1024 Architecture Create An Interactive Light Show For Thump's Up Next Party

You've probably already heard about our newest sister site, THUMP, your source for the latest in electronic music and culture. Tonight, THUMP is throwing a massive party to celebrate the launch of UP NEXT, your destination for what's next in dance music. The event, at Hudson River Park's Pier 84, will feature performances from TOKiMONSTA, Duke Dumont and Zedd, who will be performing in a custom LED structure designed by 1024 architecture.

You may remember 1024 architecture as the masterminds behind last year's Bal Blanc in Paris, where they lit up Daniel Buren's installation in the Grand Palais with a spectacular light show as Four Tet and Jamie XX played for the ecstatic crowd. This time, we asked 1024 to build a massive LED orb that will envelop the performers as they take the stage, as well as orchestrate a light show that's choreographed to the music in real-time.

We've come to expect great feats of projection mapping from 1024, who have been leaders in the art of architectural video mapping for some time, setting the benchmark for many other practitioners of the form and enabling other creators to experiment with it by way of their MadMapper software. Their recent foray into working with LEDs is part of the group's research in expanding MadMapper to be a multi-media performance software that can create jaw-dropping light and music spectacles that incorporate projections, LEDs, lights and sync to music.

"Right now we're interested in experimenting with all kinds of lighting techniques," said Francois Wunschel of 1024 architecture. "Our latest version of MadMapper allows us to drive LEDs, projections, lighting, smoke and lasers from the same software, which allows you to more seamlessly construct a unified live show. While the technologies are different, they all touch on the same idea of how to react to a space, how to add the notion of dynamics and movement onto a static space or object.

The Orb structure debuting at the Up Next event was first prototyped at a workshop in Geneva as part of this year's Mapping Festival. For the THUMP event this week, 1024 will present a larger-scale, fully developed version of the Orb that will serve as an electrifying backdrop for the performers.

MadLight Mapping Festival 2013 from Wilfrid Haberey on Vimeo.

What's more, the event will feature a never-before-seen interactive fireworks display, inspired by the artists' music, powered by the Samsung Galaxy S 4 and triggered by the attendees. The fireworks will be activated through mobile phones on site where visitors and musicians alike can select the firework color, shape and formation to customize the pyrotechnic display.

DON'T LIVE IN NYC?
RSVPs for the event are closed, but you can still join us online to watch the live stream of Duke Dumont and TOKiMONSTA at the event. Plus, enter to win a free Samsung Galaxy S 4 and the opportunity to launch fireworks from your own home!