Unleashing the Possibilities with Freeform LED Technology

To bring ambiance and intrigue, many different shapes and sizes of architectural elements can be covered in freeform LED technology. Daktronics employs two options of freeform technology – sticks and pucks. Sticks are long narrow elements while pucks are circular in shape. Both have LED strategically placed on the elements to bring light to nearly any application. Those applications include any out of home setting from artistic and architectural elements to channel lettering to covering buildings and windows – while still allowing light inside and people inside to see out – and more. The technology is so versatile that it can form an entire video-capable display or add ambient light as a form of art to deliver a certain feeling and interest in a given space.

Out Of Home

These applications can be experience driven or branding and sponsorship driven. Sometimes, these types of installations create landmarks and other iconic spaces. Check out these examples of adding light in abstract applications.

Outside of Caesars Palace in Dubai, this architectural lighting piece creates allure and attracts patrons to the venue. It has become an iconic structure for them and helps brand their experience. It can be used as a show piece when timed with music to create a fun, desirable atmosphere.

Working closely with architects to bring their visions to life, installations such as this abstract experience at Viparis Parc Expo Porte de Versailles bring wonder and amazement to viewers. This application features a triangle-shaped structure suspended above the ground with multiple ‘sticks’ covered in freeform LED elements.

In China, Wuxi’s Inter IKEA Centre (left) covered an entire indoor elevator with freeform LED sticks allowing tenants to advertise to shoppers and to create an ambiance for shoppers to linger and enjoy. Very similarly, Yiwu World Trade Center (right) created an indoor lighting structure out of LED stick elements to create an ambiance and wow visitors within their space. It can share abstract content with flowing color changes but can also be used much like a full video display to share recognizable imagery for audiences.

Stepping outside, the building is the canvas! Whether spacing them out across the entire building façade or keeping them spaced relatively close to create a full display, LED freeform elements can light up the exterior and garner attention. Xuzhou Suning in China covered the entire upper portion of their building with freeform LED sticks to share imagery and branding for their location.

These elements can also be installed in front of glass to allow those inside the building to see out through a Venetian blind effect while still letting light into the building. The Sanford Imagenetics building in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, highlights this capability with their installation on two sides of their building and installed in front of glass. They are able to bring unique branding opportunities for their specific medical niche using this display.

Event Venues

Sure to turn heads and bring life to non-standard shapes and sizes, freeform LED elements are used in applications that may require a special level of engineering. This technology brings script and lettering to light with the ability to show dynamic digital content beyond basic color changes. Much like above, event venues can use the technology to cover windows and make a full video display for external viewers while remaining transparent for those inside looking out.

T-Mobile Arena created a massive exterior video display using freeform elements. The display features different angles on each end and matches the vertical angle of the architecture to slightly lean towards the walkways below. It also allows those inside to still see through the display from inside the venue. It combines all the benefits of a marquee display while still letting natural light into the venue through the glass.

Similarly, Wembley Stadium incorporated a freeform display on the exterior of their stadium to engage with fans and audiences as they approach via a main bridge that provides access to the venue. It’s prime real estate to brand the experience and start the immersion into the event they are about to attend. It can communicate event procedures, current and upcoming events, and give sponsorship recognition to the masses – and all messages can be adjusted quickly with the push of a button.

The Los Angeles Angels have a unique branding element outside of their stadium known as the Halo. They installed freeform LED sticks around the Halo to light it up and share messages with fans – sometimes upcoming events and other times sharing the same messages as inside the stadium when big plays happen.

Above, I mentioned the freeform LED pucks and being able to fill in channel letters. That’s not something limited to outdoor use as shown in this picture from the University of Washington. They created the university’s iconic “W” inside a concourse area to brand the space and connect with their fans. Make no mistake in this location – this is Washington!

Unleash Your Imagination

These installations with this LED freeform technology allows you to unleash your imagination. We’re not talking about only flat displays with this technology. You can cover curved, angled, three-dimensional spaces and architectural elements. Recreate your iconic logos or branding elements, build them in three dimensions and cover them in light! Or cover your entire building, highlight your channel letters, accent your entryway and much more with freeform LED elements.