This case study explains how we delivered a headquarters LED installation across five zones at AutoTrader’s new Manchester office, working alongside long-time creative partner Pixel Artworks. It’s written for architects, fit-out contractors, AV integrators and workplace designers planning complex LED projects — particularly those involving live data feeds, compound-curved surfaces, or interactive AI displays.
Key Lessons for Specifiers
- Compound-curved LED (curving on two planes simultaneously) cannot be achieved with standard rigid cabinets. Specify flexible tile substrate and custom-fabricated mounting frames from the outset — retrofitting structural decisions late in a project is costly.
- Live data integration works best when tied to data the organisation already publishes. AutoTrader’s own listing statistics gave the halo ticker instant credibility with employees. Agree the data source and refresh frequency with the client’s IT team before LED hardware is ordered.
- Interactive AI walls require a dedicated compute pipeline for real-time image generation — this is separate from the LED controller budget. Scope it with your content partner early.
- Match panel type to zone function: P1.86mm flexible GOB-protected for architectural curves; P1.9mm GOB-protected rigid for high-traffic touchable surfaces. All zones were GOB-protected given the public-facing environment.
- Pre-fabricating all mounting frames off-site is what makes a sub-two-week installation achievable. The structure must be fully confirmed before delivery. Any design changes on-site to structural elements will collapse the programme.
Headquarters LED Installation: Project Overview
AutoTrader relocated to a new Manchester headquarters in early 2026. The brief called for a digital layer across the main reception and communal spaces — one that would reinforce AutoTrader’s brand identity, display live platform data, and create an interactive experience for visitors.
We worked with Pixel Artworks, who handled creative direction, content production and the AI interactive system. Dynamo supplied, installed and commissioned all LED hardware across five zones: a sweeping overhead ribbon, a suspended halo ticker, a contoured plinth, and two fine-pitch LED walls — one integrated with an AI camera system.
Installation ran for just under two weeks in January 2026.
At a Glance
| Element | Specification |
|---|---|
| LED Ribbon | 21,760 × 1,120 mm | P1.86mm | 11,696 × 602 px |
| LED Halo (ticker) | 17,920 × 320 mm | P1.86mm | 9,632 × 172 px |
| LED Plinth | 15,360 × 160–800 mm (variable) | P1.86mm | 8,256 × 688 px |
| LED Walls (×2) | 2,500 × 2,500 mm each | P1.9mm | 1,280 × 1,280 px |
| Control | NovaStar MCTRL4K + VX600 Pro |
| Media servers | 1× Hive Pluto (ribbon) | 2× Hive Osmia (walls) |
| Products | GOB-protected flexible LED tiles, custom frames (ribbon/halo/plinth); GOB DX Series (walls) |
| Creative partner | Pixel Artworks |
| Duration | Under 2 weeks |
Five zones, two product types, one media ecosystem — all commissioned within a sub-two-week window on a live fit-out site.
The LED Ribbon: Double-Curved
The LED ribbon is the centrepiece of the installation. At 21.76 metres long and 1.12 metres tall, it runs above the main social and café areas, curving continuously through the space and dominating the sightline from ground level.
The engineering challenge was compound curvature: the ribbon curves on both planes simultaneously — horizontally (following the ceiling contour) and vertically (rising and dipping through the space). Standard rigid LED cabinets cannot achieve this. We specified our flexible LED tile system with GOB (Glue on Board) protection, which uses a bendable PCB substrate to allow controlled curvature in multiple axes, mounted in a custom steel frame fabricated off-site to match the architectural drawings precisely. GOB protection was applied across all flexible zones — ribbon, halo, and plinth — given the public-facing nature of the space.
In plain terms: a standard LED cabinet is a rigid aluminium box. You cannot bend it without destroying the circuit boards. Flexible tiles solve this with a different construction, but compound curvature — bending in two directions at once — means the supporting frame must hold complex geometry under load while keeping every panel face flush. That requires engineering the frame before the panels arrive, not during installation.
Content playback runs via a Hive Pluto media server, which drives the ribbon’s 11,696 × 602 native resolution as a single continuous canvas — no tiling artefacts, no content breaks at panel joints.
Specifier Notes — Curved LED Ribbon
- Confirm compound curvature requirements with the structural engineer and LED supplier simultaneously — frame fabrication lead time often exceeds LED panel lead time
- Content must be mapped to the physical curve geometry before commissioning; plan for a content alignment session on site
- Flexible tiles have slightly narrower viewing angles than rigid equivalents — confirm sightlines across the space before specifying pitch
The Halo: Live Data Ticker
Suspended above the car display turntable, the LED halo ticker displays rolling statistics from AutoTrader’s platform: cars added since midnight, cars added in the last hour, total live listings, and total views. The data refreshes on a 24-hour rolling window pulled from AutoTrader’s own systems.
The halo measures 17.92 metres in circumference with a 320 mm face height — P1.86mm pitch, 9,632 × 172 resolution — built using the same flexible tile system as the ribbon, curved into a continuous ring and suspended from the ceiling void.
From a brand perspective, the live data is the point. The numbers are real, they change constantly, and they reflect AutoTrader’s actual platform activity. Employees can see the business working in real time. That is a fundamentally different proposition to a looping branded animation.
Specifier Notes — Live Data Integration
- Agree the data source, API endpoint, refresh frequency and fallback behaviour (what shows if the feed drops) with the client’s IT team before hardware order — this affects media server specification
- A 24-hour rolling window avoids real-time latency issues while still keeping content dynamic
- Content design must accommodate variable-length data strings (e.g. listing counts that grow through the day)
The Plinth: Contoured Display
The LED plinth wraps around the base of the car display turntable. Unlike a simple rectangular band, it follows a staggered height profile — ranging from 160 mm at its lowest to 800 mm at its tallest — matching the architectural contours of the structure beneath.
