Moment Factory, the multimedia entertainment studio specialising in the conception and production of immersive environments, is celebrating the launch of AURA Invalides in Paris.
The experience combines light, orchestral music, and video mapping to immerse visitors in the beauty and heritage of the Dôme des Invalides. It offers visitors a new perspective on this iconic building – which houses Napoleon’s tomb.
The site-specific work opened on 22 September, and is the first project from Moment Factory’s AURA series to take place in Europe. It was created in partnership with the Musée de l’Armée and produced by France’s cultural agency, Cultival, in support of the agency’s drive to encourage new sustainable attractions with a focus on innovative cultural and tourism projects.
AURA Invalides invites visitors to participate in a sensory journey that lasts for around 50 minutes. They enter at night and are guided by lights through the Dôme des Invalides’ six chapels. Here, the previously unseen slowly comes into view, as the attendees become more sensitive to their surroundings.
Audiences of all ages are captivated as they share in the immersive collective experience which evokes a feeling of connection – both amongst the audience members themselves, and with the historical landmark.
Visitors will be awed by this beautiful presentation of the dome’s architecture and the eloquent recounting of its history. Those who are familiar with the site will enjoy a spectacular reimagining of their beloved landmark and will engage with the building in an entirely new way.
The rich content, with a 360-degree panorama, large projection surface and fine details, has much to discover. This encourages audiences to return for repeat viewings in order to further explore the multi-faceted experience.
A celebration in three acts
The experience takes place in three acts that represent different aspects of the dome’s history, revealing the building’s original construction (movement I), the memories it animates (movement II), and its ability to inspire (movement III).
The Moment Factory team wished to celebrate the work of architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart, who created the iconic dome, and the multitude of talented architects and artisans who have contributed to the building. The team worked closely with chief curators at Musée de l’Armée to develop a historically accurate experience which reveals the spirit, or aura, of the building.
The immersive, sensory experience has been designed to capture visitors’ imaginations, explore previously unseen aspects of the dome’s extraordinary architecture and find a new appreciation for this famous landmark.
Overcoming technical challenges
AURA Invalides is an ambitious, complex installation which took two years to develop. The Dôme des Invalides is one of the most complex projection surfaces that Moment Factory has worked on, requiring the mapping of over 45 million pixels across a projection surface of 3,500 square meters. In particular, the dome provided a significant technical challenge, with a height of over 90 metres and a minimum diameter of 30 metres.
Not only does the dome offer technical challenges for projection, but it also creates an unusual acoustic environment with nearly 10 seconds of reverberation. In response, the technical and creative teams at Moment Factory developed a concept of seamless technical integration that utilised multiple projectors and spatialised sound, in an installation which was sensitive to the historic architecture and its protected historic monument status.
The studio’s objective was to develop a totally immersive experience, combining light, visuals, and sound in this complex space. The score reflects each of the experience’s three movements. Over 55 musicians were required to perform the modern orchestral score, which incorporates synthesizers, percussion, drums, machines, and voices.
The combination of audio and visuals enhances the immersive effect. This score is combined with video mapping and lighting to envelop visitors in the experience, encouraging an emotional response to the architectural masterpiece.
Extensive portfolio in the region
Moment Factory has been in France for over seven years, during which time it has completed a variety of large-scale projects and established strong relationships with local partners. AURA Invalides is the entertainment studio’s most recent project in France.
Other projects in the country have included events for Moët & Chandon and Renault, installations for Grand Magic Hotel and Le Pasino Partouche, collaborations with artists including Bigflo & Oli and Jain, and nighttime events such as Alta Lumina and Oceana Lumina.
The multimedia studio has also supported projects celebrating the region’s heritage, with Regalia, an award-winning project displayed on the facades of the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims, and the Basilica of Saint-Rémi, and Soissons en Lumières amongst its portfolio.
Moment Factory recently shared details of its immersive art experience Miroir Miroir, which was installed at Place Bonaventure in Montreal. This new attraction was inspired by the human mind and its endless capacity for creativity.
