This was a design and visualization project for Czarnowski, in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz and the Atlanta Falcons, for a permanent AR installation at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
I led the full design of the pod from concept through fabrication, including CMF direction, hardware integration considerations, and fabrication oversight. The brief called for a purpose-built structure to house an augmented reality driving experience for stadium visitors. Two identical units would be constructed, each seating four occupants, and the design had to accommodate real Mercedes-Benz seats and a steering wheel, a large display monitor mounted above the dash panel, and a head-height webcam required for the AR view. The structure also needed to feel at home in a high-profile, brand-forward stadium environment — functional and durable, but visually considered.
Working in Autodesk Maya and 3DS Max, the pod was designed from the ground up around those requirements. Hardware placement, occupant ergonomics, sightlines to the display, and the physical footprint of the Mercedes-Benz seating components all informed the geometry and proportions of the structure. CMF was developed in parallel, with material and finish selections made to align with the Mercedes-Benz brand language and hold up under the sustained foot traffic of a live stadium environment.
Once a design direction was finalized, rendered stills were prepared and presented to the internal team and all client stakeholders for review. With sign-off secured across all parties, the approved design was handed to Czarnowski's in-house fabrication team, with ongoing oversight maintained through construction and paint to ensure the finished units matched the approved design intent.
Both units were constructed and installed as featured engagements at Mercedes-Benz Stadium as of the 2020 season.
