Taking the Roland-Garros Culture to the World, Virtually

Roland-Garros has been always associated with a rich legacy. But as much as the tournament is about heritage, it is also about innovation. The tournament itself was named for an innovator: the iconic aviator Roland Garros.

The spirit of legacy combining with innovation continues in Paris this year. On the court, the historic red clay is seeing night sessions for the first time. Beyond the court, fans are able to experience the tournament’s heritage in an innovative fashion with the RG 3D Art Museum.

With many fans across the world being unable to attend the tournament in-person this year, we wanted to bring fans closer to the stadium and the rich culture around it. One of the main pillars of the RG Spirit is the tournament’s association with art. Those attending the matches this year will see the latest artistic addition: the monumental steel sculpture of an icon who inspires us to reach for the skies and aim ever higher.

The story of the RG association with art goes back many decades. In 1980, a unique association began: an artist was commissioned to create a poster that captured the essence of the tournament. The journey has endured ever since: ever year, there are masterstrokes on the clay and on the canvas. We now have 42 art pieces, all equally diverse and unique. Each one tells a story: of the art and the times. To take these stories to the world, digital was the medium. But we had to do it in a way that balanced the legacy and the technology.

Making history interactive

To make the museum of the future, we created an immersive 3D space that would house the art pieces. Working with our partner Infosys, we crafted the virtual space that would enable a showcase of the art year by year, with different zones for different decades.

Ensuring the art is accessible

In addition to bringing the experience to fans anywhere in the world, we wished to make the art itself more meaningful. This was achieved by embedding audio narrations that explain the story behind each poster, from its style to its significance.

Preserving the real-world experience

It was essential that any virtual visitor should be able to navigate the space intuitively with 360 views. Just like in a physical museum where there is a guided tour, we designed an automated digital tour that takes the visitor to each poster and ensures no detail is missed out.

To undistance is to bridge different cultures and art is a platform that enables this bridging. Being immersed in culture has often been possible only by being there in person – to visit a museum, to see the visual arts, to witness the local Parisian sights. This year, we are excited that the history is being brought to life using technology, enabling people to come closer to the unique RG heritage and experience it virtually.

Visit the RG 3D Art Museum >