The symbiosis between technology and architecture

It was back in 1896, when the American architect Louis H. Sullivan, in the lines of The tall office building artistically considered, wrote down on paper a sentence that would influence entire generations of interior designers: “Form follows function”. The functional matrix of architecture has been reinterpreted in every possible perspective, throughout an evolution that has lasted for over a century and is now more relevant than ever, beyond the succession of ephemeral labels.

Among the most famous considerations about the thought introduced by Sullivan, it is impossible not to mention the position of Frank Lloyd Wright, according to which in architecture “form and function are one”. Pure formalism and pure functionalism are the opposite extremes of an incomplete vision, unbalanced and somehow inconsistent with the need to live spaces, beyond the concretization of mere theoretical concepts.

From the origins, technology can count on a privileged link with function, because of its instrumental nature, constantly evolving, which allows to shape new uses and configurations of living spaces. The symbiosis between technology and architecture is an indissoluble key to understanding the relationship between function and form, and vice versa.

The role of technology in integrated design

Digital does not dematerialize spaces, but rather helps to formalize them in a more efficient and engaging way for users. A goal that Digital Signage has helped to make resoundingly real thanks to extraordinary user engagement systems. Obviously, the ever-growing complexity of buildings, the publishing of more and more strict regulations and the objective need to optimize operations at various levels of the supply chain have given a significant boost to the role of integrated design: see the statement of the BIM (Building Information Modelling) approach.

BIM but, above all, Digital Signage... tools and platforms whose success, however, depends on the creation of collaborative ecosystems between the architects themselves and the IT partners on the territory. A role, the innovators in the Digital Signage field that, as we will see, has been interpreted for some time with excellent results by a company like ACS Data Systems with its dedicated brand: INFINITYS.

New languages and new technologies for innovative spatial configurations

As mentioned, a privileged area in the dialectical process that is generated between users, partners in the area and the new languages of communication is undoubtedly Digital Signage. The expressive capability of big displays and other advanced multimedia devices, equipped with multi-touch and 4k screens and more, trigger a dynamic and interactive relationship with people.

Digital Signage allows to achieve in a simple and immediate way many communication goals, thanks to the visual synthesis of many elements that, in the traditional configuration, needed different design approaches, to implement a static layout, much more demanding both in terms of space and choice of specific materials and effect.

One of the essential advantages of Digital Signage is given by the possibility of redesign the entire communication, without having to change the hardware setup.

Digital Signage and interior design: museums, retail and corporate

Thanks to their distinctive features, in which emerges a unique ability to grab the attention of the user, Digital Signage systems have been for several years in the spotlight, both for their ability to engage the audience and for the ease with which contents can be updated.

Digital Showroom - Dr. Schär, Postal

For some time now, museum exhibits have been using multimedia systems capable of making the visiting experience more enthralling and, above all, richer in information than by using traditional static panels. Digital systems in which ACS Data Systems, operating in the IT market for over 35 years and a leading IT Service Provider in Triveneto and HPE Platinum Partner, strongly believes. So much to create over the years and with success its own brand INFINITYS that boasts great experience in the field and above all has developed numerous solutions successfully applied on the Italian territory.

The retail scene employs Digital Signage in a wide range of ways, and it is probably the main technological playground for store designers. Over time, new systems have been added to the classic Digital Walls, all of which have in common the fact that they can personalize the customer experience, in every detail, integrating perfectly into the omnichannel logic of the latest generation of customer journeys. Thanks to Digital Signage, the entire product catalogue is made interactive and configurable by the user through the touchpoints located inside the stores.

Digital Wall - CUPRA Garage, Milano

For product companies involved in setting up the physical store, Digital Signage offers several unique advantages:

- Possibility of updating the product catalog in real time;
- Possibility to realize campaigns for events and product launches in a very short time;
- Possibility to update shop windows and showcases without having to modify the physical layout;
- Possibility to integrate the retail functions with the other company channels, enabling omnichannel and online-to-offline strategies.

As it can be easily understood, these are advantages that quickly turn into concrete opportunities for interior sedigners. Thanks to Digital Signage it is in fact possible to conceive and detail spaces that are smaller in terms of size, with significant cost reductions, and at the same time much richer in functionality for the user who is called upon to interact with the brand.

In recent years, the dynamics of Digital Signage have become a "must" in the corporate sector: companies are beginning to understand and apply the potential of digital visual communication, through Digital Welcome systems, Smart Meeting Rooms, and so on...

INFINITYS’ mission: make the Digital Signage dream affordable for everyone

The INFINITYS brand is the result of a more than ten-year process of IT research and application that combines the skills of ACS Data Systems, also internal to the HPE Innovation Lab Next project dedicated to companies in the area, with Digital Signage and aims to offer a variety of solutions capable of automating the management and publication of content, to make it accessible to those who do not have state-of-the-art technical skills.

ACS thanks to INFINITYS brings to the market a knowledge of the technological matter that helps to integrate the creativity of architects in the right initial times. A key factor for the development of successful and above all useful projects.

The simplification of the management of connected devices and content contributes to this innovative design approach and thanks are due above all to the ANIMA software - INFINITYS content panel - a proprietary platform, entirely distributed in the cloud, che è accessibile da qualsiasi endpoint dotato di una semplice connessione ad internet. which is accessible from any endpoint with a simple internet connection. Through a very easy-to-use and intuitive dashboard, any business user can get full visibility of their content, upload new content and publish it with a simple click on any display and touchpoint in the list.

Article by Marco Lorusso as part of the HPE Innovation Lab project.