UK - The visitor's journey through Titanic Belfast starts in the giant atrium and extends through nine galleries. Each tells the story of the Titanic, from its conception in Belfast in the early 1900s, through its construction and launch, to its famous maiden voyage and tragic end, exactly 100 years ago.
Helping to tell this story is an immersive three-side 'cave' - a CGI virtual walk-through of the entire ship, constructed by Bedfordshire-based Paradigm Audio Visual, and installed by DJ Willrich to meet the design brief from Event Communications.
The Paradigm project team was led by Steve Pratt, director of engineering, who conducted several site meetings before drawing up the design for the three seamless rear projection surfaces, each 6m (wide) x 2.3m (high) and powered by Panasonic PT-DZ110 dual lamp, 10,600 lumens WUXGA resolution projectors, fitted with 0.8:1 lenses.
Paradigm's engineering for this immersive environment, which is capable of accommodating up to 30 people, also included three Paradigm Easy-Erect rigs with dnp ViewFlex to enhance the geometry.
Elsewhere in the attraction, the Bedfordshire company has built a second rear projection system in portrait format, measuring 3.2m high x 1.8m wide and featuring Panasonic 6000 ANSI lumens WUXGA projector. This system is used to depict a dialogue between two people as part of the wider exhibition's dynamic content which engages the visitors with immediacy and a human element.
Paradigm's CEO Greg Jeffreys said, "This was a wonderful project involving two favourite clients on the design and installation side. We are seeing a significant rise in the use of immersive systems, be they caves, curved screens or domes - so much so we now have a separate division, Simulation Displays, to design and build them.
"Once the image surrounds a visitor, the content's impact is heightened exponentially and we are seeing leading designers use them with increasing effect."
DJ Willrich project manager John Doe added, "I enjoyed working with Steve [Pratt] and his team and they did a thoroughly professional job on site. The video cave is the stand out feature of the entire exhibition and has received many favourable comments from both the client and visitors."
Within the overall visitor attraction, Titanic Belfast functions as a museum and contains a full banqueting suite for up to 1000 people, a permanent exhibition and cinematic theatre - showing video footage of the exploration of the wreck. The main contractors for this development were Harcourts.
There will be more coverage of Titanic Belfast in the June 2012 issue of LSI - out soon. (Jim Evans)
