The Projectors and Sound Behind Immersive Exhibitions: Equipment and Spatial Design in Manufacturers’ Case Studies

What equipment, and how many units placed where, create the spaces of immersive digital art venues and projection mapping? At Azabudai Hills, teamLab Borderless uses about 560 projectors, while Bassins des Lumières in Bordeaux, France, chose 102 when it opened. This article selects eight cases from case studies by Panasonic, Epson, Barco and Yamaha and from announcements by venues and organizers, and compares their equipment and spatial design. It also explains terms such as brightness (lumens), unit counts, projection surfaces and spatial audio, within the scope of the sources’ explanations.

In the Tokyo metropolitan area, venues that envelop spaces in images have opened one after another in recent years. In February 2024, teamLab Borderless moved to Azabudai Hills. THE MOVEUM YOKOHAMA by TOYOTA GROUP opened in Yokohama in December 2025, and RÊVE DES LUMIÈRES opened in Ariake, Tokyo, in June 2026. At all three, projector manufacturers are involved as sponsors, special partners or technical supporters and have published information about the equipment.

Manufacturers’ case studies double as product promotion, but they give specific model numbers, unit counts and installation details, offering clues to the spatial design. The history of the venues is traced in our article on the genealogy of immersive museums. This article does not evaluate effects; it sets out the facts about equipment and design found in the sources.

Terms for reading the equipment: Brightness, unit counts, projection surfaces and sound

Brightness: Manufacturers’ materials give projector brightness in lumens (lm). The main models in this article’s cases are 7,000 lm at teamLab Borderless and 13,000 lm at RÊVE DES LUMIÈRES, and THE MOVEUM used 16,000 lm. Outdoors, the permanent show on the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building covers a wall about 110 m wide and about 126 m high with a total of 40 units of 50,000 lm and 30,500 lm models (Panasonic Connect). Trends in new projector models, such as higher brightness, are summarized in our article on laser projector trends 2026.

Unit counts: Covering a wide surface or multiple surfaces means stacking up units. Edge blending, which joins images from multiple projectors, and geometric correction, which fits images to curved surfaces, are explained in our explainer on how projection mapping works.

Projection surfaces: Projection is not limited to walls. The cases in this article include floors, three-dimensional objects, fabric, water surfaces and the curved exterior wall of a building. Projecting onto floors also requires measures against the shadows of visitors walking on them.

Sound: Yamaha introduces “AFC Image” as an object-based sound image control system. In 2025 the company consolidated all its immersive technologies under the new brand “Sound xR.” Its product page describes “Sound xR Image” as a system that controls the direction of sound within a space. In venues’ announcements, sound design is indicated by the number of speakers or by terms such as “spatialized sound system.”

Cases at venues in Japan: teamLab and THE MOVEUM

MORI Building DIGITAL ART MUSEUM: EPSON teamLab Borderless (Azabudai, Tokyo)

According to Epson, about 560 projectors were installed throughout the museum. The space that requires the most units is the wide and complex exhibition space of the work “Universe of Water Particles on a Rock where People Gather.” In an interview with the company, teamLab explained that because large numbers of people walk on the floor onto which interactive images are projected, it projects from multiple directions so that shadows are less likely to appear.

For works in small rooms, it uses ultra-short-throw lenses that can project a wide image from a short distance, and also makes use of lens shift with a wide range of movement. Software that controls hundreds of units of different models at once shortens on-site adjustment time, and if some equipment becomes unusable, other projectors can compensate thanks to their wide range of movement. The models were chosen after testing actual units for their ability to reproduce deep blacks.

Venue/event: MORI Building DIGITAL ART MUSEUM: EPSON teamLab Borderless (Azabudai, Minato City, Tokyo; permanent)
Period: From February 9, 2024
Equipment used: About 560 Epson projectors (main model: the 7,000 lm “EB-PU1007B”) and about 540 Epson computers (“MR8400”)
Spatial and staging features: Multidirectional projection onto floors, ultra-short-throw lenses, centralized control of hundreds of units
Sources: Epson announcement (August 8, 2023), sponsorship page, interview with teamLab

THE MOVEUM YOKOHAMA by TOYOTA GROUP (Yamashita Pier, Yokohama)

The venue opened in Yamashita Pier Shed No. 4, which handled logistics from the postwar years through the period of rapid economic growth. The official website describes it as a pillar-free space of about 6,000 m² supported by a Showa-era truss structure. Epson’s announcement said that in a space of about 1,800 m², a total of 75 high-brightness projectors with ultra-short-throw zero-offset lenses, together with sound, create an immersive experience.

