Vioso and MP-Studio have delivered a large-scale projection mapping installation at the Defenders of Stara Zagora Memorial Complex, transforming a 50m monument into an immersive audiovisual experience to mark Bulgaria’s National Holiday.
Titled Memory, the installation used the monument itself as a narrative canvas, with projected content mapped onto sculptural elements including the Samara Flag and figures representing the defenders of Stara Zagora. The result was a tightly integrated visual experience, where media appeared to emerge directly from the structure’s geometry.
At the core of the project was a digital-first workflow designed to handle the monument’s complex surfaces. MP-Studio created a high-resolution digital twin using drone-based photogrammetry, processed via RealityScan for Unreal Engine. This model was then imported into Vioso’s ProjectionTools software, where feature markers were applied to key structural elements to ensure accurate correlation between the digital model and the physical monument.
This approach enabled precise mapping across irregular geometry, avoiding the limitations of traditional flat-surface workflows.
A key technical achievement came in the calibration phase. Using ProjectionTools’ camera-based workflow, the team completed warping, blending and geometric alignment across the entire installation in just 15 minutes, a significant reduction compared to manual calibration methods. The compressed setup time proved critical for the one-day live event, where installation windows were limited and system reliability was paramount.
The projection system comprised three 20,000-lumen and six 16,000-lumen projectors from Epson, each delivering 1920 × 1200 resolution. Despite the scale of the projection surface, playback was handled via a single Anystation 4K server running Exaplay 3 with HAP-encoded media.
All nine projectors were driven from this single server using splitters, creating a synchronised high-resolution output while avoiding the complexity of a multi-server architecture. This streamlined approach reduced both system footprint and potential points of failure.
Marin Dimitrov of MP-Studio said: “Working on a monument of this complexity requires absolute confidence in both the calibration and playback pipeline.
“The combination of photogrammetry and camera-based calibration allowed us to achieve precise alignment across highly detailed geometry, while the speed of the workflow was critical given the constraints of a one-day event.
“Running the entire system from a single compact server also simplified deployment significantly, without compromising performance.”
Raul Vandenburg, executive director of Vioso, added: “We’re very pleased to have supported MP-Studio on a project of this scale and significance. It demonstrates how combining camera-based calibration with efficient media playback can simplify complex projection mapping workflows, while still delivering the precision required for demanding architectural surfaces. Being trusted to play a role in such a culturally important installation is something we value highly.”