Illuminating the World: Iconic LED Projects around the globe
Illuminating the World: Iconic LED Projects around the globe
20.08.2025
In the realm of modern design and architecture, LED technology has emerged as a powerful tool to create mesmerizing and unforgettable environments. From bustling urban centers to serene natural landscapes, iconic LED installations are redefining spaces across the globe, turning ordinary locations into extraordinary experiences. This continuously expanding list showcases some of the most breathtaking LED projects that captivate the imagination and inspire awe. Join us as we explore how these luminous masterpieces craft exciting atmospheres and leave a lasting impact on all who encounter them. Whether you’re an enthusiast of cutting-edge technology or simply a lover of dazzling art, these iconic LED projects are sure to ignite your curiosity and illuminate your senses.
United States of America
Times Square, New York City, USA
Times Square in New York City is famous for its building-sized digital billboards that can display full-motion video, high-resolution graphics and dynamic content. These are often referred to as “spectaculars.” The Nasdaq Tower or the „One Times Square“ billboard (where the New Year’s Eve ball drops) are probably the most famous screens. Some advertisers opt for a “takeover,” where they run their campaign simultaneously across multiple screens for maximum impact. Some of the screens here have been updated to 3D or „forced perspective“ screens that display anamorphic video over the corner of the building.
The name “Times Square” by the way, comes from The New York Times newspaper. In 1904, the newspaper moved its headquarters to the newly built Times Tower (now known as One Times Square) located in what was then called Longacre Square. To celebrate the move, the city renamed the area “Times Square”.
Japan
Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo, Japan
Shibuya Crossing is famous for its large 3D screens that display advertising and entertainment content, contributing to the bustling and dynamic environment of one of Tokyo’s busiest intersections. The appearance of a giant cat made this digital corner-billboard famous overnight.
Spain
Plaza del Callao, Madrid, Spain
The Plaza del Callao in Madrid features impressive screens that showcase advertising and artistic content, making it a popular spot for both locals and visitors. In this case the city of Madrid has actively supported the building owners and advertisers to create an urban environment with iconic character.
United Kingdom
Piccadilly Circus, London, UK
The 783 sqm „Piccadilly Lights“ screen, at Piccadilly Circus, in the heart of London is one of the most recognisable iconic LED advertising landmarks in the world. The first advertisements began to appear here in 1910. A few years later, in 1923, the first large electric billboards were installed on the facade of the London Pavilion, a prominent building in the circus. The patchwork on-screen format is available exclusively to six brands at any one time, who rotate positions every 90 seconds. Every 10 minutes, each brand takes over the screen for 40 seconds.
Peoples Republic of China
City Center of Shanghai, China
The Bund in Shanghai is one of the city’s most iconic tourist attractions. Its buildings are adorned with LED mesh and stripe dispays that create a stunning visual spectacle along the Huangpu River waterfront. The 2024 Shanghai International Light Festival revealed the true nature and scale of this epic urban spectacle to inhabitants and tourists alike putting Shanghai in the international media spotlight.
United Arab Emirates
Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE
The Burj Khalifa’s LED light show is a stunning display that transforms the tallest building in the world into a canvas of vibrant colours and patterns. These types of urban architectural art installations are typically only seen at night.
Federal Republic of Germany
Potsdamer Platz Berlin, Germany
The 257 m² LED display the Sony Center, Potsdamer Platz, Berlin allows for both standard and forced perspective advertising campaigns. In addition, the screen can also be used for live communication during events taking place in the centre’s forum.
South Korea
COEX K-Pop Square, Seoul, South Korea
The COEX K-Pop Square is a popular attraction in Seoul, known for its eye-catching 3D effects, often showcasing K-Pop content and advertising. The large-scale LED screen was made famous by the “WAVE” installation, which created a realistic 3D wave effect.
