ARCHITECT TURNED XR-CHITECT WITH A PASSION FOR THEATRE
Alex Coulombe is a NYC-based architect turned XR-chitect who has been crafting immersive experiences for over 10 years. After co-founding a theater group in college that produced five of his original shows (WhAT, now in its 13th year at Syracuse University), Alex worked at a number of prestigious architecture firms before landing at Fisher Dachs Associates: Theatre Planning and Design. There, Alex honed his craft in the design of powerful theatrical spaces. Always excited by the potential of new technology, soon Alex was incorporating virtual reality in everything from the dome projection layout for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, to testing actor blocking, set design, lighting, and seating options for Kenneth Branagh’s production of Macbeth at the Park Avenue Armory. Soon Alex formed Agile Lens, a creative studio focused on developing custom XR content for architecture, the arts, as well as forward-thinking companies such as Intel, Samsung, Magic Leap, and Unreal Engine. A rising thought leader in emerging tech, Alex and his work have been featured in over 30 conferences since 2014.
DESIGN
THEATRES AND THEATRICAL SPACES
Alex pioneered the world's first standardized use of VR for accurately testing sightlines and adjusting room design based on the results. After diving into VR headfirst, other early immersive creations included an app for Bravo Media to set up architectural projections for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, an "equipment clearance checker" for the Hudson Yards project, "The Shed," and a mock-up of various design elements including testing actor blocking, set design, lighting, and seating options for the Park Avenue Armory's production of Kenneth Branagh's Macbeth.
For the past few years he has been a staple at the national theatre conferences put on by TCG (Theatre Communications Group) where he is known for introducing innovative methods for utilizing technology for theatrical purposes. This year in Miami he will be curating a full XR exhibition and will speak on a panel entitled "Other Realities: How VR, AR, and AI are Providing New Opportunities for Creatives."
For the past few years he has been a staple at the national theatre conferences put on by TCG (Theatre Communications Group) where he is known for introducing innovative methods for utilizing technology for theatrical purposes. This year in Miami he will be curating a full XR exhibition and will speak on a panel entitled "Other Realities: How VR, AR, and AI are Providing New Opportunities for Creatives."
The Ed Sullivan Theater for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
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The Park Avenue Armory for Kenneth Branagh's Macbeth
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The Poncho Forum for The Seattle Repertory Theater
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Theatre Communications Group National Conference
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THEATRE
SET & EXHIBITION DESIGN
Alex is a 2010 graduate of Syracuse University’s School of Architecture where he received his B. Arch with a minor in Drama. His thesis project, entitled 'Scopic Operations in Military Theatre,' entailed transforming Fort Jay on Governors Island into a multi-stage performance venue with virtualized components. While at school, he pursued diverse creative opportunities as a means toward enhancing his design work. These included set design, music composition, game design, and interdisciplinary charrette competitions, wherein students of a variety of majors contribute their diverse skillsets in service of a unified design solution. Click the below images to jump to sections of Alex's website and further explore his design work.
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In 2014, Alex and his design cohorts were accepted to compete in the "World Championship of Gameful Architecture." This event brought together architects, game designers, and developers in Witten, Germany for an entire week. The competition entailed designing and constructing an interactive intervention on a site to fulfill the goals of a prompt.
Alex team was tasked with constructing a space for "intercultural communication." Research showed that there was a divide between German immigrants and natural-born citizens in the area. Searching for commonality, the team discovered everyone was equally excited that Germany had just won the World Cup. Using this as a bridge between the cultural divide, the team designed and constructed an epic, 6-tiered foosball or "kickerman" table in a piazza. Within hours of the construction's completion, there were already people of all ages and cultures playing this enhanced form of the game. Click on the left image or here to view the blog Alex kept during their time in the competition. |
THEATRE
WRITING & PRODUCING
Alex began writing and producing original shows in 2005, first in high school, then college (co-founding the Warehouse Architecture Theatre), then in NYC. To date, seven of his original plays have been produced by WhAT and other organizations.
“Dystopiapiapia” was performed at the Times Square Arts Center in 2014, and he is currently writing an immersive Augmented Reality opera with composer Jason Oberholtzer for On Site Opera, where Alex is a Founding Technical Advisor. He is also actively experimenting with VR theatre and improv alongside his newest group Alive in Plasticland. They recently gave a sold-out workshop at SXSW entitled "Producing Live Performance in VR."
“Dystopiapiapia” was performed at the Times Square Arts Center in 2014, and he is currently writing an immersive Augmented Reality opera with composer Jason Oberholtzer for On Site Opera, where Alex is a Founding Technical Advisor. He is also actively experimenting with VR theatre and improv alongside his newest group Alive in Plasticland. They recently gave a sold-out workshop at SXSW entitled "Producing Live Performance in VR."
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INNOVATION
Alex is the Creative Director of Agile Lens: Immersive Design, a virtual reality consultancy specializing in immersive content. He's been using VR since the Oculus Rift DK1 and AR since his 2009 webcam. As XR has advanced, he has continued his investigation of new devices and software, pioneering unique workflows that focus on XR's purposes beyond simple representation, particularly, its potential for design and communication. He develops tools and experiences for desktop, mobile, and browser-based VR/AR/XR platforms. A recognized thought leader in emerging tech, his work and talks have been featured at over 30 XR, Architecture, and Theatre conferences across the world.
One of Alex's goals is to heighten awareness about XR as a design medium.
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This video shows him sketching a design idea in TiltBrush and then building it out in Unreal Engine 4 into an interactive VR walk-through.
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And here we have a concept design in VR alongside the live installation of colored shadows for The Tree of Codes at the Park Avenue Armory.
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Through his work, Alex has developed a reputation for experimentation and insight into new platforms and workflows.
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An expanded version of the above video was featured in the keynote at Magic Leap's inaugural conference, LeapCon.
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