The largest shopping centre in Latvia just got a major glow-up!
At the heart of Riga, the Olimpia shopping centre has become the first in the Baltics to feature an interactive LED façade — and it’s turning heads. Blending bold creativity with cutting-edge technology, the installation invites visitors to control light animations on the building’s exterior using nothing more than hand gestures.
Dreamt up by Latvian AV artist and creative technologist Martins Dabolins and brought to life by electrical specialist LEMT SIA, the dynamic installation transforms the shopping centre’s entrance into a living digital canvas. By simply standing in front of the building and showing a heart shape or the letter “O” with their hands, passers-by can trigger animations across the pixelated surface.
At the core of this digital symphony are ENTTEC’s Smart PXL 40 RGBW dots — rugged, ultra-bright LED nodes designed for all-weather brilliance. The versatile pixel strings allow for seamless video playback and stunning lighting effects across Olimpia’s large façade, while maintaining safety standards with UL Listed certification.
Driving the visuals behind the scenes is a full suite of ENTTEC control gear. The powerful OCTO pixel controller takes centre stage, converting data into perfectly timed pixel outputs, while our award-winning ELM (ENTTEC LED Mapper) software handles the animation logic and visual mapping. But the real magic? It’s interactive.
Gesture recognition is made possible via a camera feeding into Google’s open-source AI Workflow. Mārtiņš wrote custom Python code to interpret visitors’ gestures in real time, sending triggers to ELM that respond with pre-programmed effects. The result is a completely hands-free interaction that brings the building to life — engaging, playful, and entirely unexpected.
“It’s about creating joy and wonder,” says Martins. With a resume spanning Eurovision, Venice Biennale, and countless Baltic festivals, Martins is no stranger to large-scale spectacle. “Technology should never just be about function — it should inspire.”
Olimpia’s Instagram post encourages everyone to try the new experience: “Find the ‘O’ on the ground. Make a gesture. Watch the magic.” And with themed animations that can change throughout the year — from Valentine’s hearts to festive sparkles — there’s always something new to discover.
So next time you’re in Riga, swing by Olimpia and wave hello. You might just light up the city.
