The 500,000+ square foot Georgia Aquarium opened as the largest of its kind in November 2005. The engaging space features several applications of Color Kinetics’ intelligent LED lighting, both exterior and interior, including a dynamic “wave wall” that is the visual centerpiece of the aquarium’s central plaza.
The wall measures 46 by 8 meters (150 feet long by 25 feet high) and comprises five curving bands of light. The bands’ Barrisol surface provided an ideal canvas for the saturated colors and effects projected by Color Kinetics’ ColorCast 14 luminaires (now specified with
ColorGraze IntelliHue Powercore), which were installed in linear runs behind the surface. Unlike many LED-based luminaires, ColorCast 14 directly accepts line voltage, which eliminates the need for an external low-voltage power supply and therefore streamlines installation. Approximately 500 ColorCast 14 units were installed along the length of the wave wall—each one individually controllable to allow for smooth gradients of color and color-changing effects. The wave wall also doubles as a 75 foot projection surface for video shows, during which time the Color Kinetics luminaires create a colorful frame surrounding the video images.
