{"id":5801,"date":"2026-06-24T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/?p=5801"},"modified":"2026-06-24T06:08:46","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T04:08:46","slug":"projections-from-architectural-heritage-to-natural-heritage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/en\/projections-from-architectural-heritage-to-natural-heritage\/","title":{"rendered":"Projections: from architectural heritage to natural heritage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"is-style-chapo wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>If historic buildings and architectural heritage have long contributed to the glory of monumental projections, natural environments and living heritage now reveal a renewed artistic interest and reflect the naturalistic concerns at play. This shift aligns with a broader technological movement toward more eco-compatible practices.<br\/> <\/strong><strong><br\/><\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Artistic events have embraced monumental projection as a creative mode of occupying public space, one that adapts particularly well to urban heritage (cathedrals, fa\u00e7ades of historic monuments). Buildings endowed with historical and symbolic significance prove to be ideal projection settings, well suited to technological spectacle designed to be seen by the widest possible audience. Architectural heritage is therefore especially predisposed to hosting such demonstrations, and major studios have specialized in 3D mapping on heritage sites. Artist <a href=\"https:\/\/ribeirobruno.com\/\">Bruno Ribeiro<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/momentfactory.com\/fr\">Moment Factory<\/a>, for instance, reshaped the dome of Les Invalides through the <a href=\"https:\/\/aura-invalides.com\/fr_FR\/\">Aura Invalides<\/a> installation. Others, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/av-extended.com\/\">AV Extended,<\/a> Studios <a href=\"https:\/\/www.creativlight.fr\/\">Creativ Light<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inook.com\/\">Inook<\/a>, have created multiple configurations\u2014whether thematic or playful\u2014particularly within internationally renowned events such as the F\u00eate des Lumi\u00e8res in Lyon. Beyond city centers, post-industrial sites have also benefited from this form of ephemeral transformation, as illustrated by the mapping presented in 2025 for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.poly.fr\/la-rockhal-celebre-ses-20-ans-entre-musique-et-show-video\/\">twentieth anniversary of the Rockhal<\/a> on the blast furnaces of the former Belval steelworks in Esch-sur-Alzette. Beyond mapping itself, lighting design applied to auxiliary structures\u2014often purpose-built for performance\u2014has also developed. With <a href=\"http:\/\/collectif-coin.com\/projet\/globoscope-1\">Globoscope<\/a>, Collectif Coin deploys series of luminous globes to create a digitized representation of space. In his piece <a href=\"https:\/\/www.crossedlab.org\/project\/frame-perspective-festival-constellations\/\">Frame Perspective<\/a>, notably installed in the Franciscan cloister of the Maison de la R\u00e9gion in Metz, Olivier Ratsi employs geometric anamorphic light architectures to establish a visual dialogue with the surrounding built environment.<br\/>        <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"AURA INVALIDES, le spectacle immersif du D\u00f4me des Invalides \ud83d\udcab\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QJwYTHzisYk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Playing with architecture and water <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond purely heritage and architectural considerations, some artists seek to expand the creative dialogue of mapping toward more naturalistic concerns. This extension particularly involves bodies of water and other liquid surfaces within urban environments (basins, rivers, waterways), which become integral components of the audiovisual treatment devised by artists. With her project <a href=\"https:\/\/martinastella.com\/portfolio\/nuove-visioni-digitali\/\">Tornare Alla Fonte<\/a>, Martina Stella creates a shared artistic surface between the water of a basin and the adjacent architectural walls, working around a principle\u2014expressed directly in the projected words\u2014of returning to the source, both literally and metaphorically, while highlighting restoration efforts dedicated to historic fountains that once played a central role in urban life. \u201cIt was upon discovering this magical site\u2014one of the oldest fountains in Macerata, a city in northern Italy\u2014that I conceived a project whose purpose was to bring people back to the source [editor\u2019s note: the literal translation of Tornare Alla Fonte],\u201d she explains. \u201cIt was somewhat remote and neglected. There was waste in the water and the basins were dirty, but I wanted to shine a light on this place, now located outside the old city walls, although in the fourteenth century it was one of Macerata\u2019s main public squares.\u201d<br\/>    <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bringing architecture and the liquid element together quickly became the project\u2019s modus operandi. \u201cMy initial idea was to project onto the stone and play with reflections in the water, but during testing I realized that the reverberations of the projection between walls and water were particularly compelling,\u201d she continues. \u201cIt became necessary to treat both surfaces in the same way, because for me they form a unified whole. There is no architecture without water, and no water without architecture.