Expectations for more wow moments were high upon the debut of Jewel Nightclub this past spring, and the Aria venue conceived by Hakkasan Group did not disappoint, thanks in part to the high-tech LED wall behind the centerpiece DJ booth.
“Jewel is a much more intimate space than Omnia and Hakkasan, so we wanted to take the elements we had there and apply them in a way that would fit,” says Hakkasan Group technical director Gerardo Gonzalez. “It’s not just about the music; it’s about the lighting and the visuals that accompany it.”
The production wall, designed in collaboration with Ireland-based Audiotek, consists of 54 Ayrton Dream panels, each of them dual-sided with LED video screens and capable of 360-degree movement. In total there are 220,000 LED pixels in the rotating wall, not including the LED bands arching above Jewel’s domed dancefloor.
A production crew of three controls the wall and the dome every night, professionals who shadowed the Audiotek team while the system was programmed. “The production team has the ability to create a number of different theatrical and architectural lighting themes throughout each night … which sets the tone for an unforgettable experience,” Gonzalez says.
The result of all this technological effort goes beyond creating wow moments; Jewel can feel like a different place and party on any given night. “Because we have the ability to do so much with the technology, we have endless opportunities to create a customized show for each artist,” Gonzalez says.
