Belle & Wissell crafted a multi-dimensional, educational platform for visitors to the acclaimed Seattle Central Library. The new Visitor Center Exhibit, catering to users of all ages, transforms the typical Library experience.
Visitors getting oriented at the Look Station.
The Seattle Central Library is a striking, iconic element of the skyline designed by world-renowned Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. Its architectural significance and receptive ideology make it the most-visited site in Seattle, drawing almost 2 million visitors annually. Belle & Wissell designed the Visitor Center Exhibit to evoke the same form-follows-function approach of the Koolhaas Central Library.
The Directory View of the Visitor Center Exhibit interactive displays the unique architecture of our Central Library. Visitors are invited to explore the structure by touching and spinning a three-dimensional virtual model.
Belle & Wissell worked closely with Lockwood & Sons, a design build company, to realize this exhibit. The Visitor Center Exhibit was produced in close collaboration with the Seattle Public Library and the Seattle Public Library Foundation.
View of the exhibit from 5th Avenue. The hulking profile and glass mesh skeleton of Seattle’s Central Library makes for an instantly recognizable silhouette.
The Visitor Center Exhibit “Look” and “Learn” stations feature interactive and dynamic components celebrating librarians, libraries, and their indispensable role as a civic resource. Users can discover historical information, facts about the design and philosophy of the Central Library, and personal interviews produced by StoryCorps.
Descriptive maps, animated statistics, and social media feeds encourage visitors to get involved.
Belle & Wissell helped the Space Needle launch one of its most exciting new offerings called SkyPad™—an interactive wall measuring 20-feet wide. SkyPad™ is part of a large set of digital enhancements being added to the Observation Deck experience.
From start to finish, Belle & Wissell worked in concert with brand strategy agency Creature, Olson Kundig Architects, a/v hardware specialist Streamline Solutions, database consultant Idea Gateway, and the Space Needle’s internal team to bring this project to the Observation Deck.
Visitors interact with multiple columns to explore a wealth of visual history.
With over 1.5 million visitors a year, the Space Needle is the second most visited public space in Seattle (second only to the Seattle Central Library). Skypad™ encourages visitors to make their mark on a 3D global guestbook and to share and browse Space Needle memories.
Visitors swiping through featured images.
Built for the 1962 World’s Fair, the Space Needle has since been a symbol for the Seattle experience, with people traveling from all over the world to catch the view from its Observation Deck.
The wall measure 20 feet wide, and allows for a number of guests to touch the wall simultaneously.
Belle & Wissell designed the Skypad™ interactive guestbook to encourage visitors to leave their mark and visualize the distance and significance of the journey they have taken to get there—via an 8-foot-tall interactive 3D globe. Meanwhile, visitors can explore 52 years of memories through a photographic installation that allows guests to view and filter memorabilia, early tower design and construction, sunsets, etc. Guests are also encouraged to contribute their own memories by uploading photos through the Space Needle’s website.
The visitor’s name has been added to the map along with the number of miles they travelled to be at the Space Needle.
SkyPad™ is a perfect blend of inventive design and technology that gives visitors both the inspiration and ability to share memories and build new experiences together in one of the world’s most iconic towers.
Read more about Skypad™ on GeekWire.
Stay tuned for photos and video of Belle & Wissell’s work at this flagship store in San Francisco.
Updated with photos of integrated media experiences:
Local Experts, Ecosystem, and App Highlights interactives.
Exterior multiplex displaying local bus routes.
Exterior logo Projections.
What do Mark Twain, Marie Curie, and Nikola Tesla all have in common? They are all part of South Lake Union’s latest design installation by Belle & Wissell titled “Macro-Micro”, part of a series of artful and sustainable design projects commissioned by Vulcan Real Estate. This project is just one part of Vulcan’s vision for the new Amazon.com campus in the neighborhood. We invite you to come see it in person at this location.
The graphic metal sculpture, located on Boren Avenue (between Thomas and Harrison) is made from 8,640 multicolor, individual pucks-capable of being rearranged into future compositions to give this project an extended life (a total of 10,000 pucks were produced). The initial theme is based on “innovators”, a reflection of the neighborhood’s past, present, and future.
This Belle & Wissell design project was realized in collaboration with Vulcan Real Estate, Amazon.com, and fabricator McNae Metals.
Giant mesh racks were made to hold and support thousands of metal pucks.
Once the pucks were joined, it was time to paint.
Mesh installed, pucks painted, next comes the paint by number part. Each puck was hand set in the mesh on site using a detailed grid guide.
The finished piece.
This isn’t a cloning experiment but rather it’s South Lake Union’s latest installation titled “Your Face is Puzzling to Me”, an interactive exhibit commissioned by Vulcan Real Estate for the new Amazon.com campus on Thomas St. (between Terry and Boren). This project is part of Vulcan’s larger vision for Seattle’s most up-and-coming neighborhood.
Contribute your face (in person) at “Your Face is Puzzling to Me”
This Belle & Wissell design project was realized in collaboration with Vulcan Real Estate, Amazon.com, and fabricator Turner Exhibits.
The concept behind “Your Face Is Puzzling To Me” is to elevate the diversity of the people in the South Lake Union neighborhood, bringing together faces that make the neighborhood special. Folks passing by can use a capture station to add their photo to the project. Once your photo is taken, it is processed and juxtaposed with previously submitted faces. Also in the rotation are faces from the past, a few inanimate objects, and some other surprises.
The result? Some weird looking folks.