United Kingdom
Outernet, London, UK
Outernet London is a mixed-use development focused on the arts, entertainment and culture opened in 2022 in the West End of London. It is the largest digital exhibition space in Europe with the world’s largest LED screen deployment (in 2025). The central semi-outdoor atrium shows advertising and art in a continuous loop captivating local inhabitants and tourist who have made this location one of the most visited attractions in London within a matter of months.
United States of America
The Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, USA
In the heart of Las Vegas, the Viva Vision light show at Fremont Street offers a nightly spectacle that captivates visitors with its dazzling display. Set on the world’s largest LED video screen, this free attraction spans four city blocks and transforms the pedestrian mall into an immersive wonderland of vibrant visuals, iconic images, and synchronized animations set to music.
The Viva Vision canopy stretches over 1,375 feet in length and 90 feet in width, suspended 90 feet above the bustling Fremont Street. The sheer size of this screen is a marvel in itself, creating a canvas for breathtaking visual artistry.
With 16.4 million pixels and 49.3 million LEDs, the screen ensures stunning and crystal-clear visuals. Every color and image pops with intensity, making the experience unforgettable for all who witness it.
Enhancing the visual feast is a powerful 600,000-watt sound system that synchronizes music with the light show. This audio-visual harmony elevates the experience, enveloping visitors in a sensory symphony.
The Viva Vision light show dazzles audiences nightly with scheduled hourly performances from 6:00 PM to 1:00 AM, ensuring there’s always a chance to catch the magic.
One of the greatest aspects of the Viva Vision light show is that it’s free for everyone to enjoy. As you stroll along Fremont Street, you’re treated to world-class entertainment without spending a dime.
The shows feature a diverse array of music, themed displays, and artistic light sequences. With new content and artists added regularly, each visit offers something fresh and exciting.
The combination of the massive screen, powerful sound, and vibrant visuals creates an immersive experience that draws crowds night after night. Visitors are transported to a realm of wonder and excitement, making the Viva Vision light show a must-see attraction in Las Vegas.
United Kingdom
The Printworks, Manchester, UK
The media architecture ceiling in the Printworks in Manchester, UK, is the largest digital ceiling in Europe and was part of a wider refurbishment and enhancement of the venue. The LED digital ceiling is 1,000m² large and shows 8K content. Other LED canvases are integrated across the building’s interior and exterior that evolves from day to night. The integration of LED media walls has turned the location into a fully immersive experience.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=gv8vI-9lP20
Federal Republic of Germany
Klubhaus Hamburg, Germany
This award-winning architectural media façade continues to be one of the most spectacular out of home media and art installations in Europe. The 400m² façade displays both art and advertising in a continuous loop and the building has become one of Hamburg’s iconic new buildings within a matter of months.
United States of Amerika
The Sphere, Las Vegas, USA
East of the Las Vegas Strip, “The Sphere” is probably one of the most recognisable iconic LED installations in the world. Designed by Populous and financed and operated by the Madison Square garden Company, the MSG Sphere is a venue and iconic landmark building that is equally impressive inside and outside. The venue has total capacity of 20,000. The 16K resolution wraparound interior LED screen has been specially designed with directional beamforming speakers that are mounted behind the screen. The exterior features a 580,000 sq ft (54,000 m2) LED display, making it the largest in the world.
Forced perspective
Digital Out Of Home (DOOH) 3D billboards and the true marketing effect
Advertisers around the world use 3D content or forced perspective advertising as a Digital Out Of Home (DOOH) marketing tool. This digital optical trick goes by different names, such as 3D billboard, holographic hoarding, deep screen or anamorphic advertising, but the true impact of these screens on advertising can be seen in the social media ‘echo’ associated with the campaign. In some cases, the social media reach is many times higher than that of the campaign itself. The optical trick requires a creative motif that is produced in an “anamorphic” format, which when created looks distorted but when displayed on an outdoor LED screen from a sweet spot, typically opposite the corner screen, shows a life-like 3D image. Outside the sweet spot the creative may appear distorted.
