SACO and Douglas Coupland create the largest public artwork for the new TELUS Sky tower in Calgary

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MONTREAL, Nov. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - SACO is delighted to work with development firm and culture company Westbank, and renowned Canadian artist and author Douglas Coupland to feature one of the largest public art installations in Canada. Northern Lights, a 160,000 square foot LED-based art installation on the new TELUS Sky building, will add a new work of global significance to Calgary's vibrant public art culture (Canadian Architect, November 28, 2017).   

The opening for TELUS Sky is planned for 2019 and it will be the third tallest building in the city's skyline. SACO entirely transformed the north and south facades of the 60-storey tower clad in a dynamic and colourful LED installation by using its innovative Shockwave Direct View V-Stick LED Light fixtures.

"As a visionary company, we often have the pleasure of working with such gifted artists as Doug Coupland and like-minded companies as Westbank to create unique installations.  Transforming Calgary's skyline was a great achievement for us in Canada's landscape,'' said Fred Jalbout, Chairman and CEO of SACO. 

Northern Lights features full-colour motion sequences with a lighting media system that takes advantage of TELUS Sky's curved shape. Made up of over one hundred thousand pixels, the integrated LED video lighting wraps around the window frames of the building and forms an infinite number of patterns and colour displays.

SACO pushed the envelope by creating a custom 90-degree angled V-Stick and developed a sleek custom machined housing for each V-Stick to seamlessly integrate into the building's unique architecture and inspire wonder with a spellbinding show that honours the aurora borealis.

"We always look at it as a magic trick," said Jonathan Labbee, Executive Vice-President & CMO of SACO. "A magic trick is always interesting until someone tells you the trick. So, by camouflaging the technology and integrating within the building, we allow the intent of the artist and architect to be expressed." 

To replicate the Northern Lights phenomenon, Coupland designed the lights to change colour and lighting sequences in a 12-minute series running five times an hour from sunset to 11:00 pm.

SACO's Core Video Processor and Disguise Media Server content player delivers mapping of the project and content. The entire system is controlled by SACO's high speed V-Stream video communication technology and is mapped at a 25mm pixel pitch thus allowing for smooth and elegant high-res media movement effects and colours.

About SACO Technologies Inc.  

With Corporate Offices in Europe, the Middle East and North America, SACO's team boasts over 30 years of experience in the development and supply of industry-leading solid-state LED lighting and media solutions. The vast expertise of the SACO team ensures that interfacing with architects, designers, tour managers, and other professionals is seamless and efficient.

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SOURCE SACO Technologies Inc.

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