Media centre

Wednesday 8 Apr 2015

Birmingham New Street station to feature state-of-the-art external advertising screens

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The redeveloped Birmingham New Street is to be one of the first stations in the country to feature state-of-the-art advertising screens above all of its main entrances.

The content for the screens – known as media eyes which will fill the eye-shaped spaces above the station’s three main entrances - will include community information from the Birmingham area as well as commercial advertising. The screens can also be used to display station messaging in emergency situations.

Chris Montgomery, Birmingham New Street project director said: “The three eye-shaped screens are a unique part of the station’s redevelopment and will be an innovative and iconic part of the project. The media eyes will have full motion picture media content which will bring even more vibrancy and movement to this modern, state-of-the-art station.”

Signature Outdoor/Ocean Group has been announced as the provider of the three media eyes which will sit over the main entrances when it opens in September this year. The media eyes present a unique challenge to the designer and installer due to curved spans up to 30m in length and seven metres in height to fit within the complex geometry of the new façade.

Gerry Bew, managing partner for Ocean Group, said: “We are delighted to be working with Network Rail on what is one of the most important infrastructure projects in the country at the moment. Along with our technology partner D3 this furthers Ocean Group’s digital out of home advertising credentials in the UK’s largest advertising market outside of London.”

David Neale, director at D3 LED Europe, added: 'D3 LED Europe is delighted to be working with Ocean Group and Network Rail on this world-class transport and retail development. As a Birmingham based organisation we are very proud to have been awarded what is likely to be one of the most spectacular and impactful digital-out-of-home LED display projects in Europe.”

Richard Brown, development director of Grand Central said: “The media eyes are a significant feature to the development providing the ability to communicate with consumers from the entrances of the centre, further demonstrating how technology will play a key role in transforming people’s overall shopping experience at Grand Central.”

The south and south east eyes will use the latest custom, full colour LED screen technology consisting of over 1000 modules configured in a module matrix to create the complex curve geometry. The north west corner eye at the Navigation Street entrance will use a transparent LED mesh so natural light can still enter the building.