JCDecaux and Zaha Hadid Design turn out-of-home inventory into public art
JCDecaux has taken the wraps off a unique piece of out-of-home inventory in London designed by Zaha Hadid Design.
Audi enjoys a placement on the Kensington
The agency briefed the agency to redefine 'the design language of billboards'. It ditched the conventional shapes and frames that have steered the industry to date. Dubbed 'The Kensington', and located on the road from London to Heathrow, the structure takes the shape of a curved double-ribbon.
Hadid is an award-winning architect famed for designing modern-style buildings. She embraces angles, curvature and unique forms to deliver her own brand of structures. She is credited with designing buildings like the London Olympic Aquatic Center, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and the Heydar Aliyev Cultural Center. She passed away in 2016 but the group continues her work.
Brands are invited to bid for placement on the 8mm pixel pitch screen that stands at 26 x 6 metres. Audi and Coty are the first on board.
Melodie Leung, senior associate at Zaha Hadid Design, said the project was about "transforming the billboard into public art".
"Both a civic gesture and a promotional medium, the intertwined, looped ribbon design expresses the dynamism of pedestrian and vehicle traffic movements that intersect at this important London junction. The stainless steel ribbon twists as it encircles the screen, defining a varying silhouette when seen from different viewpoints. It will be fascinating to see how brands respond to this sculptural digital canvas.”
Spencer Berwin co-chief executive of JCDecaux, added: “We’re delighted to have Audi and Coty as our first brand partners, using this powerful new platform as part of their launch strategy for the Audi Q8 and CK Women."