Ilhavela is a weekly interactive projection show that utilizes the physical and digital infrastructure of Rio de Janeiro to project butterflies throughout the city that participants follow to one of fifteen predetermined courtyards that changes from week to week. Each courtyard has a unique theme based on Rio’s culture and history and participants can engage with interactive projections and activities.
This project is the sole property of Walt Disney Imagineering and all rights to use these ideas are exclusive to Walt Disney Imagineering.
Ilhavela leads visitors and locals alike on a chase through their own city, bringing people from different backgrounds together. The interactive projection show begins with an eruption of butterflies and colors that disperse throughout the city, prompting a game of “follow the butterfly” which will ultimately leads participants to one of fifteen predetermined courtyards.
The experience of Ilhavela is as much about the journey as it is about the destination. Any street in the city could potentially become part of the route and every wall and street a canvas for the projections. Familiar buildings and spaces that might often go ignored will become captivating when they are transformed with light and color.
The Ilhavela app allows participants to track and be tracked. If a person finds himself without a butterfly, or simply wants his own personal guide, he can select an option within the app to “send me a butterfly” and a few seconds later his own personal butterfly will arrive.
Location tracking services within the smartphone will allow us to pinpoint the participant's location. Location tracking also allows our hovering projectors to augment users’ experiences by surrounding them with transformative colors and patterns during their collective journey.
Upon arriving in the courtyard, participants will find themselves immersed in an interactive digital environment that is activated by sound, proximity and touch as well as a chance to engage with Disney cast members. Each of the fifteen courtyards is transformed into a unique destination that serves two purposes: first, to act as a canvas for the interactive projections, and second, to re-invent the space of the courtyard for daily use.
On the nights when a courtyard is activated, it transforms into a different world. People freely mingle and explore a labyrinth of sweeping surfaces that encourage interaction both with the projective surfaces, as well as fellow participants. Disney cast members will encourage some newcomers to participate while others will dive right in. Hands will wave and glide across surfaces prompting fun and surprising responses from the projections.