🧠 Mapping the Mind’s Eye
Sometimes a project shows up that checks every single box: storytelling, technology, spatial design, creative problem-solving… and just the right amount of mythic weirdness.
Enter the Imaginarium was one of those projects.
I was brought in by the team at Bricolage Production Company to help bring their latest room — “The Mind’s Eye” — to life through full-room projection mapping and reactive lighting.
It had been in the works since before 2020. After delays, detours, and a pandemic, the final result was one of the most technically ambitious escape rooms in the city — and a beautiful, layered experience to be a part of.
🎥 The Setup: Projection, LEDs, and a Room That Breathes
The core concept was to create a room that could visually transform as players progressed through the story.
Here’s a breakdown of what was built:
• 🖼️ Four Optoma short-throw projectors, stitched and mapped to all four walls using MadMapper
• 💡 Addressable LED lighting, tucked beneath cabinets and around the space for ambient and reactive effects
• 💻 A powerful GPU-based machine to run ISF shaders and large-format HAP videos in real-time
• 🎛️ A fully synced control system to coordinate all elements of video, light, and narrative triggers
Everything needed to run smoothly, adapt on the fly, and create the illusion that the room itself had a pulse.
✨ A Visually Driven Story
All of this supported the narrative arc of “The Mind’s Eye,” which tells a poignant tale centered on helping Daedalus process the untimely death of his son, Icarus.
The visuals, designed by Shade Balderose (@solidshade), shifted and evolved as players moved through the room’s puzzles and emotional beats. Projection mapping wasn’t just decorative — it was part of the narrative mechanism.
And it worked. The room wasn’t just impressive — it won a Golden Lock Award, a high honor in the escape room world.
“With a trailblazing approach to full-room projection mapping, The Mind’s Eye was an enjoyably novel take on an escape room.”
🎭 Creative Collaboration at Its Best
Big shoutout to the full team who made it possible:
• Bricolage Production Company – for their creative direction and fearless execution
• Shade Balderose – for the beautiful, cinematic visuals
• Everyone who played, tested, and made this room a living, breathing thing
This wasn’t just another install — it was a worldbuilding challenge. A reminder of how far projection mapping has come and how deep it can go when tied to emotion and narrative.
🔍 Want to Experience It?
If you’re in or around Pittsburgh, don’t sleep on it:
🧩 No spoilers here — just know that your brain will be challenged, and your eyes will thank you.
Meta Title: Enter the Imaginarium: Behind the Projection Mapping Escape Room
Meta Description: Go behind the scenes of “The Mind’s Eye,” Pittsburgh’s immersive escape room featuring full-room projection mapping by Projectile Objects. Built with MadMapper, LEDs, and imagination.
Keywords: projection mapping escape room, immersive escape room design, Enter the Imaginarium Pittsburgh, MadMapper installation, The Mind’s Eye escape room, Bricolage production, interactive visuals, LED room design
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