Barco was the only manufacturer that delivered on all fronts. Their projectors are powerful, flexible and thoughtfully engineered. I could focus on the art, knowing the tech would hold up.
Public art sanctuary in the heart of the mall
United States · 2025
In a bustling shopping mall in Escondido, California, a quiet revolution in public art is unfolding. Artist and visual effects professional David Aughenbaugh has created Worlds within Worlds, a permanent 360° immersive installation designed to transport passersby into a pleasant meditative state. Using Barco projection technology, this public artwork invites viewers to pause, reflect, and reconnect with their inner world - right in the middle of their everyday routines.
Barco solutions:
- 3x G62-W14
Key benefits:
- Impactful quality in a compact design
- Pulse Toolset software for seamless setup and control
- Laser-phosphor reliability for long-term display
Context
David Aughenbaugh is no stranger to the intersection of art and technology. An Oscar-winning visual effects team member for First Man and a trained hypnotherapist, his work explores how visuals and sound can influence consciousness.
His latest project, Worlds within Worlds, is a culmination of that vision: a fully immersive, wrap-around animation projected onto a custom cylindrical screen, permanently installed in the North County Mall. Funded by a grant from the Escondido Community Foundation, the installation is freely accessible to the public, allowing anyone to step into a world of infinite zooms, flowing color, and quiet focus.
Challenge
Creating a seamless 360° projection in a high-traffic public space called for careful orchestration of both artistic vision and technical precision. The installation required a continuous cylindrical display with no visible seams or distortion, despite the curved surface. The projection system needed to be compact, reliable, and capable of running continuously during mall hours. Additionally, the visual content - abstract, high-resolution animations designed to induce flow states - demanded precise color fidelity, edge blending, and geometric correction. For an artist working independently, the solution had to be both powerful and intuitive to manage.
Solution
To bring his vision to life, David turned to Barco’s G62 projectors, equipped with 0.65:1 short throw lenses. With a brightness output of 13,600 lumens and WUXGA resolution, the G62-W14 single-chip projectors offer the perfect balance of performance and accessibility, delivering crisp, vibrant visuals that can hold their own in a well-lit public space. The projectors’ laser phosphor light source ensured excellent image quality and consistent performances, making them ideal for a permanent installation that runs daily. Additionally, the G62s’ wide lens shift range and compact, uniform chassis made them ideal for overhead mounting in the cylindrical structure.
Three projectors were installed to cover the full circumference of the custom screen, each handling one-third of the visual field. The system was powered by a single 4K video stream, split into HD quadrants, with each projector receiving its own quadrant via daisy-chained signal routing. Using Barco’s Projector Toolset software, David applied internal geometric correction, soft edge blending and lens alignment, achieving a seamless wrap-around display without the need for external warping tools and simplifying the setup process.
Barco’s integrated power scheduling, power fault tolerance, and extended warranty options provided the reliability and peace of mind needed for a permanent public installation. And crucially, Barco’s responsive tech support ensured that David had expert guidance every step of the way.
“I had a long list of technology needs for this installation. Barco was the only manufacturer that delivered on all fronts,” David concludes. “Their projectors are powerful, flexible and thoughtfully engineered. Even the little things, like mac-compatibility and power schedules, made a huge difference. With Barco, I didn’t have to compromise. I could focus on the art, knowing the tech would hold up. It just worked, beautifully.”
Results
Worlds within Worlds has become a quiet sanctuary within the everyday - a space where art, technology, and consciousness converge. Visitors can choose to pass through or linger, drawn in by the flowing, abstract visuals that evoke watercolor and acrylic textures. The installation’s ability to induce a relaxed, focused mental state has made it a unique presence in the public realm. The G-series projectors offer a combination of professional-grade performance, intuitive control, and long-term reliability. A perfect match for the immersive, high-impact experience David set out to create. By combining artistic intuition with cutting-edge projection, Worlds within Worlds demonstrates how immersive technology can elevate public spaces.
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