Opportunity: Terrell Place in downtown Washington, D.C., is an office and retail complex comprised of three connected components, resulting in a disjointed ground floor lobby. When Beacon Capital acquired the property, they tasked ESI Design with creating a more harmonious interior and a contemporary, exciting work destination.

Solution: ESI transformed the space by treating it as a single media canvas. We seamlessly integrated 1,700-square-feet of motion-activated LED displays into the architectural surfaces, creating an ever-evolving artwork that creates a sense of place and reacts to the presence of people.

The diffused LED displays in the lobbies and corridor are activated by passersby via an infrared camera system, creating beautiful scenes that ebb and flow with the morning rush and the afternoon lull. Three custom content modes—‘Seasons,’ ‘Color Play,’ and ‘Cityscape’—are programmed with varying durations and sequences, ensuring that visitors never see the same scene twice. ‘Seasons’ shows the lifecycle of the iconic Washington, D.C. cherry trees, from spring blossoms to snow-covered branches.

Result: The project became an Internet sensation with 75+ million impressions and was named “your next Instagram destination” by Curbed magazine.

“The transformation of the lobby experience enhances this legendary building’s distinct sense of place and creatively engages our tenants and visitors.” - Jeffrey Kovach, Managing Director, Beacon Capital Partners

Read ESI Design’s press release about Terrell Place.

Watch a longer video showing the Terrell Place lobby’s dynamic media canvas.