SCHERMLICHT – 2D LED Pixel Screens as Engine for a 3D Spatial Experience

‘SCHERMLICHT’ represents the latest exploration of Helder Design Studio into reimagining the role of LED screens within day-to-day environments. At Dutch Design Week 2024 in Eindhoven, a space of light was created by an immersive screen installation. A space constructed by screens, sound and movement to create a moment of contemplation. Luximprint teamed up with Helder Design and Mohr Music Productions for the design and fabrication of various 3D printed custom lens plates, featuring a selection of various complex converging and diverging 3D printed optical lens segments for accurate beam control.

The Project: SCHERMLICHT at DDW24

The ‘SCHERMLICHT’ exposition is an audiovisual installation at the Helder Design Studio at Dutch Design Week 2024. The installation showcased modified screen panels, made to sculpt light into 3-Dimensional space. It displayed the transition from two-dimensional use of screens to a three-dimensional light & space environment.

‘SCHERMLICHT’ is an exploratory design project that seeks to redefine LED screens not merely as static displays but as spatial sources of light. Rather than confining the visual impact to a flat, two-dimensional plane, we envision these screens as integral components in creating three-dimensional light volumes. This approach allows light to extend beyond the boundaries of the digital domain, enhancing and interacting with the physical environment.

The Solution: Spatial Screen Installation + Custom Optics

For ‘SCHERMLICHT’ Luximprint designed and developed a custom large format lens plate (500*500 mm) to support shaping new dimensional lighting effects. The multi-beam solution, driven by hundreds of milimeter-sized micro-lenses, offers a richer, more immersive experience for audiences. By shifting the focus from screens as passive elements to active participants in the spatial design, the visual narrative of stage performances and AV installations is deepened. The tailored lens plate converged the rather widened light distribution in the center segment while leaving the outer beams with a more widened yet narrowed light distribution. In addition, the linear arranged lenses and variety in lens height and size contribute to an aesthetically more appealing visual perception with decreased glare levels.

A copy of a 3D Printed Optical Lens Plate tailored for Helder Design Studio’s DDW24 Exhibit in Eindhoven, Netherlands (Image courtesy of Luximprint)

As an exploratory project, ‘SCHERMLICHT’ is an ongoing journey into the possibilities of integrating LED technology with creative design. The potential to transform the perception of light and space is exciting, ultimately enriching the experience of both performers and audiences alike.

The multi-disciplinary approaches resulted in a concept-design-manufacturing cycle of effectively less than two weeks, which was critical to meet the deadlines for this years’ edition of Dutch Design Week, DDW24 in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

Impression of 3D printed custom optics lens plate segment for Helder Experiential Design at DDW24. (Image courtesy of Luximprint)

Unique Benefits

The combination of expertise, hands-on team approaches, digitally programmable LED screens, versatile optics design software and advanced optical 3D printing solutions leads to several unique benefits for all parties involved:

DESIGN:
Enabling Design Software: Advanced optics design software enables the generation of complex geometrical textures and lenses, with multiple functionalities embedded in one and the same optic;
Easy Design Variations: Various lens plates were tested in a trial and error design process, visualized and finally generated for processing with the optical 3D printing methodologies;

PROCESS:
Trial & Error Approaches: various ‘quick & dirty’ lens segments (100x100mm) were rapidly generated and provided to Helder Design for testing. After approval of the most appropriate version, the large format parts were generated and produced;
Low Volume Fabrication: rapid digital fabrication of just a handful customized 500 mm lens plates, with zero need for minimum order quantities (MOQ = 1);
Rapid Manufacture: the custom optics were produced in a matter of days, with zero need for post-processing, providing significant time advances over conventional lens-making methodologies;

Credits:
‘SCHERMLICHT’ is a collaboration between Helder Design, Mohr Music Productions and Luximprint. It is a project where several expert disciplines combined led to the development of contemporary light fixtures each of them incorporating tailored printed optics solutions.

Helder Design is a young design studio focused on conceptual lighting design. Mohr Music translates trends in lighting and audio technology on one side and stage performance of her clients on the other side into a tailormade show experience, while also performing stage design for live events.