PORTALS OF 777 PALM
design challenge
Our team was tasked with visualizing a public art installation at the entrance of Sarasota's new luxury apartments: 777 Palm. The artwork needed to reflect the building’s relationship with its neighbor, Marie Selby Gardens. The installation had to be an experience, not just an entry.
software
Adobe After Effects
Photoshop
Cinema 4D, Redshift
TouchDesigner
credits
final demo promo video
"how do we create WOW?"
our client's mission
Our client's main goal was to create "WOW". Their lobby entrance had to not only intrigue their residents but also people on the sidewalk. This way visitors could be pulled in by the interaction and then guided to the attached restaurant and retail spaces.
Participants needed to have the ability to affect the visual through interactivity with the installation. This would keep the installation relevant for years to come. Who doesn't love to be a part of art?
But first, let's look at the space we were working with!
space visualization
An initial floor plan was provided to us by Unilog Group, the real estate developer we worked with for this project. Our installation experience would live sandwiched between the restaurant and retail space.
We had to design for the first floor, take into account the stairway, and finally the mezzanine space on the second floor.
FLOOR PLAN HERE
our client's ideas
There were two directions that the client wanted us to explore when coming up with ideas.
01
THE ELEMENTS
A portal that evokes a sense powerful transformation through the four elements. Residents are pulled into the passion of fire, the inspiration of air, the elegance of water, and the calm of earth.
02
THE SEASONS
This was the basis for our initial concepts: two for elements and two for seasons.
four initial concepts
sedimented time
Architectural Sketches
Artist Statement
The portal is shaped by the rhythm of the earth itself: the accumulation of sediment, the rising of currents, the layers of atmosphere, and the warmth of Earth’s core. These layers unfold in living energy as a reminder that our lives are inseparable from the cycles and forms of the natural world.
Motion Tests
iterate, iterate, iterate
In the end, the client chose to focus on the Elements concept.
They still wanted to keep some of the organic forms from our Seasons explorations, so my team and I explored combining the four ideas together.
further explorations
Once we had narrowed down to the Elements, we had one final push to refine the interactive pieces of the lobby.
models, mockups, & interactivity
our final solution
behind the curtain
out on the town
My team went around downtown Sarasota and made some observations based on existing apartment buildings.
This gave us insights like how echoey narrow spaces can be, how much light is needed, and the impact of our installation to drivers on the road.
final thoughts
This project really expanded our thinking to how our work would be perceived by an audience at all angles. Applying our motion design knowledge to an interactive space really made us attuned to the needs of an audience. Overall, a wonderful chance to stretch our minds and work collaboratively!