As part of its recent renovation, Portland International Airport (PDX) unveiled a groundbreaking media installation that seamlessly blends art and technology to enhance the passenger experience. 
This creative collaboration between dotdotdash and Half Sister Studios demonstrates how the flexibility and power of AV Stumpfl’sPIXERA media server can transform public spaces by integrating real-time data with artistic vision.

 “I'm really excited about how it turned out!” recalls Martha Almy with Half Sister in retrospect. “As the Executive Producer of the project, I can say that working with PIXERA has been ideal. From a performance perspective, it provided exactly the hardware we needed.”

The vision for PDX’s media installation was to blend innovative technology with the airport’s natural and architectural elements, such as the mass-timber roof sourced from the surrounding area. In collaboration with the Port of Portland, PAE Engineers developed a media integration that enmeshed LED tiles into the terminal’s design. These LED tiles, strategically placed to maintain a natural aesthetic, play a crucial role in maintaining the authenticity of the media installation. The resulting aesthetic had to balance linear artistic content and real-time generative visuals, influenced by environmental data such as weather and TSA wait times.

The final concept, entitled Extraordinary Windows by dotdotdash’s Fe Navilli, spans over 300 feet and echoes the natural light that floods the terminal from the large windows facing the tarmac. The PIXERA-powered system alternates between pre-rendered, artist-curated content during the day and real-time generative visuals that mimic the changing environmental conditions outside, complete with canvas-wide alpha channel wipes to transition between media elements and timelines.

Laura Frank, dotdotdash’s Technical Director on the project, played a critical role in realizing this vision, particularly in the design of the media system’s flexible workflow. “One of the things that stood out about PIXERA,” Frank shared, “was its ability to handle multiple content sources while still offering the flexibility we needed to integrate real-time data and live inputs. The system gave us the processing power and scalability to bring this ambitious vision to life.”

The media system, driven by two PIXERA four DUAL media servers, provided the necessary power and adaptability for the project’s complex content requirements. To ensure that the displays could handle varying inputs—ranging from real-time weather data to artist-curated content—the system was built with robust processing capabilities, including HDMI capture cards for live content integration.

One of the most innovative aspects of the installation was the dynamic timeline structure that Laura Frank and the team from Smart Monkeys developed. Leveraging PIXERA’s API and Smart Monkeys’ ISAAC show control system, they designed a workflow that recalculates and adjusts the content duration and schedule based on real-time inputs like sunrise and sunset, as well as TSA wait times.

“We wanted the content to respond to the space in a way that felt organic,” Frank explained. “By integrating ISAAC as the master show controller, we were able to create a system that recalculates the content schedule in real-time, adapting to changes in daylight, weather, and TSA wait times. This ensured that the media displays were always fresh and dynamic, tailored to what passengers were experiencing in the terminal.”

Based on factors such as sunrise and sunset, ISAAC creates the upcoming day’s PIXERA timeline, which is, in turn, adjusted throughout the day based on environmental inputs, such as weather changes or longer TSA wait times. This ensures that passengers never see repetitive or looped content. The media displays shift between curated art installations and real-time generative visuals developed using Unreal Engine, providing a visually rich and uniquely Portland experience.

“One of our goals was to avoid the monotony that can sometimes happen with airport displays,” Frank said. “No one likes waiting in line, so we wanted to create an environment where the content never feels repetitive. The integration of real-time data gave us the flexibility to do just that.”

The collaboration between dotdotdash, Smart Monkeys, and AV Stumpfl has turned the terminal into a showcase for modern media architecture. The seamless integration of real-time data with creative vision has resulted in an engaging, ever-evolving visual experience for travelers. This project not only serves as a blueprint for future public media installations but also demonstrates how technology can deepen the connection between a space and the people who pass through it.