Project Summary

Lottomatica, an international gaming technology group, commissioned us to design a seasonal immersive dinner installation inspired by the Christmas season. Merging humor with whimsy, we transformed a fine dining experience into a fantastical realm where familiar objects such as a table become a 3D portal to another realm.

Brief

Lottomatica HQ wanted their internal team to experience the Holidays in an extraordinary and unexpected way. We transformed a fine dining experience prepared by Michelin star chef, Rosanna Marziale, into a holiday universe for all of the senses. Her culinary creations were recontextualized in a digital winter wonderland, offering a new way to taste, smell, and see.

Approach

We closely collaborated with Lottomatic HQ and the communication lab Scafuro, to determine the mood and tone of the project. Together, we chose the elegant location, Relais Appia Antica, as the site of the event. In development, it was decided to go with the concept of an informal Italian family style dinner — where Chef Marziale’s dishes would be served and enjoyed in an approachable, warm, and festive way. To compliment this, our lab created a digital strategy to further enhance and transport participants. We conceptualized a plot that follows Santa and his elves as they prepare and deliver gifts on Christmas Eve. Through this story, we constructed an elaborate 3D mapping scheme. Our lab oversaw and executed the project from concept to installation and on-site support.

Impact

Participants that included company executives entered the seemingly familiar environment of a dining establishment to then be playfully taken into an alternate realm where food and digital landscapes and characters converged in a holiday spirit. They were awe-inspired by the optical illusions before them — grasping for objects that were virtually projected as though they were real.

Capabilities

The client specified the precise location and dining environment (number of seats and table size). They also indicated the desired choreography of the table service. With this established, we custom created a light and functional infrastructure for the digital projections, then proceeded with the content creation. All content was designed and modelled using 3D software, prioritizing the participant’s point of view.