Conceived and developed by AV&C in collaboration with the San Francisco Symphony, this immersive and dynamic installation titled Chromatic was launched to celebrate the arrival of incoming music director, Esa-Pekka Salonen. A visual spectacle inspired by and responsive to the music performed within Davies Symphony Hall, Chromatic transforms the music hall’s facade into a canvas of ever-evolving color and movement.

The installation creates complex articulating textures, on and within the architecture, by combining the distinct effects of pixelated direct view fixtures, with arrays of luminaires indirectly washing the columns, ceilings and interior volume of the lobby spaces.

The expressive power of this visual instrument is derived from custom real time generative software, which acts as a visual engine for the Symphony, and includes a pre-visualization tool to empower them to curate and preview impactful activations before they manifest on the façade.

Part of a broader audience evolution strategy, Chromatic aims to engage with the wider community by activating the streetscape and cultural landscape of San Francisco. The installation reaffirms the Symphony as a catalyst for new and innovative forms of artistic expression and cultural relevancy, while maintaining orchestral music as a crucial and contemporary art form for the 21st century.