Parx Casino, located on Street Road in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, is not just a destination for gaming and entertainment; it’s also home to a unique public art installation that captivates visitors and passersby alike. The “Sonic Wall,” an expansive mural adorning the exterior of the casino, stands as a testament to the fusion of art, technology, and architectural design. This vibrant and dynamic artwork uses color-changing lights and sculpted fiberglass ribbons to visualize a sound wave, creating an unforgettable visual experience at Parx Casino Bensalem PA.
The Sonic Wall project was born from a collaborative vision shared by the Parx Casino ownership, architects, lighting designers, and public artists. Their aim was to create a public art piece that was not only visually striking but also seamlessly integrated with the casino’s architecture. The result is a remarkable installation that blends lighting, sculpture, color, and music into a cohesive and exceptional artwork, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of Parx Casino on Street Road.
The Artistic Vision: Illustrating Sound Through Light
Artist Caryl Christian Levy from John Levy Lighting Productions Inc. spearheaded the artistic direction of Sonic Wall. Levy envisioned a public art piece with both flexibility and visual appeal. The core design objective was to make light “dance” across the wall, animating the sculpted mural with a spectrum of colors. This required a lighting system capable of producing diverse visual effects, from colored mosaics and special effects to subtle color mixes and solid washes, allowing for a dynamic and ever-changing display at Parx Casino Street Road.
To ensure the artwork’s impact from various perspectives, lighting designers John Levy and Jon Langrell constructed a full-scale mock-up of the installation in Los Angeles for client approval. This meticulous process allowed them to evaluate the artwork’s visual impact both from afar and up close, guaranteeing that Sonic Wall would be an engaging spectacle for everyone visiting or passing by Parx Casino in Bensalem PA.
LED Lighting: The Heart of Sonic Wall’s Dynamic Display
An LED lighting solution emerged as the optimal choice for the Sonic Wall project due to its unparalleled ability to program a wide array of light shows in countless colors. Beyond creative flexibility, LED technology offered significant energy efficiency, minimizing operational costs without compromising the vibrancy or intensity of the colors. This commitment to sustainable technology aligns with modern standards while ensuring a visually stunning and impactful display at Parx Casino.
The bas-relief artwork itself is constructed on four fiberglass panels, mounted behind a continuous fiberglass facade. Rows of Color Kinetics ColorBlaze 48 and ColorBlaze 72 LED luminaires are strategically placed parallel to the fiberglass ribbons. This arrangement creates the illusion of color waves cascading across the façade, producing dynamic lighting effects that can span a single section or sweep across the entire building, enveloping Parx Casino in a breathtaking light show. These shows are visual interpretations of Levy’s original musical composition, “Sonic Suites,” a series of six movements with varying tempos, designed to synchronize light and sound in a harmonious display.
Sophisticated Control for Complex Light Shows
To achieve intricate effects and high resolution, designers configured the ColorBlaze luminaires with individually programmable nodes every six inches. Utilizing Pharos and other advanced control systems, they developed a sophisticated control solution that spans four DMX universes. This robust system empowers Sonic Wall to showcase complex color-changing light shows and detailed visual narratives, making it a truly unique attraction at Parx Casino Street Road Bensalem Pa.
Jon Langrell of JLLP highlighted the collaborative spirit with Color Kinetics, stating, “Color Kinetics is a great partner because they are very proactive and hands-on. This unique project required different samples, mock-ups, and even experimentation with different materials and form factors. Color Kinetics works with us closely to support us from concept to completion.” This partnership was crucial in bringing the ambitious vision of Sonic Wall to life at Parx Casino.
A Lasting Impression at Parx Casino Street Road
Since its completion in 2009, the Sonic Wall has become a celebrated feature of Parx Casino. Both the designers and clients express immense satisfaction with the final outcome. John Levy remarked, “The sheer monumentality and scale of Sonic Wall as well as the very unusual quality of being a permanent exterior installation as a performative public artwork has far exceeded the client’s expectations.” The Sonic Wall continues to impress visitors, solidifying Parx Casino Bensalem PA as a destination that values both entertainment and artistic innovation.
