Originating in London in 1851, World Expos have transcended their initial purpose of unveiling novel inventions, ranging from TVs and telephones to ketchup and ice-cream cones. Today, this quinquennial event strives to mirror and forecast the societal aspirations of its time. Offering a distinctive platform for attraction designers, World Expos become a lens through which experiential entertainment trends come to life. Pavilions thrive on compelling storytelling, often relying on video projection to impart information about a country in the context of the Expo theme in an engaging way. However, the challenge arises: how can one exhibition distinguish itself when many offer a similar visual experience? To find the answer to this, let’s trace the evolution of visual design at World Expos and explore how a technology partner such as Panasonic Connect can help adapt and scale the best ideas for your upcoming attraction. The Journey from Shanghai to Dubai Expo 2010 Shanghai marked a shift in attraction design with the advent of large-scale projection mapping. With a record-breaking 73 million attendees and a site larger than 1,000 football fields, the scale was immense—check out the video of the 1,600 m2 amphitheater projection below. By today’s standards, the projectors had limited brightness and resolution, and blending techniques for curved-screen projection were still in their infancy. Reflecting on the past, it’s remarkable to witness the strides projection mapping has taken in the last decade. Changing the Game with Laser Projection Five years later, Expo 2015 Milano emerged as a turning point with simultaneous breakthroughs in projection technology: the introduction of the first single-chip DLP laser projectors, ultra-short-throw lenses for DLP projectors that opened the door to accessible interactive projections, and flexible edge-blending software to facilitate a transition from flat to curved screens. Designers embraced these capabilities, giving rise to seamlessly mapped projections, holography, and projection onto mirrored surfaces to heighten immersion. With its innovative combination of spatial design and holograms creating a 4D attraction, the UAE Pavilion was ahead of its time. The Japan Pavilion, with its otherworldly allure foreshadowing a trend towards multisensory experiences, still stands as a testament to these advancements today. The Ascendance of Gamified Attractions The paradigm shifted once more at Expo 2017 Astana. Less than five years after the technology’s commercial debut, laser projection shattered the 30,000-lumen barrier. To combat the increasing weight and size of these high-brightness systems, Panasonic introduced the world’s lightest 12,000-lumen laser projector, while its 10,000-lumen 1-Chip DLP offering cemented its credentials as the benchmark for 360° panoramas mapped to the screen, thanks to advancing geometric correction technology. Designers were also embracing 4K content, blurring the lines between the real and virtual worlds. The Germany Pavilion, with its SeedBoard concept, was among the first pavilions to issue guests with a special device to enable interactivity throughout their journey, an idea since taken up by some of the biggest names in the theme park industry. Expo 2020 Dubai Illuminates the Path Forward Expo 2020 Dubai built on these trends, seamlessly integrating projection as a second skin conforming to the space. Multisensory elements like programmed lighting, spatial audio, water features, and mist were more prevalent and contributed to guests engaging and forming sensory memories of the experience. In theaters, zero-offset ultra-short-throw zoom lenses eliminated gaps around images and allowed viewers to touch the projection surface without casting a shadow. In terms of projection, there was a growing emphasis on color accuracy, resolution, and contrast performance to maintain visual impact when broadcasting images. A shift towards experience personalization using data from preference-tracking apps became evident. Gamified and interactive attractions were commonplace, with many spaces geared specifically towards social media shareability. Staged during the pandemic, designers strove to bridge the gap between real and virtual worlds, enabling online audiences to participate via IP cameras and live streaming. Guests could also a virtual 3D tour of most pavilions from the official event website. The award-winning Japan Pavilion embodied these innovations, utilizing curtain screens, Silky Fine Mist, mirrors, glass, and floor projections to craft an otherworldly atmosphere. Guests enjoyed a personalized show finale based on their expressed interests during the tour.
Towards Expo 2025 Osaka As a technologically advanced society, Japan is an ideal choice considering the theme of Expo 2025 Osaka: “Future Society for Our Lives.” What lies ahead for visual attraction design? Shareability and interactivity reign as the most sought-after elements in today’s attractions. The evolution of 5G, IT/IP infrastructure, and IoT devices promises to make Expo 2025 Osaka the most engaging and immersive experience for both on-site attendees and online viewers. As the birthplace of anime, one of Japan’s many cultural exports, corporate pavilions are expected to elevate gamification to exciting new heights. We can also look forward to seeing how designers embrace high-speed tracking-mapping technologies and what new ideas result from the increased flexibility afforded by new ultra-compact 4K DLP projectors, which promise to bring a level of realism to mapping we could only dream of in 2010. Using cameras to assist with mapping over complex surfaces will almost certainly see further integration of interactive digital elements into spatial designs. Stay tuned for what unfolds! If you want to explore how the concepts discussed in this article can be applied to your museum, location-based attraction, concert, immersive attraction, artainment show, sporting event, exhibition, trade show, or anything in between, please reach out to Chad Kunimoto at kunimoto.chad@jp.panasonic.com. Chad Kunimoto is the Global Business Development Manager for Themed Entertainment and Immersive Experiences at Panasonic Connect.
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