An innovative passenger experience helps Los Angeles International Airport compete as a world-class destination.
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Tom Bradley International at LAX is one of the world’s busiest airport terminals. For some nine million travellers a year it’s the first and last impression of Los Angeles. Like other international airports LAX understands the importance of a great passenger experience.
This terminal has taken experience to new levels with an Integrated Environmental Media System (IEMS). Seven digital media features integrated into the architecture of the terminal provide passengers with entertainment and essential information.
Electrosonic, in partnership with Sardi Design, Moment Factory, MRA International, Digital Kitchen and Smart Monkeys, played a central role in coordinating the different disciplines as well as carrying out detailed engineering and system integration. The results are stunning, creating a world-class experience integrated with the terminal’s passenger activity.
Before the ‘flight’, guests are immersed in a two-part preride experience that explores the role of nature, time and people on the island. The multi-sensory spaces create a fascinating introductory experience to build anticipation and complement the FlyOver experience.
Electrosonic worked in partnership with Esja Attractions and Smart Monkeys to implement the technology to realize the client’s creative vision for the pre-ride experience. By engineering and integrating specialist audio, video, projection, control and lighting systems for the immersive multimedia experience, Electrosonic helped create an attraction that inspires and delights visitors.
The IEMS sets new standards for airport media systems with an integrated environmental experience based on intelligence from live data. And, from a technical perspective the IEMS has broken new ground.
It’s the first full integration of broadcast audiovisual, enterprise-grade information technologies and show-control technologies to manage interactive data-driven content across multiple features and platforms.
Each of the seven media features enhances a different aspect of the passenger experience. Just arriving? A massive Welcome Wall displays scenes of greeting and stunning atmospherics.
Departing soon? The Bon Voyage Wall provides a unique send-off with images expressing LA’s diversity, creativity and energy. Waiting for a flight? A 72-feet high Time Tower entertains and informs with content exploring time as part of the travel experience with a universal world clock creating a three-dimensional representation of 24 world time zones. A 120-feet-long Story Board displays content based on the art traditions of destination cities around the world. And it’s the first flight information linked to dynamic real-time multimedia content. The IEMS has it all so it’s no surprise to hear rumours of visitors buying tickets just to enjoy the experience!
With so many potential industry firsts in the vision, it would take careful coordination and communication to achieve to create a successful integrated solution.
The project team had to integrate a series of sophisticated multimedia features and systems into the airport’s operations and security processes and systems. The project was further complicated by the need to minimize disruption and maintain absolute security in a busy public space.
This complex project took over two years to complete with attention to detail and time management critical at every level. Electrosonic used technology as the differentiating overlay to space, architectural elements and the content of the multiple stories that are being told, collaborating with designers, architects and content providers. All of the media features were custom designed to realize individual creative visions within an integrated framework.
The IEMS is helping the airport operator to retain their position as the premier US West Coast international gateway. It provides the great passenger experience that international airports must have to attract airlines and passengers.
The solution draws on many different disciplines – designers, architects, content producers, display vendors and systems integrators - and takes multiple creative visions from concept to reality by fusing technology, architecture and storytelling.
