This is the second iteration of Otherworld’s virtual reality arcades, this time located in the Nova development in Victoria, London.The design looked to evolve the concept of visual distortion and further explore the theme of departure into the virtual world. A separation was introduce between arrival space and departure space using clear acrylic tubes. By celebrating the visual distortions produced by the tubing to add to this concept of visual distortion. The tubing also provides a preemptive step into the virtual world.

Lighting was integral to the concept and was again used to help distort the physicality’s of the space. This was achieved working in collaboration with Voodoo Vision who installed a bespoke system of almost 10,000 individually addressable LEDs, all controlled and mapped centrally via Madrix software. By using fading colours to breakdown corners, angles and forms and direct lighting to accentuate them, the experience of the space is elusive, malleable and fluid, just like the virtual world in which the user is about to experience. Digital candles were then designed to sit on each table as a play on the traditional notion of candle light.

Photography © Mariell Lind Hansen