Telus Spark Science Centre always delights Calgarians with exciting exhibits and learning opportunities for all ages. One of their latest installations is a thrilling addition: Canada’s first robot roller coaster, RO5iE! With five different ride motions, this exhilarating experience is great for children—and kids at heart. This robotic arm simulates the movements of a roller coaster without the need for tracks. Riders can select how mild or thrilling they want the experience to be by selecting one of five ride levels.
Believeco approached us with the opportunity to produce and install multiple graphics they designed as part of the identity for the attraction, located in the Spark Centre’s atrium. One of the most impressive production components of this project was printing and installing a huge wall graphic extending over 35 feet high! The mural depicted a futuristic version of Calgary and was printed on 8 different panels, which we pieced together on-site during installation.
One challenge of installing this giant graphic was that the wall had quite a bit of texture. A self-adhesive vinyl was used in order to conform to the uneven surface material. The wall also boasts two Bose tower speakers, which were covered seamlessly with additional graphics panels. This impressive artwork creates a wow factor for Calgarians to marvel at what their city could look like deep into the future. We can only hope for hoverboards like in Back to the Future II..
The second-floor walkway was also outfitted with colourful graphics, which were put together from eleven printed panels. The double-sided banners suspended from the ceiling have a pull pocket at the top: a metal rod slides into the pocket and is then attached to the ceiling cables. Our fabrication team used a scissor lift to reach the cables and install the six hanging banners in the atrium.
The base of the robo-coaster was covered with grass-print vinyl panels, giving it an organic and friendly feel. Vinyl “RO5iE” decals were also dry-mounted onto the robot’s arm and the glass panels encasing the ride area.
This project featured a great variety of graphic installations that show just how fun and friendly the future can be with robotic technology!