Pixel Plaza to bring Rugby World Cup to life

A new interactive installation will turn fans into lock forwards and convert tourists into tightheads as the Women’s Rugby World Cup (WRWC) kicks off in Sunderland.

Sunderland City Council, working with London-based Hot Dark Matter, has unveiled Pixel Plaza on Riverside Sunderland’s Keel Edge, a semi-permanent interactive hub designed to coincide with the Women’s Rugby World Cup opener this evening (August 22).

The installation features twelve two-metre-high, double-sided LED totems arranged in a circle, equipped with surround sound and ultrasonic sensors. 

AI technology allows visitors to see themselves transformed into stylised rugby avatars by scanning a QR code, uploading a selfie and then choosing a team and their appearance.

These avatars can be downloaded, shared and displayed across the totems. 

Using Sunderland’s 5G network, the hub will also stream 360° video content for fans travelling from Keel Square – where the WRWC fanzone is located – to the Stadium of Light.

Alex Lambert, creative director at Hot Dark Matter, said: “Pixel Plaza is public art at city scale – a living sculpture that reflects Sunderland’s legacy and the world around it, while creating a space for people to play, gather and enjoy together. 

“It shifts with the city’s mood, weather and people, so every moment feels unique. 

“For the Rugby World Cup, we’re inviting fans to step inside that space and become part of the artwork themselves. 

“We’re proud to be working with the people of Sunderland to bring a piece of contemporary art of this ambition into the heart of the city – something that belongs to everyone who experiences it.”

Pixel Plaza will remain in place for at least 12 months, offering interactive experiences such as a City Clock animation, wave-inspired graphics reflecting Sunderland’s maritime heritage and motion-activated visuals and sound. 

The project is part of Sunderland’s smart city programme, funded through £1.9 million drive from the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology’s 5G Innovation Regions initiative.

The totems join other next-generation city installations, including interactive play equipment at Thompson Park and Seaburn Park and the Sunderland Open Network EcosysTem (SONET) at the Stadium of Light, enhancing culture, leisure and community engagement across the city while supporting world-class events.

Councillor Beth Jones, cabinet member for communities, culture and tourism at Sunderland City Council, added: “It’s incredible to see this interactive display in place and to get a glimpse of the imaginative and inventive ways we can use our cutting-edge digital infrastructure to enhance the visitor experience in and around Riverside Sunderland. 

“Sunderland is a smart city that is using technology to not only improve the lives of our residents, but to create a place we can be proud to welcome people along to.

“The WRWC will bring many thousands of people to Sunderland for the first time, so it’s brilliant that they will see the way we’re able to use technology to be a city of play, and as a semi-permanent installation, this will remain place for people to interact with and enjoy long after the tournament ends.”

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