World's Largest Kaleidoscope
Stage architecture studio Stufish has built what it says is the world's largest kaleidoscope — a mirrored installation that shows ever-shifting images of Saudi Arabia. Measuring 40 meters long and 6 meters high, Stufish's kaleidoscope was installed at the 2022 LEAP technology conference in Riyadh and provided guests with a walk-through, immersive experience.
Titled LEAPscape, the kaleidoscope was made of tensioned mirror foil and LED tiles on its floor and end wall. The mirror foil — a Showtex product called GiantMirror – allowed Stufish to produce a totally seamless and warp-less finish, with no visual interruptions to the viewer's experience. Because it is made with mirror foil rather than fabricated elements in glass or steel, the installation is light, weighing just 15 kilograms.
On the LED tiles, Stufish screened a presentation made up of scenes of Saudi Arabia's natural environment. The imagery is layered with digital effects and reflects off the mirrors to produce a kaleidoscope effect. The sensations one feels between different scenes within the kaleidoscope is like stepping from one room into another – some are fully immersive and displace you from a position of stability, while others allow you to re-center and recognize the confines of the space.
References:
