The 2023 edition of Intervals Festival, held in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, showcased large-scale multimedia installations and performances that transformed iconic city landmarks into immersive art experiences. Featuring renowned international artists, the festival highlighted cutting-edge digital art, blending projection mapping, audio-visual sculptures, and interactive displays. This year’s focus celebrated the integration of technology with Nizhny Novgorod’s unique architectural heritage, creating a dialogue between the past and future of public spaces.
The installation at Intervals 2023 blended art and technology to create an immersive, interactive “phygital” space. At its core, dynamic LED modules and mirrored surfaces engaged audiences through light projections and interactive elements. A reflective ceiling amplified the sensory experience, allowing participants to influence abstract visuals—like rays, particles, and light spots—via an interactive floor interface. Surrounding passive zones with seating offered visitors a chance to observe and reflect, seamlessly integrating the installation into the broader festival’s theme of merging technology and public interaction.
This project, a collaborative effort between Moscow-based studio -.618 and Universe Design, was executed in partnership with LedPulse as the volumetric display technology provider. Featured at the Intervals Festival 2023 in Nizhny Novgorod, the installation was hosted on the second floor of a historic building located in a park at the confluence of the Volga and Oka rivers. The immersive environment centered on a suspended structure comprising 15 volumetric LED modules forming a square space with openings for audience access. Visitors interacted with a dynamic LED floor divided into 16 sections, each integrated with a LiDAR system to detect movement. This interaction triggered real-time audiovisual responses, with custom soundscapes created in Reaktor and visual content generated in Notch, both orchestrated through TouchDesigner.
The installation also featured lasers positioned above the entry points, controlled via DMX through TouchDesigner. These lasers, enhanced by controlled fog effects, added luminous beams to enclose the space visually, amplifying the immersive experience. The real-time system synchronized volumetric displays, interactive floor visuals, and sound design to create a cohesive multisensory environment. Families and children particularly enjoyed exploring the space, engaging with the responsive floor, and experiencing the harmonious interplay of light, sound, and movement.
Audio Development /
Dmitry Papizh
Real-time system development /
Juan Barrera
Installation Production /
Dream Laser – Universe Design
3D Content Production /
Universe Design
Yury Khotsinskiy
Dmitry Khotsinskiv
Art Direction / -.618
SOFTWARE USED
Reaktor / Real-time audio system
Notch / Real-time interactive floor visual
TouchDesigner / DMX control, OSC management, UI Design, Software integration