The main model is the 16,000 lm “EB-PQ2216B,” which accepts 4K signal input and displays 4K image quality on screen using two-axis shift technology. Of the ultra-short-throw zero-offset lens “ELPLX01S,” Epson explains that it can project images of up to 1,000 inches, allowing large screens with fewer units. “Impressionist Monet and Ukiyo-e” began on Saturday, October 24 (program introduction).

Venue/event: THE MOVEUM YOKOHAMA by TOYOTA GROUP (Naka Ward, Yokohama). The exhibition at the time of the announcement was “Vienna Fin-de-Siècle Art: The Golden Age of Beauty”
Period: From December 20, 2025 (that exhibition was extended through June 28, 2026)
Equipment used: A total of 75 Epson high-brightness projectors (main model: “EB-PQ2216B”) and the ultra-short-throw zero-offset lens “ELPLX01S”
Spatial and staging features: Images and sound in the pillar-free shed (about 1,800 m² according to Epson’s announcement)
Sources: Epson Japan press release (December 18, 2025), venue’s official website

Cases from the “Lumières” series: Paris, Bordeaux and Tokyo

France’s Culturespaces has opened “Lumières” venues in various locations, enveloping industrial heritage sites and other buildings in images. Even within the same series, the manufacturer it works with differs by location and period.

Atelier des Lumières (Paris, France)

Housed in a foundry building built in 1835, it became a digital art center in 2018. The official website’s experience page says it is equipped with 140 video projectors and a spatialized sound system across an area of 3,300 m². The “Hall,” which shows long and short programs, covers 1,500 m², and according to the press page, the images cover the floor and walls more than 10 m high. There is also a tower that uses mirrors to show the images.

Venue/event: Atelier des Lumières (Paris)
Period: From 2018
Equipment used: 140 video projectors and a spatialized sound system (the official website does not name the manufacturers)
Spatial and staging features: Projection onto the floor and walls over 10 m high in the Hall (1,500 m²); a mirror tower
Sources: official website (experience page), Culturespaces press page

Bassins des Lumières (Bordeaux, France)

Set in a former World War II submarine base, it opened on June 10, 2020. According to Barco, there are roughly 14,000 m² of surfaces available for projection. Culturespaces chose a total of 102 laser projectors: 72 F80-Q12, 27 G60-W10 and three UDX-W32 units. The UDX-W32s handle the largest walls. The images are reflected on the water surfaces of four huge basins, and visitors enter the works by walking along walkways and quays.

The more than 100 projectors can be monitored remotely 24 hours a day. Barco cited the sheer size of the structure and the humidity of the submarine base as challenges. In December 2019, Culturespaces renewed its partnership with Barco, selecting it for three years as the exclusive projection technology partner for existing and future projects. The two also agreed on the delivery of 168 new laser projectors and a maintenance contract covering all the equipment.

Venue/event: Bassins des Lumières (Bordeaux)
Period: Opened June 10, 2020
Equipment used: 102 Barco laser projectors (72 F80-Q12, 27 G60-W10 and three UDX-W32)
Spatial and staging features: Projection onto about 14,000 m² of surfaces and reflections on the water of four basins; 24-hour remote monitoring
Sources: Barco press release (September 1, 2020), case study

RÊVE DES LUMIÈRES (Ariake, Tokyo)

It opened on Friday, June 12, 2026, on the 8th floor of TOKYO DREAM PARK. Epson Sales Japan is its technical support partner, and Yamaha Sound Systems is a sponsor (TV Asahi announcement). According to Epson, more than 100 projectors, including the 13,000 lm “EB-PU2213B,” project onto the walls and floor. According to TV Asahi’s September 2025 announcement, the space covers about 1,200 m² and has about 60 speakers.

Epson Sales Japan said it would conduct technical verification in order to provide technologies for stable operation and maintenance. The items include image adjustment across multiple projectors, image shake caused by vibration from the building and air conditioning, and remote monitoring of operating status. The program is covered in our article on RÊVE DES LUMIÈRES.