At 15.36 metres long with a total resolution of 8,256 × 688 pixels (P1.86mm), precise panel placement and careful content mapping were required. The flexible tiles followed the undulating profile without visible seams. Content mirrors the halo — vehicle statistics and branded motion graphics — creating visual continuity between the overhead ticker and the turntable base.
Specifier Notes — Variable-Height Plinth
- Variable height means variable content canvas height across the run — content must be designed for this, not cropped from a fixed-format template
- Provide the LED supplier with a dimensioned elevation drawing of the plinth profile as early as possible; panel layout planning depends on it
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The LED Walls: Interactive AI Display
Two 2.5 × 2.5 metre LED walls were installed in the social areas, each running at 1,280 × 1,280 resolution on P1.9mm GOB-protected panels (Dynamo DX Series). GOB — Glue on Board — is a protective resin coating applied over the LED surface, specified here because both walls are in high-traffic areas where screens are within arm’s reach of seating and walkways.
One of the walls is integrated with an AI interactive system developed by Pixel Artworks, similar to the system they built for their Lighthouse installation in Farringdon. Visitors type a description into a side panel; cameras read the scene; the AI generates a personalised animated image on the screen in real time. Two Hive Osmia media servers drive the walls, handling both the AI render pipeline and standard scheduled content.
Specifier Notes — GOB Protection and AI Interactive Walls
- GOB protection adds cost per square metre but is the right call for any screen within touching distance in a public or semi-public space
- AI interactive systems require their own compute hardware budget — scope with your content partner separately from LED hardware
- Camera positioning for interactive systems must be agreed with the architect early — it affects ceiling void access, sightlines, and data privacy compliance
Control and Processing
The NovaStar MCTRL4K (LED controller) and VX600 Pro (video processor) drive the entire installation. The MCTRL4K handles primary pixel output across all five zones; the VX600 Pro manages signal routing, scaling and switching between content sources — scheduled loops, live data feeds, and the AI interactive mode.
In plain terms: the video processor sits between the content source (media servers, data feeds) and the LED controller, making sure the right signal gets to the right zone at the right resolution. The LED controller converts that signal into the per-pixel instructions the panels need. AutoTrader’s AV team can switch between content modes from a single control point.
From the Field
By Daniel Reynolds, Managing Director, Dynamo LED Displays
“The double-curved ribbon was the technical highlight of this project. Curving LED on a single plane is routine now — we do it regularly for architectural installations. Curving on both planes simultaneously is a different problem. The panels follow a compound geometry, which means the supporting steel frame has to be engineered and fabricated to precise tolerances before a single panel goes up. You cannot adjust compound geometry on site. Every dimension, every transition point, every fixing position has to be resolved on paper first. That pre-work is what allowed us to complete the full five-zone installation in under two weeks. The site time was relatively straightforward because the planning was thorough.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a headquarters LED installation?
A headquarters LED installation is a coordinated set of LED display zones designed specifically for a company’s main office or campus environment. Unlike single-screen deployments, headquarters projects typically involve multiple display types — video walls, architectural ribbons, data tickers — unified by a single control system and content strategy. The AutoTrader Manchester project is one example: five zones, two panel types, one control ecosystem.
How does live data integration work on LED displays?
A media server or content management system pulls data from the client’s platform via API and renders it into a visual template in real time. The rendered output feeds to the LED controller as a standard video signal. Refresh rate and fallback content (if the feed drops) should be agreed with the client’s IT team before hardware is specified.
What makes flexible LED different from standard LED panels?
Flexible LED tiles use a bendable PCB substrate and thinner cabinet construction, allowing controlled curvature. They’re specified when a design requires convex, concave, or compound curves that rigid cabinets cannot achieve. The trade-off is slightly lower peak brightness and narrower viewing angles compared to rigid equivalents — confirm sightlines and ambient light levels before specifying.
Why specify GOB-protected panels for high-traffic areas?
GOB (Glue on Board) adds a resin layer over the LED surface, protecting individual pixels from contact damage, cleaning products, and general wear. In spaces where screens are within arm’s reach — social areas, reception desks, interactive installations — GOB is the appropriate specification. It adds cost per square metre but significantly extends operational life in public-facing environments.
How long does a complex headquarters LED installation take?
A five-zone installation of this scale typically takes two to four weeks on site, depending on structural prep, ceiling access, and content commissioning. The AutoTrader project completed in under two weeks because mounting frames were pre-fabricated off-site and all content was tested at our London facility before delivery. Site time is a function of preparation time.
Can this type of multi-zone installation be specified for other office headquarters?
Yes. The technical approach — flexible tiles for architectural curves, GOB rigid panels for high-traffic zones, live data integration, interactive content — is transferable across headquarters and workplace projects. Specifications are designed per project based on architecture, viewing distances, data sources, and content requirements. See our work with Aldar Properties and London Square as another example of a bespoke multi-zone installation.
Summary
AutoTrader’s Manchester headquarters demonstrates what a well-scoped headquarters LED installation can achieve: a double-curved ribbon that required compound geometric engineering, a live data ticker that reflects the business in real time, and an AI interactive wall that turns a screen into an experience. The project was delivered in under two weeks — not by rushing, but by resolving every structural and content decision before the team arrived on site.
If you are specifying a workplace or headquarters LED installation and want to discuss scope, timeline, or technical approach, we’re happy to talk through the detail before any commitment.
Working on a similar project?
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