Located at the UK-based McLaren headquarters, this presentation performance space is the realization of a hybrid experience that coordinates theatrics, innovation, community, and performance for carefully curated audiences. An experience that challenges the traditional roles of speaker and audience by creating and orchestrating new forms of engagement and interaction with both the individual and the group. A future-facing, brand-infused, innovative environment powered by intelligent, interactive, adaptable, performative systems.

A centralized digital content platform controls the two independent monitors and interactive tablet embedded in each of the 150 audience members’ seats, a seamless 360-degree 250-foot digital ‘ribbon’ canvas that encircles the entire space, and the integrated content-coordinated lighting and sound.

The content platform is controlled by a ‘Conductor’, responsible for cueing light, sound, and visual presentation scripts, facilitating content aggregation and synthesis, and choreographing its delivery and behavior to the orchestra of independent canvases.

Each screen serves a different purpose at different points in the arc of a presentation, augmenting the narrative with emotional, personal, and meaningful immersive content. Custom content can be created by the speaker to create unique spectacles designed specifically for the space, or traditional assets may be provided to the Conductor to be woven into the presentation narrative at the right time, using various screen configuration templates and modules.

Entry Performance

Content for the ‘pre-show’ may focus on introductory content to articulate the key themes of the event. An event thesis on the ribbon canvas with basic event titling and overview on the left and right chair screens provide the basics, allowing the audience the opportunity for a deeper dive into the speakers’ topics and bios using the interactive tablet, possibly submitting preliminary questions directly to those speakers in advance of their presentations.

Presentation Performance

On the ribbon, template-driven modules deliver the presenter’s presentation and related content, along with a live feed of the speaker herself. The passive screen on the left displays the speaker’s presentation, with contextual imagery provided to the Conductor pushed to the screen at predetermined times. The passive screen on the right features a live feed of the presentation, with salient quotes pushed to the screen in real-time. The interactive tablet serves as a note-taking tool, with the ability to ‘bookmark’ points in the presentation, captured as video and presentation clips, for post-event review.

Intermission Performance

Intermission content may feature custom-created or custom/template hybrid modules that function independent of a particular speaker’s presentation. Audience members may also use the interactive tablet to see who’s who in the audience, where they’re sitting, and exchange contact info.

Presentation / Q+A Performance

Here, the 360-degree ribbon canvas is used theatrically to deploy custom content—a timeline that slowly builds and dissolves at it encircles the room in a full-screen performance. More simply, the passive screen on the left is dedicated to the speaker’s presentation while the right is dedicated to the live feed of the speaker and a smaller version of the ribbon performance. The interactive tablet provides detailed content referenced in the presentation, a live chat allows for real-time conversation between attendees while questions are sent directly to the speaker for either on-stage or private responses.

Epilogue Performance

Here, the ribbon canvas is used for a full theatrical spectacle with coordinated lighting and sound created specifically for the space. Passive screens on the left and right go dark to focus attention, and the interactive tablet punctuates the finale.

Agency Partner: Apologue, Los Angeles
Project Lead: Tali Krakowsky
Experience Strategy: Tali Krakowsky, Weston Bingham
Creative Direction, Strategy: Weston Bingham
Design: Weston Bingham, Wes Richardson
UX Design: AV&C, Weston Bingham
Technology Design, Engineering, Integration: Audio, Video & Controls (AV&C), New York

Lighting Design: Cinemod Studio, London
Animator: Wes Richardson, TJ Sochor
3D Animator: Proof, Los Angeles
Sound Design: North v. South, London
Writer: Ian Graham

Architecture Partner: Foster + Partners, London