ACCIONA Cultura stages mapping light show at Lima´s new airport

As this was a ‘carbon-neutral’ event, all associated CO2 emissions will be offset by a clean energy project.

ACCIONA Cultura was chosen by Lima Airport Partners (LAP), operator of Peru’s Jorge Chávez International Airport, to stage an audiovisual show with projections onto the new control tower.

The show was held on 14 July and was projected onto the new 65-metre tall tower being built as part of the Peruvian capital’s airport expansion project, which will make it one of the largest and most modern airports in South America.

During the event, framed within the bicentennial celebrations of Peru’s independence, LAP was able to show the progress of the Expansion Project on its 20th anniversary. Using the mapping technique, the show combined the latest projection technologies with special effects, lighting and music to highlight the rich heritage of a country whose airport welcomes thousands of tourists every year.

Due to the COVID-19 health crisis, and in compliance with all current health and safety restrictions, the event was attended by the directors of Lima Airport Partners, concessionaire partners and Peruvian government authorities. It was also streamed live on LAP’s social media channels.

The audiovisual show took spectators on a 9-minute narrative journey with images representing different eras, from ancient Peru to business Peru, while looking to the future to highlight the cultural richness, traditions and uniqueness of the country.

It also included a brief tribute to Jorge Chávez, the greatest hero of Peruvian aviation, after whom the airport is named, as well as a recognition of Peruvian society, its indigenous communities, native Peruvians, and even the people who work at the airport.

Finally, the audiovisual narrative dedicated some time to acknowledge the work of the builders and engineers involved in the airport’s Expansion Project led by Lima Airport Partners, and the new control tower, which represents a symbolic milestone for the project.

The event was held following strict security measures and without disrupting the airport operations of the first air terminal.

Through the Wayra Consortium, ACCIONA is involved in building the new tower, which will allow two runways to be operated, thus optimising air traffic control in the country. In this regard, the audiovisual show was a joint effort between ACCIONA’s Construction division in Peru and ACCIONA Cultura.

For the audiovisual production, ACCIONA Cultura developed images with a typically Peruvian graphic identity, as well as photographs and computer-generated 2D and 3D graphics. In terms of technical equipment, four 20,000-lumen projectors were used to turn the tower into a gigantic projection screen using the mapping technique, which involves projecting images onto real surfaces to create optical illusions and three-dimensional effects. A light show was also synchronised with the projections, which required 12 robotic spotlights and 20 LED spotlights, allowing the top of the tower, still under construction, to be used in the audiovisual show.