“FOOH” is short for Fake Out of Home advertising. It is a form of advertising that uses CGI (computer-generated imagery) to place digital, often surreal advertising in real environments that appear so realistic that they look like real outdoor advertising, but in fact only exist on digital platforms. There have been a lot of FOOH campaigns from brands and artists in recent times (2024) and the phenomena is best described by one of the industry’s most successful FOOH artists, Ian Padgham, who held this revealing talk at the ADC Congress in Germany in 2024.
e-Ink – an efficient and sustainable alternative to conventional LCD and LED display technology
e-Ink – an efficient and sustainable alternative to conventional LCD and LED display technology
15.07.2025
Companies and organisations are constantly looking for innovative ways to make their communication strategies more effective and sustainable. One of the most exciting technologies gaining importance in this context is e-Ink technology. eInk technology is increasingly establishing itself as an attractive alternative to traditional LCD and LED screens. In this blog post, we take a closer look at how e-Ink works, explain its advantages over conventional displays and show how and where this technology is already being used successfully.
How do e-Ink screens work?
Why e-Ink only consumes power when content changes
eInk is based on electrophoretic principles: in a black and white screen tiny capsules containing black and white particles are controlled by electric fields to display text and images. The “pixels” are not made visible by electricity, but only change colour when controlled by electric fields.
This technology has become well known primarily through e-readers such as the Kindle. But beyond books, e-Ink also opens up completely new possibilities in the field of digital signage.
An overview
Advantages on e-Ink compared to LCD and LED screens
Energy efficiency: One of the biggest advantages of e-Ink is its extremely low power consumption. Unlike LCD, OLED and LED displays, e-Ink screens only require power when the content on the screen is updated, i.e. changed. Displaying static content does not require any power. This drastically reduces energy consumption and minimises operating costs.
Excellent readability: e-Ink displays are glare-free and offer a paper-like appearance. This makes them very easy to read even in direct sunlight and easy on the eyes – ideal for outdoor areas or bright indoor environments.
Flexibility: Thanks to their slim and flat design, e-Ink displays can be easily integrated into a wide variety of environments. This makes them perfect for mobile applications or locations with special space requirements, such as product shelves. The technology is therefore frequently used for digital price tags or electronic self labels (ESL).
Environmental friendliness: Since no backlighting is required and the eInk technology does not consume any power during operation, its use reduces the ecological footprint. Taking digital price tags as an example, the small displays are also more robust than paper or foil signs and do not generate any waste when a price tag is replaced. This not only saves companies money, but also allows them to operate more sustainably.
An alternative to LCD technology?
Colour, animations and sizeare still an issue
e-Ink is not suitable for content that is frequently updated (more than once a minute) and content that is animated. The time it takes to update an image on an e-Ink screen can be between 1-10 seconds at present. With the introduction of commercial colour eInk products in 2024 from companies like Philips, Samsung und LG there are a handful of applications where larger eInk 32 Zoll screens could find a use-case. Present colour e-Ink screens can not display the full colour range of a LCD or LED screen. Prices remain high for both larger black and white and colour e-Ink screens and the cost-use analysis typically still favours classical LCD displays in commercial digital signage scenarios.
Possible applications
Where the use of e-Ink technology makes particular sense
eInk is particularly well suited for applications where information changes infrequently and must remain clearly visible at all times. Typical areas of application are:
Electronic price tags (ESL) in retail, which can be updated easily and flexibly without high power consumption
Information displays at train stations, airports or on public transport
Conclusion:
e-Ink technology offers an exciting alternative to traditional LCD and LED screens, especially for digital signage applications where energy efficiency, readability and environmental friendliness are crucial. By choosing high-quality e-Ink manufacturers and solutions, customers can modernise their communication while making their IT infrastructure more sustainable.
