Laser projection illuminates La Selva’s geodesic dome

Photo credit: Lonko Labs

MEDELLÍN, Colombia - Christie^® HS Series 1DLP^® laser projectors deliver a spectacular immersive experience to visitors of La Selva, an educational geodesic dome designed to foster appreciation and preservation of the Colombian rainforests. Located in the Parque Empresarial El Tesoro shopping mall in Medellín,  this project is a collaborative effort between the mall and Lonko Labs.

Rainforests make up 36.5% of Colombia’s territory, with the largest expanses in the Amazon and Chocó regions. These areas are home to a diverse array of animal species, plants, fungi, and other forms of life, and contribute to Colombia's status as the second most biodiverse country in the world.

To honor these vital ecosystems and raise awareness about their conservation, Parque Empresarial El Tesoro created La Selva, a sensory experience made possible through a realistic and immersive digital environment developed by Lonko Labs. 

La Selva features a 13-meter (43-foot) diameter and 8.5-meter (288-foot) high dome with a negative pressure system. The exterior closely resembles a traditional maloca or jungle dwelling, while inside the dome, six 13,500-lumen Christie HS Series projectors are blended to create a 360-degree projected image on a 265-square-meter (2852 square foot) surface, with a total resolution of 3500 x 3500 pixels

The projected content, specifically created for La Selva and overseen by scientific experts, includes 3D animations of flora and fauna. Visitors can immerse themselves in the Colombian rainforests and interact with mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, insects, and plants. Multiple audio channels provide surround sound, enhancing the total immersive experience.

The decision to use Christie projectors was based on their reliability and minimal maintenance requirements, explains Victor Abarzúa, founder and director of Lonko Labs. “These projectors allow us to achieve excellent results and provide peace of mind, ensuring flawless execution of the project,” says Abarzúa.

Abarzúa particularly highlights the HS Series' laser illumination, low power consumption, and high image quality: “The color richness of the 1DLP projector is very close to the quality of a 3DLP, and it’s lightweight, making it easy for two people to handle.”

He adds, “I would also emphasize its network connectivity for control, monitoring, and calibration functions, as well as its responsiveness in EDID Manager protocols and good synchronization. Its flexibility to work in any physical position is also noteworthy.”

Lonko Labs was responsible for various aspects of the project, including creative art direction, 3D modeling and animation, geodesic dome infrastructure, audiovisual integration, and the creation of original music by a large team of musicians using traditional instruments

La Selva offers 12 daily performances, each lasting about 15 minutes, with a maximum capacity of 60 people per performance. Seating includes beach-style chairs, individual poufs, and a large central pouf for children, all designed for comfortable sky-gazing. La Selva will be at Parque Empresarial El Tesoro in Medellín for two months, with plans to bring the dome to other cities in Colombia.

“La Selva is a truly unique project in Colombia, involving an unprecedented creative process by a multidisciplinary team of over 100 people working under rigorous conceptualization. In short, it is an immersive experience with an unconventional mise-en-scène, meticulously crafted down to the smallest detail,” concludes Victor Abarzúa.