\u201d The resulting performance piece, created in collaboration with musician <a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/amadeosavio\">Amadeo Savio<\/a>, developed a metaphorical, ritualistic approach, accompanied by the constant sound of falling water, evoking the rhythm of a deep incantation that envelops the projected phrases. \u201cWhen working with water, the question of depth becomes strongly involved,\u201d she notes, explaining that \u201cit was necessary to actively search for the words on the surface, since depending on the projection angle onto the wall, reflections of certain phrases appeared much deeper than expected,\u201d thereby distorting the perceived depth of the basin itself. This exploration of texture and text resonates with her ongoing doctoral research on the concept of emersive mapping\u2014a framework linking political and relational concerns rather than spectacle in public space, and drawing on the principle of emersion, which evokes emerging sensations produced by a living body.<br\/>   <\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Mist as a projection surface<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other creations further demonstrate the possibilities offered by water. During the 2025 edition of the Signal Festival in Prague, audiences encountered the project <a href=\"https:\/\/www.signalfestival.com\/en\/history\/2025\/tzolkin-light\/\">Tzolk\u2019in Light<\/a> by Taiwanese studio Peppercorns, featuring geometric forms projected onto a mist surface. This work recalls the seminal piece <a href=\"https:\/\/joanielemercier.com\/constellations\/\">Constellations<\/a> by Studio Lemercier, led by artist Joanie Lemercier and artistic director Juliette Bibasse. In this case, however, the installation benefits from breaking the physical distance between device and audience characteristic of Tzolk\u2019in Light\u2014where spectators remain on the riverbank while the installation unfolds midstream\u2014and instead fully integrates a sensory dimension aligned with Martina Stella\u2019s emersive approach.<br\/>  <br\/><br\/>Created in 2018, Constellations forms part of a broader body of work by the studio, including more contemplative projects such as <a href=\"https:\/\/joanielemercier.com\/brume\/\">Brume<\/a> and the permanent installation <a href=\"https:\/\/fisheyeimmersive.com\/article\/dans-les-coulisses-lightfall-loeuvre-sensible-du-studio-lemercier\/\">Lightfall in Miami,<\/a> all reflecting the duo\u2019s sustained interest in working with fully immersive water curtains. \u201cOur starting point in working with water came from a desire to move beyond the screen and toward immersive, sensory devices,\u201d emphasizes Juliette Bibasse. \u201cThere is no projection surface more intangible or magical than water. It allows us to create an image suspended in space, appearing almost like an apparition.\u201d The sensory dimension is essential within such installations. \u201cWe try to allow audiences to pass through the image, to enter it, to feel this barely perceptible mist,\u201d she adds. \u201cFor me, this represents an additional layer in our work\u2014this idea of sensation has become absolutely essential. The presence of water is also increasing in our practice. We are currently developing a new work based on a drip-by-drip mechanism that will be presented at HEC in August.\u201d<br\/>    \u201d<\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"CONSTELLATIONS\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/324872156?dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Reconnecting with living systems<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Water as a central subject in digital installations? The phenomenon is far from isolated in this era often described as the Anthropocene, marked by pressing questions surrounding access to water. Many artists are therefore redirecting their aesthetic choices and mapping surfaces toward more critical and political dimensions. With projects such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.1024architecture.net\/projects\/lightwave\/\">Lightwave<\/a> and Phorest\u2014now renamed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.1024architecture.net\/projects\/phorest\">Plankton<\/a>, a large rectangular surface composed of 500 bamboo stakes that generate a pulsating, meditative choreography evocative of ocean movements\u2014studio 1024 Architecture demonstrates this commitment to re-engaging with natural heritage. \u201cThis is one of our current research directions,\u201d explains Fran\u00e7ois Wunschel. \u201cReconnecting with nature and landscape, and emancipating ourselves from computing\u2014at least regarding the operational aspects of implementation.\u201d The studio\u2019s forthcoming project, tentatively titled Sauterelles and scheduled for presentation at the next edition of Chroniques, will combine bamboo structures and LEDs.