Data Sculpture & Educational App at PNC Tower

Lead Interaction Designer • 2016

A data visualization installation and educational web application at PNC Bank's global headquarters

The Tower at PNC Plaza aims to be the greenest office tower in the world, but its impressive features were hidden from occupants and passersby in Pittsburgh. To change that, PNC partnered with my team at ESI Design.

We created The Beacon, a stunning 24-foot data-and-light installation in the atrium lobby, with 32 levels representing each floor of the tower. Using 1,584 liquid-crystal polycarbonate panels and low-resolution LEDs, it transforms data from building sensors into dynamic patterns of light, color, and sound.

My role involved translating the vast sensor data into engaging stories for the installation. I developed a tool to identify compelling data points and uncover trends, then designed high-fidelity wireframes to visualize how the data would animate on the sculpture.

I also led the software teams, creating pre-visualization tools to easily adjust color and data-driven animations on a 3D model of The Beacon and a mock-up of the sculpture’s base.

Documentation

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I designed a responsive, educational web app that provides visitors with real-time data and insights about The Beacon, enhancing their understanding of the building. To bring this app to life, I created paper prototypes and detailed wireframes for each media template.

The project stalled when the software team struggled to map real-time animations to the web app. To resolve this, I designed a solution that generated screenshots from the on-site visualization computer. These screenshots would then be mapped to the sculpture's visual representation in the app.

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Final Experience

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Press