Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts and Kimmel Center Rely on Barco LiveDots C11 LED Display

Barco LiveDots, a Barco company, was selected to provide an innovative, 3D digital signage solution for PIFA and the Kimmel Center, which comprises a performing arts center by the same name, as well as an upgraded Academy of Music owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra. Perched on top of the corner of the main Kimmel Center building, the C11 LED display -- designed in the shape of a cube -- is located at the Kimmel Center's main entrance on a busy downtown corner, advertising the campus' performances, live concert feeds, and visitor information with dazzling lights and variable sound.

"The new display provides visitors a glimpse into the diverse program offerings on the Kimmel Center campus. It captures our brilliant performances, the unsurpassed artistic merit of our resident companies, and the vitality of our city in a series of dazzling vignettes. It will undoubtedly become a beacon to the Avenue of the Arts as it lights up the Kimmel Center façade," said Ed Cambron, PIFA's executive director.

In less than 100 days, the system was developed from concept to launch to ensure its completion prior to the festival's start. Comprised of 72 C11 panels, the structure appears to float in the building's alcove due to a reverse pyramid that masks the 10" pivot. Running on a cloud system, the cube can project five different sources including live video from inside the concert halls. Edwards Technologies, Inc. (ETI) worked closely with the Kimmel Center to design the optimum solution using Barco LiveDots LED. "The Kimmel Center wanted a unique, yet functional way to advertise its upcoming shows, while creating impact and intrigue at this highly visible city corner. We've come to rely on Barco technology for innovative solutions that are not only creative, but feature a rugged, modular design," said David Krueger, of ETI. "We know that we can always count on them to deliver a high-performance solution that's highly reliable."

The C11 is a truly modular LED display featuring 5,000nits brightness, 11mm real pixel pitch, and a 120-degree viewing angle, presenting crisp, clear imagery of video, graphics and type. The industry's first environmentally friendly display, it generates much less heat and uses only a fraction of the power consumed by competing displays. Suitable for both indoors and out, its IP66-rated fanless enclosure makes it completely waterproof to withstand the most challenging environments.

"The C11 is all about high impact and low power, offering a creative display solution at an economical price. The cube fulfills the Center's need for an eye-catching digital billboard that mirrors the same level of quality and sophistication portrayed in its world-class performing arts programs," said Guy Russell, general manager of Barco LiveDots.