<br\/>     <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1024-PHOREST-2025-Nicolas-Trouillard-01-1800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5796\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1024-PHOREST-2025-Nicolas-Trouillard-01-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1024-PHOREST-2025-Nicolas-Trouillard-01-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1024-PHOREST-2025-Nicolas-Trouillard-01-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1024-PHOREST-2025-Nicolas-Trouillard-01-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1024-PHOREST-2025-Nicolas-Trouillard-01-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1024-PHOREST-2025-Nicolas-Trouillard-01-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">1024 PHOREST &#8211; 2025 &#8211; Nicolas Trouillard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over recent years, Studio Lemercier has similarly expressed this naturalistic inclination through works such as All <a href=\"https:\/\/joanielemercier.com\/all-the-trees\/\">The Trees<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/joanielemercier.com\/prairie\/\">Prairie<\/a>, involving projections within natural environments and advocating a more low-tech, \u201cconscious, measured and reasonable\u201d use of technology, particularly regarding energy consumption. In 2024, the studio even created a \u201cstudio within the studio,\u201d Solar Lab, dedicated to supporting projects more directly connected to real-world ecological contexts and revolving around the concept of the \u201cthird landscape.\u201d \u201cFor our project All The Trees, we wanted to talk about all trees, without focusing on exceptional specimens\u2014century-old trees or whatever classifications we often impose,\u201d Juliette Bibasse explains. \u201cWorking with the third landscape means paying attention to plants that have seeded and reseeded themselves in neglected or abandoned spaces.\u201d In this sense, Solar Lab explores both botanical gardens and urban wastelands, enabling the development of local nature-based projects without transporting audiences into fragile wild environments. \u201cIn projects such as All The Trees or Prairie, we are not working with mapping at all,\u201d she adds. \u201cWe deliberately limited color palettes and rhythms. What is truly beautiful in these works is the geometric structure created by nature itself\u2014extremely detailed and refined. Since we aim to minimize technological tools, we use lasers, for which Joanie has developed deep expertise, as they require compact batteries and recharge quickly.\u201d     \u201d<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The sky as a surface of expression<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lasers are also the central tool of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.crossedlab.org\/project\/exo-v2-felicie-destienne-dorves\/\">Exo<\/a>, a project by digital artist F\u00e9licie D\u2019Estienne d\u2019Orves and composer Julie Rousse, which uses the most visible natural surface of all\u2014the sky\u2014as its medium. In this case, there is no mapping or projected imagery, but rather a real-time reading of a score composed of celestial objects (planets, stars, exoplanets, galaxies, black holes, supernovae, pulsars), tracked by a laser acting as a gigantic reading head. Developed over several years\u2014particularly following an artist residency in the high-altitude Atacama Desert in Chile, along with multiple scientific collaborations, notably with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lam.fr\/\">CEA and the Marseille Astrophysics Laboratory<\/a>\u2014the project first materialized in 2018, before being recently restaged in July at Domaine Aubrun near Aix-en-Provence. \u201cThe project\u2019s aesthetic relies on the real-time perception of celestial objects present in the sky on the evening of the performance,\u201d explains F\u00e9licie D\u2019Estienne d\u2019Orves. \u201cEach sound composed by Julie corresponds to a celestial object whose characteristics, distance from Earth and precise position are known. We also collaborated with Fabio Acero, an astrophysicist at the CEA, who developed visualization tools categorizing objects by type and distance, and programmed a customized sky map.\u201d<br\/>    <br\/><br\/>Live performance provides wide visual freedom and amplitude for spectators, who can follow the laser ascending into the sky and pointing toward celestial bodies in a full-scale naturalistic orchestration. \u201cEach performance adapts to the sky map of the day,\u201d she continues. \u201cWe select around one hundred objects to be pointed to during the performance, based on their position, distance and type. The sound composition evolves in relation to the sculptural qualities of the lasers and the dynamic lines traced across the sky.\u201d<br\/>   <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/&#xA9;Gregoire-Edouard_EXO_2-1-1800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5797\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u00a9 Gre\u0301goire E\u0301douard EXO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Rare natural sites for large-scale public presentation <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The existence of a venue such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carrieres-lumieres.com\/fr\">Carri\u00e8res des Lumi\u00e8res<\/a> demonstrates that this turn toward natural environments as sites for creation and presentation can deeply resonate with large audiences. Managed since 2012 by Culturespaces\u2014which also operates urban immersive venues such as <br\/>  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.atelier-lumieres.com\/fr\">L\u2019Atelier des Lumi\u00e8res<\/a> in Paris