TDC's illuminations bring the city to life at vivid sydney 2023

tdc captures the beauty of our natural world

Pushing the boundaries of projection technology, TDC – Technical Direction Company is bringing the city to life at this year’s Vivid Sydney festival with a series of mesmerizing light installations illuminating the urban landscape. Integrating the latest advancements in technology, the Australian practice has transformed the static facades of over 20 iconic spaces in the city into dynamic artworks. Among these are ‘Harbour Life’ at Australia’s largest museum vessel — the HMAS Vampire, and the fully immersive projection experience at Vivid House showcasing four monumental artworks featuring Australia’s natural world. At the Sydney Opera House’s captivating ‘Lighting of the Sails: Life Enlivened’, laser projectors producing 4K resolution to illuminate the landmark with the collaborative work of Dr. John Olsen and Curiious.

Inside Out with Spinifex Group and Australian Museum of Design at Customs House

all images © TDC – Technical Direction Company

vivid sydney 2023 illuminates dynamic installations

From May 26 to June 17, 2023, Vivid Sydney will be returning for its 13^th edition to captivate audiences with its fusion of creativity, innovation, and technology. From mesmerizing light displays by renowned artists to live music performance and thought-provoking discussions, this year’s festival will explore the theme ‘Naturally’, celebrating the beauty and diversity of our natural world. Aligned with this, the team at TDC has deployed its automated remote monitoring system, TDC LiveView, which monitors thousands of pieces of equipment, troubleshoots issues remotely, and limits staff travel, creating a more efficient installation system to bring the city to life.

Notably, TDC has deployed a record-breaking 150 of the latest laser projectors for the occasion for the largest ever mounted installation in the Southern Hemisphere. Its projectors offer superior light output, fidelity, and contrast compared to traditional lamp-based projectors, all while consuming significantly less power. Each evening, they will deliver a billion total pixels, more than doubling the pixel count achieved in the previous year. TDC has also remarkably achieved a 25% increase in projection coverage while consuming 150 kilowatts per house (kWh) less energy than 2022, significantly reducing carbon waste.

Biotecture with Hotaru Visual Guerrilla

Throughout the festival footprint, the system design has been carefully curated to ensure an uninterrupted audience experience. All installations are controlled from a central point and strategically placed to avoid disrupting audience vantage points. The implementation of new projector coolers has further improved efficiency and light output, while fiber optic outputs from custom media servers have enhanced overall system efficiency. One of TDC’s standout innovations, the newly designed TwLite outdoor projection towers, also provide rapid deployment, improved airflow for enhanced efficiency and projector lifespan, as well as increased robustness and waterproofing compared to previous designs. Made with sustainability in mid, the towers can also be reused.

Lighting of the Sails: Life Enlivened at Sydney Opera House

House of Naturalia at Barangaroo House

Elemental with Oracle Liquid, by Foti International and Adam Farrow-Palmer at Darling Harbour

What Lies Beneath with Susan Kosti, Kati Katona, Haemish Wellard & David Morasz at Nawi Cove, Barangaroo

project info:

name: Vivid Sydney 2023
designer: TDC – Technical Direction Company

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: ravail khan | designboom