Project Quick Facts
One of Bratislava’s Most Iconic Clubs — With a Tricky Ceiling #
Trafo is one of the most popular nightclubs in Bratislava. Every Friday and Saturday it is completely packed, drawing local regulars and international visitors alike. The club is right in the city centre, hidden underground — in the same space as an old electrical transformer station, which is exactly where its name comes from.
The venue has a great atmosphere, but architecturally it is not easy to work with. The main dance floor has a low ceiling crossed by active ventilation ducts. The client had a bold idea: cover the entire ceiling with LED walls. On paper it sounds straightforward, but the reality was more complicated — the ceiling is irregular, far from rectangular, and the ventilation system could not be touched or blocked.
The Solution: Pixel LED Tubes in Aluminium Profiles #
We proposed a different approach. Instead of flat LED panels, we used pixel LED tubes — flexible addressable LED tubes routed through aluminium mounting profiles. The entire ceiling was divided into a series of irregular quadrilaterals, each one filled with parallel runs of pixel LED tubes packed tightly inside the profiles.
This solved both problems at once: the aluminum profiles could be arranged to follow any shape, and the gaps between rows left the ventilation fully operational. The result is complete visual coverage of the ceiling with zero compromise to airflow.
The installation uses SPI addressable LED strips driven by pixel controllers connected to the venue’s network. The whole system is controlled from Resolume Arena, which runs the visual content. LED Strip Studio software acts as the pixel mapping layer — it grabs the video output directly from Resolume and translates it to the physical LED layout across the ceiling (over LEC3 devices). The LED walls at the back of the room are driven separately from a second monitor output in the same Resolume setup, so the operator manages everything from one interface.
More Than Just the Ceiling #
The dance floor ceiling is the centerpiece, but several other areas of the club have their own independent pixel LED installations. The most striking are the arched walls in the middle of the room. Each arch frames a standard TV screen running advertising or visuals, but the wall surface itself is cut through with addressable LED pixel tubes. The effect is subtle but beautiful — a soft, animated light that frames the screen without competing with it.
The entire LED wall strip system is controlled via an LEC3 device using separate mapping. This allows us to trigger animations independently from the main room. In this quieter area of the club, fewer show effects are needed, as it is primarily intended to serve as a relaxation zone.
Built to Last in a High-Traffic Environment #
When we place pixel LED tubes in aluminum profiles at arm’s reach in a packed nightclub, durability is a real concern. What surprised even us: five years in, with thousands of guests brushing past the installation every weekend, there has been no significant damage to the LED tubes or profiles. The aluminium profiles take the knocks, and the LED tubes inside stay safe.
The client has been satisfied from day one — and the best proof of that is the footfall. For over ten years, Trafo has been full every Friday and Saturday night. The LED ceiling is now part of the identity of the place.
Frequently Asked Questions #
Can pixel LED tubes cover an irregularly shaped ceiling?
Yes. Unlike rigid LED panels, pixel LED tubes are flexible and can be routed inside aluminium profiles cut to any length or angle. The ceiling at Trafo is divided into irregular quadrilaterals — each one filled independently. This makes the approach suitable for any ceiling geometry, including curved or asymmetric spaces.
How does LED Strip Studio work with Resolume Arena?
Resolume Arena outputs video to a second screen (or virtual display). LED Strip Studio captures that output in real time and maps it onto the physical layout of your LED installation. You draw the position of each LED strip or tube on a 2D canvas matching your actual space, and the software handles the conversion from video pixels to LED pixels automatically.
Does the ventilation system interfere with the LED installation?
Not at all. The pixel LED tubes in aluminium profiles are arranged in parallel rows with deliberate gaps between them. Ventilation ducts pass through these gaps undisturbed. The key is planning the grid layout around the existing ductwork before installation begins.
How durable are pixel LED tubes in a nightclub environment?
In our experience at Trafo, very durable. The aluminium profiles act as a mechanical shield — they absorb bumps and contact from guests while the LED tube inside remains protected. After five years of heavy weekend use, there has been no serious damage to the LED elements themselves.
What is the difference between LED walls and pixel LED tube ceilings?
LED walls use self-contained panel modules with built-in driver electronics — they are modular, bright, and suited to rectangular flat surfaces. Pixel LED tube installations use flexible addressable strips or tubes in profiles and are better for covering complex, non-rectangular geometries like the Trafo ceiling. They are also thinner, making them ideal for low-ceiling spaces where every centimetre matters.
Can one system control both the ceiling and the LED walls?
Yes. At Trafo, the operator controls both from a single Resolume Arena session. The ceiling receives its signal via LED Strip Studio pixel mapping on the primary output, while the LED walls are driven directly from Resolume’s second monitor output. Both are synchronised within the same show file, so lighting changes across the entire venue happen from one place.