Project Overview
Gazprom Neft, in collaboration with Radugadesign studio, presented the art project “Into the Arctic” at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. A two-storey booth appeared in the centre of the main hall – a giant “ice” cube, which became a portal to the world of the Far North and its marine inhabitants. The studio developed the concept of the installation, created a motion design with naked eye 3D effect, designed the interior, and the visual identity of the project.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Gazprom Neft team
Chief of marketing communications - Ekaterina TIMOFEEVA,
Head of Advertisement - Alexander KRECHETOV,
Event marketing executive - Anastasiia MURGULETS,
Visual communications executive - Eugenia ANTONOVA.
Radugadesign team
Creative director - Vitaliy URTAEV,
Chief executive producer - Ksenia KARAMNOVA,
Producer - Evgeny PERERVA,
Creative producer - Alina ZAKHAROVA,
Line producer - Nikolay SHAMAEV,
Account manager - Oksana GRIGOREVA,
Production director - Nikolai PALASHCHENKO,
Art director - Alexander ABRAMOV,
Technical director - Andrey KUBYSHIN,
Supervisor - Sergey NIKITIN,
Concept artist - Kirill KOBLOV,
Concept artist - Sergey VORONOV,
Concept artist - Alexander ABRAMOV,
Motion designer - Sergey NIKITIN,
Motion designer - Ivan ZAKHAROV,
Motion designer - Yaroslav PRIMACHENKO,
Motion designer - Denis MITROFANOV,
Motion designer - Boris BORISOV,
Motion designer - Dmitry KOZLOV,
Modeller - Polina MUKHINA,
Rigger - Maxim ANDREEV,
Animator - Maxim ANDREEV,
Creative coder - Aleksei ROUDENKO,
Architect - Kirill KOBLOV,
Sound designer - Alexander TROFIMOV.
Project Brief
The installation “Into the Arctic” is an artistic exploration of the ambiguous relationship between human and infinity. The design of the monumental cubic installation depicts the power of the Arctic, its largeness and simplicity make it stand out among the crowded space around it. The cube levitates above the black floor with a reflective surface, which makes it the centrepiece of the venue.
The installation exterior is constructed of LED screens with a total resolution of 22656 x 2880 pixels. Repeatedly broadcasted CG-content with a visual exploration of the Far North with a naked eye 3D effect.
The interior for several multi-purpose spaces of the booth was also designed by the studio. The entrance does not have any massive signs and presents a hidden passage between the perfect vertical cuts opening on one of the faces. Everyone entering seems to disappear from the field of view, because they take a step to the side to get into the “ice block”.
Project Innovation/Need
Our main goal was to draw the audience's attention to the Arctic and the importance of preserving its nature and unique animals inhabiting the region. We aimed to lead visitors to this idea via a complex experience implemented with the help of visual content and architectural solutions as well.
6 scenes with a naked eye 3D effect, total duration of 8 minutes were created, showing marine inhabitants, the Arctic landscape of the Gulf of Ob, water and ice textures.In the water scene we tried to show a liquid in a free fall not affected by gravity. At the same time, the light passing through refracts causing a caustic effect on the surface of the cube. In the ice scene, we demonstrate the beauty of refraction and distortion of the frozen surface, its fascinating plasticity and dynamics.
Naked eye 3D effect, a visual illusion, is accomplished throughout all the scenes by simulation of the ice frost on the foreground. For example, on the surface of the cube, one can notice small thawed areas – areas where the blur is not so strong and you can see more clearly what is happening inside. The animals are depicted in a full-scale or bigger for an even more impressive effect. Although everything is partly hidden from the audience, you see animals in a haze, behind a crust of ice, or rather shadows cast by them.
Design Challenge
The working process from creating the concept to the implementation took 10 months. It was challenging to produce CG-content for the screens 8 metres high and 13 metres long with a total resolution of 22656x2880 pixels. The adaptation of the content with a naked eye 3D effect was the result of major efforts of the project supervisor and the entire production team.
To create the animated models of whale, walrus, and narwhal, motion designers collaborated with scientists who consulted them on the animals' appearance and behaviour.
Another major challenge was to adapt the visual content for the entrance zone. We’ve managed to make the animals’ moves look perfectly natural.
Sustainability
The whole stand's exterior had been created using rented LED screens. After the event it was demounted; the screens will be used again in other installations. Some of the furniture that served as a part of the interior was rented, some of it was bought to be reused.
Pop-Ups, Display, Exhibit & Set Design
This award celebrates innovative and creative design for a pop-ups, temporary buildings and interiors, installations,exhibition, fixture or interactive element. Consideration given to materials, finishes, signage and experience.
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