CLIENT . REUNION TOWER
PROJECT . REUNION TOWER INTERACTIVE
MY ROLE . TECHNICAL LEAD
An icon of the Dallas skyline since the Seventies, Reunion Tower was ready for a refresh. The original developers had a vision to turn it into a thoroughly modern and world-class destination, a treat for Dallas residents and visitors alike. Gensler was tasked with the interior redesign, and partnered with Stimulant to help realize their vision for digitally-enhanced interactive environments.
The crown jewel of the 560-foot-tall tower is a 360-degree view of Dallas from high above the city. Our design credo was to “enhance visitors’ view.” Gensler drew inspiration from the geodesic dome that envelops the tower, invoking a highly-geometric design language. The GeO-Deck is an observation level where visitors can get their first taste of the wide expanse of the Texas landscape. Stimulant designed and developed a reactive and interactive experience for the GeO-Deck called the Halo, a graceful arc of 15 seamlessly-integrated displays linked together to create a massive 60-foot-wide interactive surface. There are two Halos on the GeO-Deck, allowing for up to 30 concurrent users. The Halos feature real-time 3D generative backgrounds that respond to both touch and movement throughout the space. The Halo supports a variety of “apps:” interactive 3D models and photos of Dallas landmarks, zoomable interactive gigapixel photographic panoramas of the view out any window, control of HD cameras mounted outside the tower for exploring the city in detail, custom-curated maps, a unique video about the JFK assassination (which occurred hundreds of yards from the tower), and an interactive simulation of the tower’s famous light shows. Each display is calibrated for its unique position around the circumference of the floor and provides an experience tailored to its particular orientation, though all content is available from any station.