Cewe Color
CEWE SCREENS ON THE BAGGAGE CAROUSEL – TARGETED PHOTO BOOK ADVERTISING LINKED TO FLIGHT SCHEDULES
Customised digital signage solutions are being used to increase CEWE Color’s presence at German airports and establish direct contact with travellers. To this end, screens are being installed at German airports that focus on the theme of travel and travel memories. To appeal to travellers in a holistic way, digital screens have been installed at the baggage carousels – the place where CEWE is best positioned to attract attention.
The 4K high resolution double-sided screens are mounted in a ultra-narrow totem that show travellers a photo book from their respective flight origin; for example, photos from Spain are shown in the photo book when travellers arrive from Spain. These photos are shown as a completed CEWE photo book which automatically turns its pages. The trigger to the media player is delivered from the Airport Information System and ensures that each photo book is showing the correct creative in real-time. There are presently more than 20 countries of origin at present. A smart solution demonstrating the power of real-time digital signage content creation. The SCALA software platform forms the basis for programming, controlling and monitoring the measures in this project.
Orlen star gas stations
“STAR GATE” – THE LED ENTRANCE PORTAL AS A VISUAL HIGHLIGHT
The idea for a digital entrance portal of star petrol stations was first conceived in 2016 during an innovation workshop held by the project team in Elmshorn, Germany. pilot Screentime then acted as a close partner in the design, implementation and operations phase of the entrance portal. This included both the design and selection of hardware, software, content management and maintenance of the newly christened ‘star gate’. The construction of the 3.7 mm LED outdoor screen was carried out by InnLights from Wuppertal.
The ultimate aim of the star gate was to offer an optimal user experience and increase cross-selling potential and product sales in the shop. The prototype can be experienced live at the star petrol station in Berlin (Prenzlauer Promenade 72) – an innovation test centre for the star brand.
Borco Wiser‘s Whiskey
A MOBILE PLUG-AND-PLAY POS INSTALLATION WITH TOUCHSCREEN FOR SUPERMARKETS DEVELOPED FOR OUR CUSTOMER BORCO
To promote the launch of Canadian whisky, J.P. Wiser’s, our FMCG client Borco Marken-Import Germany, wanted us to develop an interactive digital POS solution that was engaging and linked both POS and social media channels. The POS promotion was to be designed for temporary use at various supermarket locations. The specially developed interactive POS promotion tool was to be used at 96 different supermarket locations over a period of two years.
The solution involved building a custom-built POS tool with an integrated 42″ touchscreen allowing customers to interact directly with the brand and participate in a fun quiz.
An integrated SIM card and mobile router makes the solution network-independent. Thanks to its design, it can be used as a touring “all-in-one” promotion tool that requires no technical expertise. All that is required is a power connection. The interactive relationship between the POS promoter and the customer increases the time spent at the POS and boosts the willingness to buy. Design, software development, installation and logistics were provided by pilot Screentime over the two-year project.
Hella Mineralwasser (Screenfridge)
THE SCREENFRIDGES – A TRANSPARENT SCREEN REFRIGERATOR FOR HELLA
Pilot Screentime made history together with hella Mineralbrunnen with the first installed transparent industrial-grade transparent refrigerators in Germany. The highly innovative refrigerators with transparent Full HD displays were installed in selected supermarkets in Hamburg and have also been on display at events and promotions since their launch in 2015. The aim of the marketing measure is to present the various water products of hella Mineralbrunnen in an eye-catching way. The transparent screens show the entire hella product range, with a focus on new products, from classic lemonade and flavoured water to spritzers. Product information, campaigns, general eye-catching videos and dynamic content such as the weather appear on the screen at regular intervals. Relevant retail store information such as opening hours can also be displayed on the screen.
