastly, it sought to showcase all the special moments, from the present to months in the past. The installation successfully achieves a balance between familiarity and novelty, providing a sense of home while presenting content in a never-before-seen way every five minutes on the LED wall.

The DC Tower - Top of Austria media installation was awarded the Bronze A' Design Award in the Fine Arts and Art Installation Design category in 2021. This award recognizes designs that demonstrate creativity, resourcefulness, and technical excellence, contributing to quality of life improvements and making the world a better place.

Image Credits: Photo / Video / Sound: Eyup Kus