When the Sochi Winter Olympics kick off next month (Feb. 7-23) in Russia, the temporary pavilion for Russian telecom operator MegaFon is going to turn a lot of heads—literally.
The company commissioned London-based designer Asif Khan to create a one-of-a-kind installation for the Games. Khan answered with MegaFaces, a 39-foot-high, illuminated façade that acts much like a giant pin screen, replicating the faces of people in the crowd in the form of a 26-foot-high, 3D mural.
The kinetic façade will display three faces simultaneously, and each participant will receive a 20-second video clip of their experience via email.
Here's how it works, according to a report by Dezeen: People step into a 3D photo booth to have their face scanned from five different angles.
Using the data, a computer creates a 3D model of the facial structure (in about a minute) and sends the coordinates to an engine-and-cable system that controls a series of actuators that make up the kinetic portion of the façade. Each one of the 10,000 actuators can extend out to lengths of six feet, allowing for the creation of dramatic, 3D murals.
Don't believe us? See for yourself:
Related Stories
| Jun 30, 2014
Growth of crowdfunding, public-private partnerships among top trends in architecture marketplace
A new report by the American Institute of Architects highlights several emerging trends in the architecture marketplace, including the growth of the P3 project delivery model and designing for health.
| Jun 30, 2014
Report recommends making infrastructure upgrades a cabinet-level priority
The ASCE estimates that $3.6 trillion must be invested by 2020 to make critically needed upgrades and expansions of national infrastructure—and avoid trillions of dollars in lost business sales, exports, disposable income, and GDP.
| Jun 30, 2014
Gen X, not Baby Boomers, spending the most money on homes [infographic]
It turns out that Generation X, who have the highest incomes of the three generations surveyed, are paying the highest home payments and tend to have the largest households.
| Jun 30, 2014
Zaha Hadid's Iraq Parliament complex design marred with controversy
Zaha Hadid's design for the Iraq Parliament was selected, despite placing third in the original RIBA-organized competition.
Sponsored | | Jun 27, 2014
SAFTI FIRST Now Offers GPX Framing with Sunshade Connectors
For the Doolittle Maintenance Facility, SAFTI FIRST provided 60 minute, fire resistive wall openings in the exterior using SuperLite II-XL 60 insulated with low-e glazing in GPX Framing with a clear anodized finish.
| Jun 26, 2014
Glazing offers peace-of-mind for hurricane season
SPONSORED CONTENT As hurricane season kicks into high gear, it reinforces the importance of balancing the aesthetic and daylight enhancements of glazing with the safety requirements to protect people and structures from hurricane-force winds.
| Jun 26, 2014
Plans for Britain’s newest landmark brings in international cooperation
Designers of the London Eye will team up with companies from France, the Netherlands and the United States to construct i360 Brighton, the U.K.'s newest observation tower.
| Jun 25, 2014
The best tall buildings of 2014
Four high-rise buildings from multiple continents have been selected as the best of their region. The best worldwide tall building will be announced November 6.
| Jun 25, 2014
AIA Foundation launches Regional Resilient Design Studio
The Studio is the first to be launched as part of the AIA Foundation’s National Resilience Program, which plans to open a total of five Regional Resilience Design Studios nationwide in collaboration with Architecture for Humanity, and Public Architecture.
| Jun 25, 2014
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Spring House, Cincinnati’s Union Terminal among 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2014
The National Trust for Historic Preservation released its annual list of 11 Most Endangered Historical Sites in the United States for 2014.
