Think about simple projectors, where you get to see movies on your living room wall or on a curtain surface while camping. Now that idea has been pushed so creatively to encompass projecting countless forms of videos on different surfaces. The simplest idea of this is the way Burj Khalifa lights up in different motions and images based on occasions. Projection mapping is a peculiar technology that gives life to static objects and transforms them into dynamic displays of light and motion.
Emerging from humble origins in the 1960s with Disney’s Haunted Mansion, the idea of projection mapping has rapidly evolved to become a tool for crafting immersive experiences in advertising, architecture, and art. In this article, we’ll dive into what projection mapping is and showcase 10 of the most spectacular examples from the past few years.
What is Projection Mapping?
In technical terms, projection mapping is the process of projecting any kind of video content onto a surface other than the traditional flat screen. So, this could range from buildings, curvilinear objects, landscapes, or whatever shape the experience calls for.
The way it happens is by aligning the projected visuals with the physical contours of a surface, hence turning these 3D objects into interactive displays. The technique has evolved from early use in theme parks to its modern-day creative applications in advertising, architecture, art exhibitions, and large-scale events.
Actually if you give it some thought, projection mapping is kind of like painting with light. Instead of covering a blank canvas with paint, you can project dynamic visuals onto any non-linear surface, and that on its own is a special kind of art. For example, in marketing, companies use it to create memorable brand experiences, like when Adidas projected their “All In” campaign onto Marseille’s Palais du Pharo.
Borderless World by TeamLab
Borderless World is a celebrated immersive digital art exhibit in Tokyo, Japan, created by the visionary art group teamLab. Spanning 10,000 square meters, it includes over 50 installations powered by 520 computers and 470 projectors.The exhibition immerses visitors in an endless, fluid universe where art and audience merge seamlessly. It eliminates the separation between artwork and viewer, with visuals reacting instantly to movement and interaction.
This enchanting, surreal experience is a permanent feature at The Mori Building Digital Art Museum, recognized as the world’s first digital art museum. The exhibit combines projection mapping, LED lights, sensors, and sound to engage multiple senses, creating a fully interactive digital environment.
Facade Festival in Vancouver
Vancouver’s Façade Festival turns the city’s architecture into a vibrant digital art stage. Hosted annually by the Burrard Arts Foundation, the event features local artists projecting their creations onto the Vancouver Art Gallery. Each night, fresh 3D animations and visual narratives come alive on the gallery’s historic façade, seamlessly blending art with the building’s architectural features.
The festival not only showcases the versatility of projection mapping but also demonstrates its ability to merge urban structures with contemporary art. By using buildings as artistic canvases, it expands the realm of public art, allowing the community to engage with digital media in an outdoor environment.
Berlin Festival of Lights
Berlin’s Festival of Lights is a mesmerizing, free annual spectacle held each September and October, transforming the city into a radiant masterpiece. Since its inception in 2005, iconic landmarks like Brandenburg Gate, the TV Tower, Berlin Cathedral, and Victory Column have been reborn through stunning illuminations, vibrant projections, and intricate 3D mapping.
In 2021, the theme “Creating Tomorrow” illuminated pressing global environmental issues, with artists showcasing sustainability, e-mobility, CO₂ neutrality, renewable energy, and digital innovation. Visitors got to experience a dazzling array of light shows, projections, and video art spread across 70 locations. This turned Berlin’s streets, squares, and buildings into an enchanting canvas that celebrates both its architectural beauty and creative spirit.
Guggenheim Museum by 59 Productions
In 2017, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, 59 Productions unveiled a creative four-day projection mapping spectacle. The museum’s shimmering facade transformed into a vibrant canvas of light. Inspired by Gehry’s vision of curves capturing light, the “Reflections” show fused architecture with illumination to narrate a captivating story.
