City of Dreams | Bubble Theater

• Category
  Bespoke Illumination
• Completion
  2010
• Architect
  Arquitectonica | HK
• Lighting Designer
  Lightswitch | NY
• Awards
  IES Lumen Award 2011 Award Special Citation for Integration

Bespoke LED fixtures designed by the KiboWorks formally of Lighting Science/ LED Effects have helped create an awe-inspiring multimedia immersive show on the inside of the huge 360-degree domed Bubble Theater in the City of Dreams, an integrated entertainment resort in Cotai, Macau. The Bubble Theater utilizes an elliptical projection screen similar to one used in a planetarium, measuring 65 feet tall x 100 feet wide above a 33-foot wide viewing area. KiboWorks engineered the technology that seamlessly incorporated LEDs into the Theater´s spherical surface.

The 80 foot egg shaped dome's surface was covered with X16 LED dots on 15 inch pitch. The challenge was a design where every pixel was exactly 15 inches form the next while maintaining a logical video layout and dynamic mapping. The strings of X16 dots where connected to Artnet enabled 16 port powered data nodes. High power Amber/Red LED flame simulation fixtures attached to liquid nitrogen nozzles are positioned around the dome. During the show the LED system is coordinated with dragon animation to produce simulated flames and smoke which jet out into the domes center. Over 100 three Inch diameter high power LED dome fixtures are located behind the semi transparent dome surface to create special effects lighting during the show. The audient viewing area is rimmed with circular isles of glass railings illuminated from below by X16 LED bars.

To direct the audience into and out of the dome flush floor mounted high power LED luminaries provide way finding illumination and direction indication. The center piece for the theater are 20 and 30 foot Jelly Fishes and coral sculptures. Center most Jelly fish ringed with High Power G3 LED flood lights highlighting a water fall curtain and X16 LED bars illuminating the shell. Corral lit with internal 360 degree high power X16 illumination elements which can be rotated along with the sections of the artwork while still powered and animating. The smaller Jelly fish shells are lit with X16 dots, X16 bars in addition to 30 foot cast silicon tentacles filled with X16 dots. By far the Kiboworks design team met design challenges often found in theaters but with a need to last decades or longer.