obscura digital: sheikh zayed grand mosque projections

’40th anniversary – united arab emirates national day celebration’ projection mapping by obscura digital

san francisco-based obscura digital developed the sheikh zayed grand mosque projections project, conducted for the 2011 united arab emirates national day. forty-four projectors with a combined brightness of 840,000 lumens covered the 600 x 351 ft high surface area of the architectural landmark of abu dhabi. the three dimensional mapping created an series of bright, stylized architectural projections that illuminate the façade, four minarets and twelve domes of the mosque. the show featured illuminated designs mirroring both historical imagery and the artistic styles found in the structure and decoration of the mosque. projected depictions include palms, pentagonal geometry, gardens of paradise, the qibla wall, the mehrab, architectural motifs, night skies and cycles of the moon, and humanity depicted with the earth.

video of the obscura digital light installation

the images incorporated into the installation echoed architectural motifs observed in the existing mosque

3D mapping enabled the artists to predetermine the architectural illumination

the flat walls with intricate carved detail told a moving story of the building and the UAE history