Palace In Motion: Qasr Al Watan

Palace in Motion is a large-scale projection-mapped artwork created for the exterior of Qasr Al Watan, transforming the monumental architecture of the Palace of the Nation into a dynamic animated experience.

Working with 59 Studio, my brief was to bring the palace itself to life using traditional projection mapping techniques — carefully recreating the building’s architectural forms and surface materials in 3D so the animation appeared fully integrated with the physical structure. The goal was to blur the boundary between architecture and motion, creating the illusion that the building was shifting, breathing and transforming in real space.

To achieve this, I modelled and animated sections of the palace in 3ds Max, matching the geometry and material qualities of the real-world structure to ensure the projected imagery aligned convincingly with the building’s intricate façade. Particular attention was given to scale, perspective and lighting so the motion would read clearly across the enormous architectural surface.

For the climactic finale, the palace itself transformed into a falcon and appeared to take flight — a symbolic and visually ambitious sequence that required rigging the palace geometry using skeletal bone systems within 3ds Max. I developed a custom animation setup that allowed the architectural structure to deform and move organically, incorporating stylised wing-beat motion while retaining the recognisable form and grandeur of the palace.

The result was a technically complex and visually striking projection-mapping piece that combined architectural animation, illusion design and large-scale immersive storytelling.