"Ambition in the Air" Installation at Winter Walk

Designing a Multi-Part Installation

Happily designed and built Ambition In The Air, an experiential installation that greeted visitors at the entrance of Winter Walk. 

From a production standpoint, Happily offered a variety of bespoke services that resulted in a winning composition. However, it took multiple pivots to arrive at its final form. After an initial redesign from a technical weight tolerance barrier, Happily was called in to provide strategy services. In total, four redesigns with full 3D visual renders were required. By the fourth design during which the installation was standalone, in a location approved by permits, as well as accounted for weight and then risk tolerances, the team had 10 days to end-to-end move from concept, design, approvals, into production, for a 14 day show. 

The activation could not have been possible without a local team of passionate Bay Area creatives. Happily leveraged its proprietary experiential specialist marketplace to hire a team of best in class local experiential specialists. Our Strategy and Creative Studio crafted the storytelling, design direction and key experience moments. Happily’s Broadcast Studio captured the stories of San Franciscans, composed music and wove them together in a 8D soundscape. Happily’s Experiential Studio and Head of Production led the build as well as managed the experience through a team of local Brand Ambassadors  and Activation Leads who facilitated conversations with the public about the installation and their ambitions.

The final installation had multiple moving parts, including: 

• A dichroic flowy overhead canopy that moved with layered sound

• An interactive musical map that responded to visitor engagement

• A surprise art piece in the middle of the canopy that reflected people’s images

• A floor detailing San Francisco streets 

• Lighting design that shifted from day to night

The Results

Winter Walk attracts large crowds each year. This year, Ambition in the Air was the number 1 most trafficked space. 

Ambition in the Air amplified the power of community through dynamic local stories. It demonstrated the power of experiential design to empower downtown’s collective vision for a brighter future. 

Here are a few memorable moments from across the 14 Day activation:

-A group of kids from the GLIDE program breaking into dance with the Brand Ambassadors, “turn[ing] the space into an impromptu dance floor.” 

-Visitors and tourists interacting with the musical map, swapping stories about the best places to eat and explore in San Francisco.

-Chase employees visiting from branches around the city, taking photos of Ambition In The Air to proudly share with their community.