A transparent 49″ Full HD screen from LG Electronics is integrated into the refrigerator door of the fridge, which is now an official product that can be bought or rented from pilot Screentime. The LED light concept is a unique design developed over many months, allowing product advertising to be viewed at all times, no matter how full the refrigerator is. The customised video content is distributed and managed via Scala Content Manager, the world’s leading digital signage company. No technician is required for installation. The connection to the Windows-based system is made via a mobile internet connection and can be easily switched to LAN or WiFi if required. For more information regarding the ScreenFridge please visit the dedicated Screenfridge website.
ProSieben Sat.1
AN INTERACTIVE VIDEO WALL FOR PROSIEBENSAT.1 BECOMES A LARGE-FORMAT DIGITAL BRAND EXPERIENCE
The iWall was developed for ProSiebenSat.1, one of Germany’s largest media companies. Its aim is to generate new e-commerce customers by combining paid and free content with e-commerce partners. The media company’s entertainment content and e-commerce services are displayed on the 4-metre-wide multi-touch screen from MultiTaction. This 3×3 videowall solution with multi-touch screens is both in quality and usability one of the most cutting-edge touch screen technology solutions available.
The customised content management system was designed to display websites, e-commerce partners and video streams in real time. In addition, an ad server enables advertisers to book and implement campaigns on the iWall. This allows omni-channel campaigns to be synchronised via online media inventory tools.
In addition, the iWall can read optical codes and trigger ‘events’ such as opening a browser, logging in or authenticating a user. Users simply place an optical code on the screen which is read by the in-built video sensors of each screen. BlueTooth beacons verify users who activate the e-commerce tool linked to a mobile app. The mobile app can be used to send data to and receive data from the iWall to ensure secure and fast transactions. The iWall is designed to highlight the cross-media interoperability of mobile and DooH screens in commercial settings and is still a benchmark in UX and 1st and 2nd screen interface design.
PSD-Bank, Stuttgart
AN LED OUTDOOR WALL WITH MONETARISATION
PSD Bank commissioned pilot Screentime to install a customised 60 m² digital out-of-home (DooH) solution on their headquarters in Stuttgart. The usage concept for the LED wall provides for a 25/75% split between in-house and third-party advertising. The playlist compiled for this purpose, with a total running time of around two minutes, rotates daily from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. in a continuous loop. The pilot Screentime team is responsible for the operations, content management and servicing of the system.
Bahnhof Pauli
Our LED wall transforms a venue on the Reeperbahn into “Bahnhof Pauli”
We installed a large-format LED wall at the “Bahnhof Pauli” club, located in the heart of the “Reeperbahn” in Hamburg beneath the famous St. Pauli clubhouse. The station-style club deliberately leaves rumors about the venue’s origins hanging in the air: Was it once a forgotten subway station or part of an underground tunnel system beneath St. Pauli?
Our LED wall not only defines this space visually but also expands it functionally. It is a central element of the venue: a stage, backdrop, and gateway to other worlds all at once. Designed for versatile use at events, concerts, and performances, the LED wall can be used flexibly: whether as a stage backdrop, visual layer for DJs and artists, or as a projection surface for video content, it seamlessly adapts to the dynamic nightlife of St. Pauli and the diverse events at Bahnhof Pauli.
Thanks to the connection to a central content management system, both spontaneous on-site programming by technicians and artists and time-controlled planning are possible. This allows campaigns, program information, and creative content to be planned well in advance. A particular content highlight of the LED display at Club Bahnhof Pauli is the “train station” theme. The simulated train traffic on the LED wall transforms the club into a real train station.
Hertz & Selck
VERSATILE MEDIA PRODUCTION INCLUDING IMAGE FILM, SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT AND TRADE FAIR DESIGN FOR HERTZ&SELCK
Pilot Screentime was responsible for the development and production of various content pieces for Hamburg-based flavour manufacturer Hertz & Selck. Projects ranged from a company film that gave a comprehensive introduction to the traditional company, which has been in business for over 90 years, to social media content pieces, employer branding films and modular motion graphics for international trade fairs.
pilot Screentime also developed the company’s corporate design and CI manual.
