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If Heather Shaw had a private planet of her own making, it would be called Vita Motus, a dynamo spinning in orbit around the largest of large-scale events with the denizens dropping down to earth to deliver visually compelling experiences. In reality, Vita Motus is Shaw’s multi-disciplinary design studio, based in LA, where it orbits in the worlds of interactive, environmental designs, as well as sets for TV and live theatre, and touring stages.
Founded in 2006, Vita Motus has a client list that ranges from Shakira to Cirque du Soleil. The firm first gained notoriety through its early collaborations with Do LaB, designing elaborate structures that ultimately had a significant impact on the overall aesthetic of such festivals as Coachella, Boom Festival, EDC, Electric Forest, and Lightning in a Bottle.
After four years of designing with Do LaB, Vita Motus went solo, hand-in-hand with Amon Tobin for his 2011 ISAM Tour, designing a cubic, pulsating set that was the first to incorporate video-mapping technology in that format, pushing the boundaries of the live show experience. The international design community took notice, and Shaw and Vita Motus were officially in orbit.
“We just finished designing Shakira’s new El Dorado World Tour, which opens January in Orlando. She wanted something classy, and the overall design ended up being very sophisticated and elegant,” says Shaw, who can’t reveal any of the details until the tour debuts.
Shaw has many projects at Coachella, and one of the repeat clients there is a long-standing collaboration with the Do Lab. “We have co-created an immersive 360° installation inside...