Kelp Forest Window Graphics at the Vancouver International Airport

After successfully creating a unique and innovative underwater experience for its Wild Pacific Exhibit, Vancouver Aquarium teamed up with Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to create an experiential art exhibit using the same process. The purpose of the collaboration was to demonstrate that respecting the ocean is everyone’s responsibility. As a community-based, not-for-profit organization, YVR donates more than $1 million annually to its partners who contribute to the community. This was one of the ways YVR showed its support to Vancouver Aquarium. The installation was also an effort to delight passengers with unique and exciting visual experience as they walk between the Domestic Terminal and Skytrain station.

Kelp Forest graphics at Vancouver Aquarium

The unique experience of feeling like you are under water comes from the creative design and printing process. Solid elements such as text, icons, and kelp forest are all printed in three layers, while the water (gaps between the plantation) is printed with one layer of ink. When light passes through (whether natural or artificial), it gets blocked through the three layered areas while passing through the single layer. This lights the whole image up, while allowing you to see through the windows to create an illusion of walking under water.

If you wish to experience it in person, then head out to YVR and see it for yourself. It is located on the crossway between the Domestic Terminal Building and Vancouver Airport Skytrain Station.

Our Work

As with all large-scale projects, it all started with a pre-production meeting to go over the process, site measurements, timeline, and testing.
The first step was to conduct a thorough site-check to ensure we have accurate window measurements as it will be used to create the artwork.
Once we had the artwork, we ran a few internal tests at various ink densities to ensure product quality matches the previous job we did at Vancouver Aquarium, all in all, while ensuring the additional elements of text and icons remain vivid.
After the tests were approved, we produced the prints in three phases (22 windows in each phase). This was to ensure the best efficiency as we could print and install side-by-side to reduce the turnaround time.
The whole project spanned over 3 weeks with over 1600+ sqft of windows covered. The completed project can be seen below.