Venue/event: RÊVE DES LUMIÈRES (8th floor of TOKYO DREAM PARK, Koto City, Tokyo)
Period: From June 12, 2026
Equipment used: More than 100 Epson high-brightness projectors (main model: the 13,000 lm “EB-PU2213B”) and about 60 speakers
Spatial and staging features: Projection onto the walls and floor of a space of about 1,200 m²
Sources: Epson Sales Japan announcement (September 25, 2025), TV Asahi announcements (September 25, 2025, May 12, 2026)

Cases of outdoor projection and spatial audio: An exterior wall in Takanawa and the YORUNOYO dome

TAKANAWA LIGHT JOURNEY (in front of Takanawa Gateway Station, Tokyo)

This projection mapping show was held in February 2026 at “Gateway Park” in front of Takanawa Gateway Station. The projection target was the exterior wall of THE LINKPILLAR 1 at TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY, which has a three-layer structure with depth, and the building itself is curved. The 36 m × 7 m main image was projected with four 3-chip DLP projectors.

In addition, moving mirrors, made by attaching mirror heads to the lenses of two projectors, moved images onto the walls, ceiling and ground outside the main screen. Panasonic describes this as the first moving-mirror staging system used in outdoor projection mapping in Japan. After setting a reference viewing position, the team adjusted the images so they would also work when seen from other positions, and applied masking for geometric and distortion correction.

Venue/event: TAKANAWA LIGHT JOURNEY (“Gateway Park” in front of Takanawa Gateway Station)
Period: February 5–11, 2026
Equipment used: Panasonic 3-chip DLP laser projectors (two “PT-RQ35KJ” and four “PT-RQ25KJ”), two moving mirrors, and the “ET-FMP50” media processor
Spatial and staging features: Projection onto a curved three-layer exterior wall (36 m × 7 m), with images, sound, lighting and fountains linked
Sources: Panasonic Connect case study

The “Cross Dome” at YORUNOYO 2021 (Minato Mirai, Yokohama)

In 2021, YORUNOYO, an art illumination event in Minato Mirai, Yokohama, installed Yamaha’s “AFC Image” in the “Cross Dome” at Shinko Central Square. The speakers were the splash-proof “VXS8” and “VXS5,” designed for outdoor installation, 58 in total. Signal transmission used Dante, a digital audio network.

The source material, including quartet recordings, programmed tracks and ambience microphones, came to just over 120 channels and was consolidated into 80 channels of stems. The production team cited the increase of AFC objects to a maximum of 128 channels as an advantage. The Cross Dome is just a framework with no walls, but the 3D reverb of “AFC Image” reportedly created a sound field that made listeners feel as if they were enclosed inside a walled sphere.

Venue/event: The “Cross Dome” at YORUNOYO -YOKOHAMA CROSS NIGHT ILLUMINATION- (Minato Mirai, Yokohama)
Period: November 18 – December 26, 2021
Equipment used: Yamaha’s “AFC Image” sound image control system, 58 “VXS8” and “VXS5” speakers in total, and Dante
Spatial and staging features: In a wall-less framework structure, 3D reverb creates a sound field that feels like being enclosed in a sphere
Sources: Yamaha case study (2021)

Approaches to spatial design seen in the eight cases

The combination of unit count and brightness differs from venue to venue. At teamLab Borderless, about 560 units are deployed, centered on a 7,000 lm model, while THE MOVEUM uses 75 units with a 16,000 lm model and ultra-short-throw lenses.

Constraints are not limited to power supply. At RÊVE DES LUMIÈRES, vibration from the building and air conditioning was raised as an issue, and in Bordeaux, the humidity of the submarine base. Projecting onto floors, teamLab projects from multiple directions to avoid shadows; in Takanawa, where images were projected onto a curved exterior wall, the team set a reference viewing position and then also tuned how the images looked from other positions.

Operation is also part of the design. At Bassins des Lumières, more than 100 units can be monitored remotely 24 hours a day, and at teamLab Borderless, other projectors can cover the area of equipment that has become unusable. Even within the same Lumières series, Bordeaux worked with Barco in 2020 and Tokyo with Epson in 2026; manufacturers change by location and period.

