West Bund Museum Shanghai

In December 2023, the West Bund Museum in Shanghai celebrated the opening of its immersive and interactive room “Deep Space Future”. This room takes advantage of the full spectrum of possibilities immersive technologies offer and thus fulfills the requirements of a world‑renowned museum. The media presentation captivates with a stunning wall and floor projection equipped with eight state-of-the-art laser projectors. Hence, visitors experience numerous interactive applications in tremendous resolution.

Immersive Presentation with Room‑Filling Projections

With this latest export of immersive technology, Garamantis once again were able to support their Austrian partner Ars Electronica Solutions in the technical planning and commissioning on-site in China. This project requires expertise in the fusion of sophisticated software and potent hardware. By combining traditional art forms such as music, theater, and painting with cutting-edge technology Deep Space Future offers the audience an unequaled and highly interactive experience. The room can do without VR headsets and any additional technical equipment and still provides one-of-a-kind immersive experiences. The visitor group stands together in the middle of this virtual reality, able to admire it with their own plain eyes and to influence it directly through their own movement.

Projection Space for Virtual Experiences

The application “Uniview”, for example, facilitates the exploration of outer space by means of interstellar travel. Visitor groups can literally wish themselves away to almost any location in the universe. Their faster-than-light journey to the desired destination, calculated and visualized in real time, begins.

The application “The Last Supper” transports visitors back in time and space to late 15^th century Milan where a historic and artistic adventure awaits them. With the help of an interactive gigapixel image of the eponymous painting, together they discover the secrets hidden in da Vinci’s masterpiece.

In the application “Venice revealed” the audience can immersive themselves in Venice’s past, present, and future. Visitors poignantly experience how the French artist Raoul Dufy found inner peace and happiness on his travels.

In contrast to the conventional museum experience, this immersive room allows visitors to delve deep into science and arts and at the same time move about freely. Each of the interactive applications offers the audience extensive digital content as well as a lasting experience.

15,000 Visitors in Only Three Weeks

Michael Mondria, Managing Director of Ars Electronica Solutions, describes the Deep Space as a place that appeals to all the senses and touches the soul. It is not just an experiential space for visitors. Being a platform for artistic and technological experimentation, it also brings about new impulses and inspiration. The impressive number of 15,000 visitors the West Bund Museum has attracted in the first three weeks alone since the opening of the exhibition also reflects this fascination.

The West Bund Museum: A Center for the Arts in Shanghai

In the past years, the up‑and‑coming Shanghai West Bund district has evolved from an industrial neighborhood to a thriving arts and design hot spot. In line with the urban development concept “Shanghai 2035”, the West Bund Museum has established itself as one of the district’s leading institutions. It is dedicated to a multitude of different art genres and promotes international exchange, making it the ideal location for the “Deep Space Future”.

Photos: Kati Romics / Ars Electronica Solutions