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Digital Projection & Display Devices Transform Iconic Denver Clocktower with Art

We call it, ‘the people’s  projector’ because of the enormous amount of content we share with the entire city through a platform that virtually every kind of artist can use.”

    – David Ehrlich, Executive Director, Denver Theatre District
Daniels & Fisher Tower

 

Denver, Colorado

A legendary American city on the rise, Denver, Colorado has a rich history of infrastructure and cultural development. What started as a small gold-rush town, now boasts the 10th largest downtown area in America, complete with the nation’s biggest city park system, 5 professional sports stadiums, and the 2nd largest performing arts complex in the country. But even with its status as a major metropolis, the Mile High City has always tried to maintain a healthy balance of population, urban beauty, and ecological impact. So, when the Denver Theatre District created plans to add a world-class projection mapping display on one of its iconic buildings, while at the same time following strict city ordinances, Digital Projection and Display Devices teamed up to deliver a visual experience unlike anything the city had seen before.

Projection mapping: creating art out of static structures

The Daniels & Fisher Tower stands 325 feet tall in the center of the Theatre District, in the middle of the 16th Street Mall, just between lower and upper downtown. Complete with a plaza, this foot-traffic heavy location is a prime spot for Denver and the perfect spot for a projection mapping solution. David Schmitt, Director of Sales and Business Development at Display Devices describes this project in saying:

“Anytime you get to work on an architecturally and historically significant building, it feels amazing and with projection mapping, you’re actually doing a little bit of magic – creating ever-evolving art out of beautiful but static structures. Digital Projection makes some incredible projectors, and Display Devices is great at making permanent display installations – there is a very natural synergy between our two companies. That natural crossover allows for intuitive, high-caliber co- operation which results in showpiece displays like this one.”

A transformation through light

Selecting a parking garage across the plaza for their technical base of operations, the unified team of DDI and DP began designing a one-of-a-kind display solution. The end result was an environmentally controlled walk-in structure housing (10) of DP’s exceptionally bright M-Vision 21000 WU projectors. Engineered to withstand the harshest of Denver weather, the simple but high-tech structure allows the city team to work inside for hands-on adjustments and calibrations, as well as program, schedule, and display content remotely from a home office. The installation itself was impressive, but once the system was turned on, it became something spectacular. Powered by up to 210,000 lumens of color-rich content, the Daniels & Fisher Tower is transformed by light-based art. Now known as Night Lights Denver; the mesmerizing display is an on-going visual experience that showcases innovative works from both local and international artists. This permanent and on-going event features fresh content each month with rotating art collections including professional photography, animation, live action video, and civic messaging.

Night Lights Denver with ‘the people’s projector’

With nightly shows from Tuesday through Sunday evenings, Night Lights Denver has become one of Denver’s more meaningful attractions. David Moke, Director of Programming explains, “When we put together a program, our goal is not only to entertain the people of Denver, but also for them to take pride in their city by coming and hanging out downtown.” He adds, “We like to include art that is heavier & cerebral but also balanced with fun & entertainment. This is not a billboard, this is cultural enrichment through art and entertainment. I always say that we’re not public art – we’re art in the public,”.David Ehrlich, Executive Director of the Denver Theatre District, echoes this sentiment in saying, “Night Lights Denver has become the perfect way to expand our connection to the art world in Denver on every level. We call it, ‘the people’s projector’ because of the enormous amount of content we share with the entire city through a platform that virtually every kind of artist can use.”

‘The most vibrant thing downtown’

The public’s response to the display experience has been nothing short of amazing. “The people are absolutely thrilled and have already adopted it as part of the city. This is the most vibrant thing we have downtown,” says Moke. Mike Akridge, Vice President of Operations at Digital Projection, adds:

“We knew working with the talented team at Display Devices would create something powerful – but we didn’t expect just how impressive it would ultimately be. During our pre-activation testing, as soon as the first images were projected onto the tower, people immediately started gathering on their own – smiling, laughing, taking selfies and videos, etc. You don’t often get a chance to work on something of this size, at a location this iconic, so we were happy to see that the people were just as excited as we were.”

Building community through art

One of the more impactful moments of this continuous display occurred when the city showcased artwork created by some of its elementary school students. Ehrlich explains, “This really resonated with the city because anyone with kids has their artwork hung up somewhere in their house. It’s a pretty common thing – but when shown on the tower downtown, it created something akin to a shared living room for Denver itself. And that really builds community because it helps people find what they have in common.”

You can experience Night Lights Denver firsthand every Tuesday through Sunday evening from Sunset to Midnight from virtually anywhere in the Theatre District.

Digital Projection would like to thank Denver Theatre District and Display Devices for their use of content and images in this case study.

Find more information on the Night Lights Denver program, their schedule, and the Theatre District itself at www.nightlightsdenver.com.

See more of Display Devices’ innovative, custom outdoor solutions at www.displaydevices.com.

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