Editor’s perspective

Case studies double as product promotion, and the definitions of figures differ from source to source. THE MOVEUM’s area is about 1,800 m² in Epson’s announcement and about 6,000 m² on the venue’s official website. The area of Atelier des Lumières is also given as 3,300 m² or 3,270 m² depending on the page of the official website. It is worth checking what an area figure refers to, and whether a unit count is the total or only the main model.

It also became clear that there is less information about sound than about images. Among these eight cases, only YORUNOYO specified the speaker models; the others stop at unit counts or labels such as “about 60 units” or “spatialized sound system.” Since many venues promote experiences that combine light and sound, more information about sound design would give more clues for comparing venues.

Frequently asked questions

How many projectors are used in immersive exhibitions?

It varies greatly with scale. In this article’s cases (as of each announcement), THE MOVEUM YOKOHAMA used 75 and Bassins des Lumières 102. RÊVE DES LUMIÈRES uses more than 100, Atelier des Lumières 140 and teamLab Borderless about 560. Overseas, Lightroom in London installed 28 3-chip DLP units when it opened (Panasonic announcement), and DATALAND in Los Angeles synchronizes 84 units in Gallery A alone.

Are brighter projectors always better?

The sources show that equipment is not chosen on brightness alone. For example, teamLab chose its models after testing actual units for black reproduction.

How many speakers are used for spatial audio?

In this article’s cases, the Cross Dome at YORUNOYO 2021 used 58 and RÊVE DES LUMIÈRES about 60. The permanent show on the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building uses RAMSA spatial audio equipment linked to the projectors (Panasonic Connect; no unit count given).

Articles organized by each stage of planning are gathered in our guide for those planning projection mapping and light events.

Venue requirements and organizing structures for hosting a touring exhibition are set out in our guide to attracting and hosting touring immersive exhibitions.

*Information as of October 21, 2026. Please check the official websites for the latest information.

*Top image: “Vienna Fin-de-Siècle Art: The Golden Age of Beauty” (from Epson Japan Corporation’s press release)

*This article was compiled by the TOKYO ART SPHERE editorial team based on official announcements and public materials from each institution and organizer (as of October 21, 2026).

Text: TOKYO ART SPHERE Editorial Team

A note from the publisher

*Disclosure: Among the case studies featured in this article, the “Ukiyo-e Immersive Art Exhibition NAGOYA” is an exhibition produced by HITOHATA, INC., an affiliate of HITOHATA ASSOCIATION, the general incorporated association that operates TOKYO ART SPHERE (About us).

Ukiyo-e Immersive Art Exhibition NAGOYA (Nagoya, Aichi)

Held in summer 2023, this exhibition used projection mapping to present images based on more than 300 ukiyo-e prints by Hokusai, Kuniyoshi, Hiroshige and others. The venue, the Kanayama Minami Building Museum Wing (formerly the Nagoya/Boston Museum of Fine Arts), had limited available electrical capacity, and installing 200V power was also difficult, so the main projectors were LCD laser projectors that deliver 20,000 lm on AC 100V. In nine three-dimensional image spaces, projection onto walls, three-dimensional objects, floors and fabric was combined with mirror reflections.

Venue/event: Ukiyo-e Immersive Art Exhibition NAGOYA (Kanayama Minami Building Museum Wing)
Period: July 8 – August 28, 2023
Equipment used: Panasonic LCD laser projectors, 14 “PT-MZ20K” (20,000 lm) and eight “PT-MZ16K”
Spatial and staging features: Nine three-dimensional image spaces; projection onto walls, three-dimensional objects, floors and fabric, and mirror reflections
Sources: Panasonic case study (August 2023)

HITOHATA, INC., an affiliate of HITOHATA ASSOCIATION, the general incorporated association that operates TOKYO ART SPHERE, plans, directs, produces and operates projection mapping at National Treasures, Important Cultural Properties, World Heritage Sites and urban landmarks, as well as immersive exhibitions. Consultations also cover staging and equipment tailored to the conditions of a venue and projection surface. Inquiries, including those at the stage before a budget is set, are accepted through HITOHATA, INC.’s contact form (which has an option for local government and public projects). The company’s past work is introduced on HITOHATA, INC.’s project portfolio page.