Leo Warner, founder of 59 Productions, described how “Reflections” took the Guggenheim on a whirlwind journey through a year’s weather and seasons—swift clouds, delicate auroras, intense sunlight, and fierce thunderstorms. The building’s curves morphed into living forms like fish scales and bird feathers then ultimately disintegrated into digital particles. The whole show harmonized with a dynamic musical score that made it more special and immersive.
Ajan Rooli by Janne Ahola
In the 2018 Lux Helsinki light festival, Janne Ahola’s “Ajan Rooli” (The Role of Time) mesmerized audiences by projecting intricate 3D visuals onto the Museum of Finnish Architecture’s historic façade. Using clocks, gears, and flowing nature elements, Ahola intertwined time’s passage with the building’s architectural beauty, making it seem alive and dynamic.
Precision mapping techniques enhanced depth and movement, transforming the static structure into a living narrative of history. Inspired by the museum’s century-long legacy, the installation reflected on creation, evolution, and renewal. Complemented by Aki Päivärinne’s evocative sound design, “Ajan Rooli” offered a captivating exploration of time’s impact on both the past and the ever-changing cityscape.
Région des Lumières
“Région des Lumières” was a large-scale projection mapping project that transformed monuments across the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region into dynamic visual displays. French AV company VIDELIO oversaw the project, which aimed to bring regional history to life through digital storytelling.
The show was powered by an impressive array of 29 Barco UDX projectors and Modulo PI servers, ensuring high-resolution images and smooth transitions. From medieval castles to Romanesque churches, each projection was tailored to the specific monument, blending light art with cultural heritage. Projects like this are a perfect example of how projection mapping can be used to enhance historical education.
Battersea Power Station Animations
Drive Productions illuminated London’s Battersea Power Station to highlight its transformation from a historic power plant to a modern mixed-use complex. The façade was brought to life with dynamic visuals of steam, gears, and industrial machinery, symbolizing the station’s legacy. These animations were interspersed with futuristic scenes, including greenery and modern architecture, representing the building’s new role in the city’s future.
The projection mapping utilized 360,000 lumens of light to create an immersive and visually arresting display. The event not only drew attention to the site’s architectural significance but also served as a public spectacle, marking a new chapter in the station’s history.
Festival of Lights in Kuwait
At the 2019 Festival of Lights in Kuwait, MP Studio created a stunning installation on the façade of the Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre. This display was the centerpiece of the festival as it blended traditional Kuwaiti cultural elements with modern digital art. The projection told the story of Kuwait’s history, using vibrant animations and carefully mapped visuals.
The festival attracted local and international audiences, showcasing how light art can serve as a medium for cultural storytelling. MP Studio’s work was a brilliant demonstration of how projection mapping can fuse history, culture, and architecture, creating a shared visual experience for festival-goers.
The Edge of Government Exhibition
Held during the 2019 World Government Summit in Dubai, “The Edge of Government” was an immersive exhibition that used projection mapping to simulate futuristic environments. Designed by Nohlab in collaboration with Decol, the exhibit transformed the entire space into an interactive digital landscape.
The mapping technology allowed for a highly responsive environment where the visuals seemed to react to the presence and movement of the audience. This installation emphasized the relationship between technology by using abstract visuals to illustrate future challenges and innovations in government. The whole experience was both visually stunning and intellectually engaging.
Seaside by Glowing Atoms
“Seaside” created by the artist duo Glowing Atoms, is an outdoor projection mapping project set along the Dutch coastline. The installation used light projections to animate natural elements such as sand, beach grass, and shells. The projection was carefully mapped to the contours of the shore, with images of flying sand and glowing shells dancing across the beach. It turned the ordinary landscape into a magical visual experience which the team captured and produced into a video.
This artistic approach explored themes of nature, time, and transformation, using light to elicit the beauty and fragility of coastal environments. This installation demonstrated the potential of projecting videos beyond buildings and cityscapes, as it blended seamlessly into natural landscapes to create an ethereal art experience.
