Permanent 3D mapping at Melody Maker Cancun Hotel

Cancun, Mexico, December 2018

Brief

Cancun, one of Mexico's most popular tourist destinations, drew over 35 million visitors in 2018. With a great many options for visitors, Melody Maker Cancun Hotel decided to go big to attract attention and to transform the hotel’s facade into a giant 7,000 sq. m (1.7 acre) canvas, creating one of the world's largest permanent 3D mapping displays.

Execution

It was important to convert the hotel into an eye-catching, giant 3D mapping display. Equally important was to make a robust and easy to use projection system that would operate all year round. Using the Screenberry Media Server, we developed a single server system that runs 16 x Barco 32K lumen projectors and can be controlled remotely.

Impact

One of the world's largest permanent projection mapping installations turned the hotel into a ‘can’t miss’ attraction in the Cancun resort area. The project won a UDX Bright Outcomes Award from Barco for the Best Tech Integration 2018.

Client

New Media Creative Technology Studio

Brand

Melody Maker Cancun Hotel

Capabilities

AV System Engineering, Software Development, Projection System Integration

2018_UDX_aw

Front Pictures teamed up with Madrid-based New Media Creative Technology Studio to create a projection system for giant 3D mapping onto Melody Maker hotel in Cancun.

Located on the shore of the Mexican Cancun resort area, Melody Maker calls itself the world’s biggest party hotel, pairing the lifestyle and excitement of a beachfront hotel with the amenities of a luxury resort.

With more than 400 rooms over 16 floors, and an outdoor club that has played host to leading celebrity DJs and artists such as Paris Hilton, David Guetta and Armin Van Buuren, Melody Maker prides itself on staying ahead of the competition by providing its guests with entertainment experiences that touch virtually every corner of the resort.

The hotel’s exterior was no exception. The front and back of the building were transformed into a giant 7,000 sq. m (1.7 acre) backdrop for immersive parties. The projection system was designed to illuminate the hotel on a nightly basis from 7:30 pm to 11:00 pm throughout the year, creating a sensation of never-ending celebration.

Front Pictures team was responsible for system engineering and integration. We were tasked with designing a one-button solution that would require minimum hardware and maintenance.

The 32MP video signal is driven by a powerful Screenberry Media Server.. The video is distributed to 16 x Barco UDX-W32 projectors with four Datapath Fx4/H display controllers. In total, 3 km of optical fiber cables were used to connect all the components together.

“Unique features of our Screenberry™ media server allowed us to greatly reduce the overall system complexity. 'Keeping it simple' is our philosophy in systems design, which has proven to be a successful strategy and is appreciated by our customers. That is what makes our solutions more affordable without compromising quality and reliability”

Vitaliy Slyusarenko
Front Pictures CTO 

The installation turned the hotel into a local attraction not only on- but also off-shore as passing-by ships now frequently stop to enjoy the 3D mapping show from a distance.
“There still aren’t many installations like that around the world, so it was kind of a landmark moment for us and, I believe, for the whole entertainment industry. I’d like to think that such accomplishments are what’s moving our industry forward. We are passionate about visual arts and that constantly inspires us to bring better and better ways for people to express their creativity at any scale,” said Vitaliy.