Projection-Mapped Prop Environment — Tech Activation
Overview
An immersive environment for a major tech company's product launch, built from 28 custom-designed sculptural props CNC-fabricated at architectural scale. Visitors walk through a landscape of illuminated objects — each prop precision-mapped with projected content that transforms the physical surfaces into dynamic displays. Props range from 4 to 18 feet tall, fabricated from CNC-milled high-density foam with automotive-grade primer finish, designed specifically as projection surfaces. Six 30K-lumen laser projectors with real-time edge-blending create a seamless content layer across the entire sculptural field.
Mandate
Merge the physical and the digital at architectural scale. Visitors should not be able to distinguish where the object ends and the projection begins. The props are not screens — they are three-dimensional forms that the content inhabits. The product reveal must emerge from within the environment, not be presented on a stage.
Execution Scope
- Prop design in Vectorworks — 28 sculptural forms with projection surface geometry optimized for content mapping
- CNC milling of high-density foam props — 5-axis machining for complex curved surfaces
- Automotive-grade primer and paint finish — matte projection-optimized surface with zero hotspots
- Projection system design — 6 × 30K-lumen laser projectors with real-time edge-blending
- Content mapping — 3D scan of each fabricated prop to generate pixel-accurate projection maps
- Spatial audio design — 48-channel immersive audio system integrated with projection content
- Visitor flow engineering — guided path through sculptural field with embedded wayfinding lighting
- Product reveal integration — projection content sequence building to physical product unveiling within the environment
Constraints
- Projection surface quality requiring automotive-grade finish — any surface imperfection visible under 30K lumens
- CNC foam props at architectural scale requiring structural engineering for public safety in walk-through environment
- Six-projector edge-blending requiring sub-pixel accuracy across all 28 sculptural surfaces
- Venue ambient light requiring full blackout engineering — San Francisco industrial space with 40-foot skylights
- Spatial audio requiring acoustic treatment of industrial space without visible panels
- Guest throughput of 150 per session — props must withstand incidental contact without surface damage
S.I.C. Notes
Systems
Props CNC-milled and finished in LA, shipped in custom foam-lined crates. Structural bases installed first, props positioned using Vectorworks coordinates. Projection system aligned to 3D-scanned prop positions. Audio commissioned after full visual integration.
Intelligence
Venue 3D-scanned for projection geometry planning. Each prop 3D-scanned post-fabrication — projection maps generated from actual surfaces, not design models, eliminating alignment drift. Ambient light measured across full day cycle to specify blackout requirements.
Control
Projection alignment verified from 24 visitor sightline positions. Content playback tested through 50 complete cycles. Product reveal sequence rehearsed with actual product. Audio levels verified against spatial design targets at 12 listener positions.
Operational Metrics
Outcomes
- Product launch described by tech press as the most immersive hardware reveal in the company's history
- Projection-mapped props created social media content that reached 12M organic impressions in first 48 hours
- Zero projection alignment drift across 3 days of continuous operation — 3D scan-to-map workflow validated
- Client commissioned a traveling version of the environment for international launch events