France - Val Thorens' renowned nightclub, Malaysia, has undergone a €2.5m transformation to become Malaysia 2.0, all thanks to a video installation overhaul featuring Smode’s real-time compositing and media server platform.
Perched at an altitude of 2,310m, The Malaysia club, established by Jean-Pierre Roux in 1985, is open seven days a week for the entire winter season. Dubbed the biggest dance floor in the Alps, it attracts around 700,000 people per season, hosting over 2,000 partygoers every night for live concerts and DJ sets. After almost four decades, the venue needed a ‘facelift’ to create an identity using digital art to stand out in the après-ski scene.
The transformation of Malaysia, spearheaded by the integrator Kinesik, involved developing a complete 3D model of the club to simulate the layout of the LED screens and the flow of visuals. Smode video operator at Club Malaysia, Jessy Laurent, explains: “Smode played an important role in identifying all surfaces before and during the integration of the LED screens.”
Laurent collaborated closely with Erwan Tehel, product specialist at Smode Tech and Armand Béraud and Martin Hance from Salut la Compagnie, who led the project’s design before the installation. Throughout the project, Erinn Guillon, from Positive Films as well as Julien Bedane and Tarik el Maarouf, who were responsible for technical direction, played a vital role in coordinating with Alexandre Buge, CTO at Smode Tech, ensuring smooth execution of the entire project.
From the moment guests step into the 1000sq.m festive chalet, they are greeted with LED panels covering the ceiling, walls and pillars, creating an immersive atmosphere where stunning visuals move and change with the music. Smode Tech’s Smode media server is the brain behind the operation, ensuring visuals are always in sync with the high-energy music coming from the club’s sound system. The lighting effects are subtle and perceptible, never ostentatious and immersion is fully realised in certain scenes.
Smode’s real-time capabilities shine during live performances. The media server enables Malaysia’s operators to tweak media content dynamically, responding to the audience’s energy as the night progresses. “Smode manages generative graphic content adapted in real-time for dynamic effects,” explains Laurent. He also adds that one of the reasons the team chose Smode is because of the “incredible” creative control: “The ability to adjust visuals on-the-fly is essential for a nightclub, where the atmosphere is constantly changing and Smode allows us to capture that energy and play off it, creating a truly immersive experience.”
Colour palettes, strobes and other visual elements are synchronised with the GrandMA console to deliver dynamic effects. All media is displayed on a Streamdeck using real-time screenshots, while XTouch controller manages dynamic VJ effects. Both are adjusted in real-time to match the BPM (beats per minute). Smode handles generative graphic content, ensuring adaptability – crucial in a nightclub setting, where no two nights are the same and the mood can change in an instant.
The technical setup at the nightclub is a combination of Behringer MIDI console and Streamdeck, offering intuitive control. Four 4K video streams generated from Smode are connected to a Novastar H0 interface with eight inputs, ensuring seamless distribution throughout the venue.
According to the owner, the installation has completely changed the atmosphere, with the visuals grabbing the clubbers’ attention because they are curious about what plays on the screens next, and they are staying longer in the club than before.
