Antimodular Inc.

Antimodular Research Inc. was founded in Montreal as the studio of pioneering media artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. The studio designs, engineers, fabricates and installs large-scale interactive digital artworks, mostly in public spaces and buildings around the world. Antimodular creates permanent architectural artworks and temporary exhibitions using LED urban screens, projection mapping, robotic lights, smartphones, AI, biometric sensors, interactive fountains, and other cutting-edge technologies. Whenever necessary, if there is no existing solution, the studio develops and programs their own technology using their R&D and industrial design teams. Among our inventions are fountains that can write texts with cold water vapour, chandeliers that are controlled by visitor’s heartbeats, a laser-tomography method to 3D capture speech bubbles, and a multiplex method to create sound environments with thousands of different sound-channels, each playing on their own speaker. The award-winning studio employs 26 employees from 10 countries, with a wide range of talents including scientists, engineers, coders, designers, architects, and curators from diverse backgrounds. Our facilities in Montreal include a design lab, 3D printing, metal shop, outdoor test area, and a gallery.

 

Having exhibited and installed hundreds of architectural urban art features around the world, artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer began to question the ubiquitous and garish “architainment” aesthetics of colour-changing luminaires, LED screens, and projection mapping. He started to investigate if it would be possible to make colossal digital displays that instead of emitting light they would selectively block it, creating subtle but impactful effects on the envelope or interior of buildings.

 

Since 2019, Antimodular Research, began to develop such a technology. The result is the patented and trademarked, “GlassArray” system, which consists of hardware, software, and parametric content. With GlassArray, small areas of liquid crystal inside a glass-pane of any size can be dimmed from 85% to 0% transparency, without any cross-talk, creating a digital display that can be updated 44 times a second. This novel approach redefines the boundaries of display technology, offering architects, developers, and designers a unique opportunity to integrate digital animation capabilities directly into their glass walls and building envelopes.

 

As Rafael presented GlassArray to his architect colleagues they all expressed their interest in three environmental implications, namely:

 

i) The system can selectively block direct sunlight exactly when and where this is incident, bringing down the HVAC costs, and cost of blinds, while retaining the transparency in the rest of the windows. This will help in achieving LEED certification, giving their buildings access to substantial subsidies and priority.

 

ii) Bird collision deterrence: over a billion birds die each year in the US as they collide with glass envelopes,—GlassArray can automatically trigger a moving pattern during bird migration season to help reduce the number of collisions.

 

iii) Urban screens made with GlassArray, contrary to LED treatments, are not emissive: they work by blocking existing natural or artificial light, so they add zero light pollution to the city. This helps comply with “Dark Skies” ordinances that are appearing in an increasing number of cities internationally to diminish light pollution effects on human circadian rhythms, migratory species, and star gazing.

 

Could a single system create beauty, protect the environment, and generate substantial financial rewards for building owners? Yes!