SkyAvenue Mall at Resorts World Genting, Malaysia
With an indoor theme park, casino, and shopping mall at Resorts World Genting outside of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, there was no shortage of entertainment options for tourists to the mountaintop mega resort. What it lacked was an attraction that could draw visitors without a sizable cost of admission. In early 2016, the project team from Steelman Partners approached EPS with a creative concept for the mall’s center atrium. “They came to us with a challenge that included a rigging system to create incredible visual effects above guests’ heads using 1,000 LED lights traveling up and down over 60 feet,” said EPS Founder/President, Steven Michelman.
They imagined an approach to activate the four-story-tall atrium through a permanent winch installation of LED lights suspended from the ceiling. Meanwhile at the ground level, they had an idea for a multi-axis stage that could raise and lower into the basement levels for out-of-sight loading and unloading.
For these two challenges, EPS set out to deliver design development plans that would lay the groundwork for a one-of-a-kind, spectacular immersive experience.
EPS Founder/President, Steven Michelman
In looking at a design for a movable stage, EPS took into account the potential uses for the show area. Not only would the stage require safety elements for carrying live performers, but it also would require heavy load-bearing capacity for large items like sculptures or even on-display cars. Unlike traditional production spaces, this stage is located in the middle of an area that is open to the public in the SkyAvenue Mall; EPS needed a way to protect guests while the stage was moving or in the lower level position.
The project team at EPS devised a unique approach that would solve the problem of the opening in the floor when the stage is being loaded in the basement. Through the use of a sloat or sunroof type system, a platform traveled horizontally along a set of rails and then vertically into position, effectively plugging the hole in the floor to ensure guest safety. The design also called for a protective railing that rises out of the floor to block guests while the lifts are in transition. Once the lift is ready to come back up, the sunroof deck lowers and slides out of the way, allowing the lift to rise up to the floor level for a main stage performance or display.
To create the captivating light attraction, the project team targeted a display of 1,001 hanging lights, which would make it the largest permanent winch installation in Asia. EPS created a design for a two-tiered array of winches that allows for more effective installation and maintenance. With 500 winches spread around a 40-foot-diameter circle for both the upper and lower array, the system layout was anything but simple. EPS’ team of designers refined their initial 3D sketches with more detail, creating the BIM model and specification drawing package that was eventually sent out for vendor quotes.
Resorts World Genting envisioned a captivating show space for its four-story atrium with an array of 1,001 moving winch lights above a dynamic performance stage.
To fill the gap in the floor when the stage is lowered, EPS devised a unique sloat system to ensure guest safety.
Following the conceptual design phase, EPS provided written specifications to accompany the drawing package which was utilized by the Resorts World Genting team for moving forward with a localized project crew. EPS continued to serve as an owner’s representative to review the finalized proposals in June 2017. As fabrication plans materialized, EPS coordinated with the project team to review all shop drawings.
On the creative side, additional theming consultants orchestrated original music and developed a programmed sequence for the winch array. The SkyAvenue Mall also includes a large collection of LED screens throughout the atrium, and Resorts World Genting created animations and graphics that complement the lighting display in a spectacular performance of visual storytelling. For its debut in September 2017, the light show now known as SkySymphony included three distinct stories—Urban Symphony, Forest, and The Goddess—and began a performance run every hour from morning to midnight.
EPS designed the 40-foot-wide winch array as a two-tiered system, allowing for easy access during installation and maintenance for SkySymphony.
The dazzling SkySymphony light shows run every hour, engaging spectators as the lights change color and move to original music and visuals.
Showcasing colorful patterns and pixelized shapes, the 1,001 winch light array has mesmerized thousands of spectators visiting SkyAvenue at Resorts World Genting. New SkySymphony shows have been added seasonally, and the movable stage has played host to costumed character shows, ballet performances, and even lottery-type raffles to win a new car.
As the project team set out, the SkySymphony has become a standalone attraction since its opening, creating a welcomed, free experience that has drawn even more guests to Genting Highlands.