and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bassins-lumieres.com\/fr?srsltid=AfmBOori6-R4mkiRxXk20GTj7IA6u9JGKOYxkb1s6DigU90jAvF1Ujft\">Bassin des Lumi\u00e8res<\/a> in Bordeaux, respectively located in a former metal foundry and a former Second World War submarine base\u2014Carri\u00e8res des Lumi\u00e8res stands out as the only projection and 3D mapping venue located within a fully natural environment, near the village of Les Baux-de-Provence. Its distinctive aesthetic identity is rooted in the specific character of the site itself, defined by towering granite blocks that create strong verticality. <em>\u201cCarri\u00e8res des Lumi\u00e8res is a vast and impressive space\u2014over 2,500 square meters of floor area\u2014with the appearance of an underground cathedral formed by massive granite pillars,\u201d<\/em> confirms Gr\u00e9goire Monnier, director of Culturespaces Studio. \u201cWe project images up to ten meters high, and in some areas even beyond twenty meters, reaching the ceiling. To adapt to such a unique topography, we deploy a highly flexible projection system. We have chosen to multiply the number of projectors to cover every corner of stone surrounding visitors.  \u201d <\/p>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1200\" src=\"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Frida_Kahlo__en_plein_coeur-_Culturespaces___Vincent_Pinson-81419-1-1800x1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5798\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Frida_Kahlo__en_plein_coeur-_Culturespaces___Vincent_Pinson-81419-1-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Frida_Kahlo__en_plein_coeur-_Culturespaces___Vincent_Pinson-81419-1-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Frida_Kahlo__en_plein_coeur-_Culturespaces___Vincent_Pinson-81419-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Frida_Kahlo__en_plein_coeur-_Culturespaces___Vincent_Pinson-81419-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Frida_Kahlo__en_plein_coeur-_Culturespaces___Vincent_Pinson-81419-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Frida_Kahlo__en_plein_coeur-_Culturespaces___Vincent_Pinson-81419-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Frida Kahlo en plein coeur &#8211; Culturespaces &#8211; Vincent Pinson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Granite, however, presents significant technical challenges, both visually and acoustically.  <em>\u201cThe granite makes things considerably more complex,\u201d Monnier notes.<\/em> Monnier notes.<em>\u201cThere are numerous echoes in the quarry\u2014it is essentially every acoustician\u2019s nightmare. To compensate, we use highly directional speakers: when you stand in a specific location, you hear only the speakers aimed at that area, not those positioned farther away. For image projection, the granite is relatively light in color, which is not ideal in terms of contrast. We therefore dedicate substantial effort to calibrating our image settings to ensure that each color appears as faithfully as possible.\u201d    <\/em>By focusing exhibitions on works by major classical artists (Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso) or thematic universes such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carrieres-lumieres.com\/fr\/legypte-pharaons\"><em>L\u2019\u00c9gypte des Pharaons<\/em><\/a> in 2024\u2014whose raw, mineral qualities proved particularly suited to the site <em>\u2014<\/em> Carri\u00e8res des Lumi\u00e8res achieves a synergy between immersive proposals designed for broad audiences and the occupation of a unique environment already aligned with this emerging direction toward natural spaces. \u201cIn reality, Carri\u00e8res des Lumi\u00e8res is often visitors\u2019 favorite site,\u201d Monnier observes. \u201cYet it is essentially just a cavity carved into a mountain. You enter through a modest doorway, only to find yourself in an immense space. There is something deeply surreal about discovering such a place, whose existence is barely imaginable from the outside.\u201d Its exceptional nature also underscores the scarcity of natural sites capable of accommodating large audiences for such performances, given the fragility of their ecosystems. In this sense, it both confirms and embodies the increasingly prominent trend toward eco-compatible artistic and technological practices\u2014one that now engages studios, programmers and large audiences as much as visionary contemporary creators.   <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"is-style-signature wp-block-paragraph\"><br\/><br\/>Laurent Catala<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If historic buildings and architectural heritage have long contributed to the glory of monumental projections, natural environments and living heritage [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":5802,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[39,41,38],"class_list":["post-5801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-expert","tag-distribution-mediation","tag-ecology","tag-hybrid-creation","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5801","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5801"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5801\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5804,"href":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5801\/revisions\/5804"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hacnumedia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}