NEW YORK – Barco LED and LCD products were used for American Eagle Outfitters (AEO)'s new flagship store in Times Square. AEO turned to the Barnycz Group, a Baltimore-based design firm, which worked with Barco on the exterior display involving a 12-faceted assemblage of LED panels, almost 15,000 square feet in size, that includes a 25-story LED tower. "In Times Square, what we wanted to create for American Eagle Outfitters was a ‘canvas' that brought their brand and lifestyle to front and center," said Danny Barnycz, the Barnycz Group's founder and president. "We created a multi-tiered interactive high definition digital canvas that allows the retailer to dynamically communicate its brands and promote its product offerings."
When AEO and the Barnycz Group were ready to implement their vision, they selected Barco.
To create the display, Barco engineers wrapped the building's exterior façade with 1,469 weather-resistant Barco TF-20 LED panels on 12 distinct geometric surfaces, for a total pixel count nearing 3.5 million.
The ceiling of the building's outdoor foyer is comprised of 1,665 Barco OLite 612 modules, best suited for viewing at close distances. To complete the visualization package, immediately inside the store is a bank of 21 Barco NSL-46 LCD monitors, arranged in a 7-by-3 array. These monitors will allow content to be displayed in its native resolution without any loss of image quality.
Content for the multiple LED and LCD displays originates through dual Apple Macintosh computers and includes a mix of photos, video, graphics, animation and text. Dual Barco DX-700 LED digitizers are used for processing.
The AEO building's architecture posed a challenge for Barco's on-site installation team. One corner of the building sits at a 78-degree angle. The OLite module's small footprint – 4.4 inches square – made it well-suited to the AEO project.
Barco's TF-20 tiles were used for the outdoor displays, which flash content 24/7, even in bright daylight – and competing with Times Square's other bright signage as well.
"It's our belief that when you stand anywhere in Times Square, or even several blocks away, your eyes will be drawn irresistibly to the American Eagle Outfitters display," said Barnycz.
"Barco is deeply rooted in the live events business, and that instills a mind-set for doing things right and on time," Barnycz added. "We prefer to partner with Barco because they share our passion for perfection and our sense of urgency in making deadlines."
"To make something like this happen in Times Square truly motivates our entire team – from R&D, Sales, and all the way through Operations and Service," said Dave Scott, president of Barco, NA. "The American Eagle Outfitters Times Square display represents a new achievement in technical and artistic outdoor LED displays."
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