With three weeks to concept, design, and deliver a multi-act narrative experience, we were tasked with projection mapping one of the most recognizable structures in the world.
The Washington Monument stands 555 feet tall and presents a uniquely vertical canvas with minimal surface detail. It had only been projected onto once before—and only from a single side. This required us to develop a full strategy for wrapping content around the structure in a way that felt intentional from every major vantage point across the National Mall.
From the outset, we prioritized clarity of story over spectacle. The scale of the monument demanded restraint. Compositions had to read from a distance, transitions had to respect the vertical format, and pacing had to work for both live spectators and broadcast audiences. Sound design was integrated early to support narrative weight without relying on visual density.
To streamline production across a distributed team, we built a flexible UV-based pipeline that allowed artists to work as if designing for a vertical screen while maintaining accurate 3D previs. This ensured that content could wrap, mirror, or adapt to multiple faces of the monument without rebuilding scenes from scratch.
On-site testing quickly revealed how the monument would truly behave under projection. Ambient light from the city significantly reduced perceived black levels, requiring us to rebalance contrast and color to play to the strengths of the environment rather than fight it.
Content delivery across the projection network required careful coordination. Because all playback stations had to receive updated content before it could be projected, revisions demanded deliberate timing and verification.
Weather presented an additional challenge. High winds throughout the week required frequent recalibration of the projection system to maintain alignment across the full height of the structure. Close coordination between our team and the projection crew ensured the show remained stable and visually cohesive despite changing conditions.
Large-scale public work demands trust between teams. This project succeeded because that trust was present across every department—from content to playback to on-site technical execution.
This project premiered on New Year’s Eve as a live event for thousands gathered on the National Mall, and millions watching around the world, culminating in a countdown and ball drop projected directly onto the Monument. It was included in national and international broadcasts and ran nightly through January 5th, with multiple shows each evening.
We continued refining and adding content throughout the run, responding to how it played in real-world conditions and to the energy of the audience. That flexibility is part of how we work—nothing is ever treated as “locked” just because it shipped.
The response was overwhelming. Hearing people ask whether it should become a yearly tradition—or suggest that parts of the projection should become permanent—was something we’ll carry with us for a long time.
It was an honor to take this on.
