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Ipswich-based projection specialists Motion Mapping shows off new showroom at its Ransomes headquarters




An Ipswich-based firm which specialises in projecting images and scenes onto landmarks has launched its new high-tech showroom.

Motion Mapping has been based out of a unit in Bermuda Road, at Ransomes Industrial Estate, for the past 10 months.

Since its founding in 2019, the firm has used its technology to project onto landmarks like the Shard, Stonehenge, Tower Bridge, as well as internationally.

Suffolk residents may know the firm from when it celebrated Star Wars Day with projection on the Orwell Bridge last May, or a display on Ipswich Town Hall as the Tractor Boys celebrated their promotion to the Premier League.

This week, SuffolkNews was granted a sneak-peek into its brand new showroom.

It offers customers a bite-size glimpse of the kinds of services the team offer – and the exciting technologies which make it possible.

Motion Mapping has unveiled its new showroom. Picture: Motion Mapping
Motion Mapping has unveiled its new showroom. Picture: Motion Mapping
Motion Mapping is based at Ransomes Industrial Park. Picture: Ash Jones
Motion Mapping is based at Ransomes Industrial Park. Picture: Ash Jones
Inside the showroom - it shows smaller-scale versions of the types of projects the team can pull off. Picture: Ash Jones
Inside the showroom - it shows smaller-scale versions of the types of projects the team can pull off. Picture: Ash Jones

Stuart Harris, who started the firm with his wife, Angie, said: “We started out as a ‘guerrilla marketing’ firm, projecting something onto buildings or prominent places one time before moving on, but we’ve since shifted to work with agencies, who asked for a more considered approach.

“While we still work with companies who want the one hit, others call us about wanting a projection in their board rooms or to use our technology for an exhibition.

“We want people to come into our showroom and play with things, get a feel for what it’s like – we can’t just rely on pictures and videos to show off what we do.

“Our projection mapping can be done on any shape, any size and for any purpose.”

Robert Pott, sales and marketing manager for Motion Mapping, said the team worked with companies across the globe.

The virtual scratch card (left) works by scanning a QR code with your phone. Picture: Ash Jones
The virtual scratch card (left) works by scanning a QR code with your phone. Picture: Ash Jones
A non-touch table is activated by swiping. Picture: Ash Jones
A non-touch table is activated by swiping. Picture: Ash Jones
The items of clothing on this model change as clothes are hanged on the display. Picture: Ash Jones
The items of clothing on this model change as clothes are hanged on the display. Picture: Ash Jones

While much of its client base is based in London, it was hoping to reach out to more Suffolk-based businesses and hoped the new showroom would play a vital part in this goal.

Stuart said a key benefit of projection is that designs can be changed easily – and remotely, if a client is based far away.

“Everything in the showroom is smaller scale, but it’s an easy way to show lots of different concepts quickly, which we can also mix and match to suit a client’s needs,” he said.

Another shot of the showroom. Picture: Ash Jones
Another shot of the showroom. Picture: Ash Jones
One of the giant pieces of equipment that projected Star Wars onto the Orwell Bridge. Picture: Ash Jones
One of the giant pieces of equipment that projected Star Wars onto the Orwell Bridge. Picture: Ash Jones

Some of its more ambitious projects have seen the firm project an interactive arcade game onto a building on behalf of Korean luxury car-maker Genesis and displaying a virtual scratch card, interacted with via a QR code.

It also offered an ‘experiential’ shopping experience for IKEA, in Wembley, and even projected onto a 7.5m-wide umbrella for an Epson exhibition.

A smaller umbrella with a projection is on display in its showroom.

However, there were also glimpses at possible future projects, including an interactive kitchen, a non-touch table which could see use in education for clients such as museums and a fashion display, which shows how clothes would look as new items are hung on the projection.

Another marketing exhibit. Picture: Ash Jones
Another marketing exhibit. Picture: Ash Jones
Stuart using showing off the 'interactive' whiteboard; the projector has a camera and a laser tracks movement, giving it the appeal of a touchscreen. Picture: Ash Jones
Stuart using showing off the 'interactive' whiteboard; the projector has a camera and a laser tracks movement, giving it the appeal of a touchscreen. Picture: Ash Jones
They even have small-scale models of building, to show how the team can project onto landmarks and large surfaces -- which forms their bread and butter. Picture: Ash Jones
They even have small-scale models of building, to show how the team can project onto landmarks and large surfaces -- which forms their bread and butter. Picture: Ash Jones

There was also an ‘interactive’ whiteboard which simulated a touchscreen, a display for car showroom windows and 110-inch projected screens in its boardroom.

Stuart added: “The main thing for us is that what we do is exciting, it’s cool, and not something you see every day.

“The showroom also allows us to gauge what different businesses want and with our concepts continually evolving, the space could look different within a few months.

An interactive kitchen display, which can display recipes. Picture: Ash Jones
An interactive kitchen display, which can display recipes. Picture: Ash Jones
You're greeted by this on entry to the showroom. Picture: Ash Jones
You're greeted by this on entry to the showroom. Picture: Ash Jones
A larger version on an umbrella was projected on at an exhibition for Epson. Picture: Ash Jones
A larger version on an umbrella was projected on at an exhibition for Epson. Picture: Ash Jones

“And it’s not just images we can do, but animation and video.”

Motion Mapping is celebrating its fifth anniversary throughout 2024.