Client
NVA
Location
St Peter’s Seminary, Scotland
Client
NVA
Location
St Peter’s Seminary, Scotland
Project Details
A Haunting Illumination of a Modernist Masterpiece
Hinterland marked the official launch of Scotland’s Festival of Architecture 2016 and stood as a key highlight of the Year of Innovation, Architecture & Design. Over ten sold-out nights from March 18–27, audiences were invited to explore the long-abandoned St Peter’s Seminary—one of Scotland’s most significant modernist buildings—for the first time in three decades. This monumental public artwork not only celebrated the site’s architectural legacy but also introduced its planned transformation. As dusk gave way to darkness, visitors embarked on a journey through atmospheric woodlands before arriving at the towering concrete ruins, where Hinterland unfolded—a breathtaking fusion of light, sound, and storytelling.
Project Details
A Haunting Illumination of a Modernist Masterpiece
Hinterland marked the official launch of Scotland’s Festival of Architecture 2016 and stood as a key highlight of the Year of Innovation, Architecture & Design. Over ten sold-out nights from March 18–27, audiences were invited to explore the long-abandoned St Peter’s Seminary—one of Scotland’s most significant modernist buildings—for the first time in three decades. This monumental public artwork not only celebrated the site’s architectural legacy but also introduced its planned transformation. As dusk gave way to darkness, visitors embarked on a journey through atmospheric woodlands before arriving at the towering concrete ruins, where Hinterland unfolded—a breathtaking fusion of light, sound, and storytelling.
The Brief
Revealing the Beauty in Ruin
NOVAK was tasked with designing projection elements that would bring the skeletal remains of St Peter’s Seminary to life in a way that honored its architectural significance while immersing audiences in a deeply evocative experience. The challenge was to create a projection mapping display that seamlessly integrated with the structure’s raw, weathered surfaces—enhancing, rather than overpowering, the striking interplay of light, shadow, and form. Incorporating a choral soundscape by composer Rory Boyle—performed by the St Salvator’s Chapel Choir of the University of St Andrews—the projections needed to complement the hauntingly beautiful atmosphere of the site, evoking both its past and its future.
The Brief
Revealing the Beauty in Ruin
NOVAK was tasked with designing projection elements that would bring the skeletal remains of St Peter’s Seminary to life in a way that honored its architectural significance while immersing audiences in a deeply evocative experience. The challenge was to create a projection mapping display that seamlessly integrated with the structure’s raw, weathered surfaces—enhancing, rather than overpowering, the striking interplay of light, shadow, and form. Incorporating a choral soundscape by composer Rory Boyle—performed by the St Salvator’s Chapel Choir of the University of St Andrews—the projections needed to complement the hauntingly beautiful atmosphere of the site, evoking both its past and its future.
Our Response
Projection Mapping as Architectural Storytelling
NOVAK meticulously crafted a series of projection elements that were intricately mapped onto the interior of St Peter’s Seminary, accentuating the building’s brutalist forms while revealing hidden details within its decayed surfaces. The interplay of light and shadow emphasized the structure’s rhythmic geometry, transforming it into a living canvas where history and future vision converged. As audiences moved through the space, they encountered shifting patterns of light that echoed the seminary’s original grandeur, juxtaposed with its current state of atmospheric ruin. Paired with the ethereal choral score, the projections deepened the immersive experience, allowing visitors to connect with the site on an emotional and sensory level. Produced by NVA, Hinterland was an unforgettable tribute to the power of architecture, memory, and transformation, leaving a lasting impression on all who witnessed this extraordinary reawakening of a Scottish icon.
Our Response
Projection Mapping as Architectural Storytelling
NOVAK meticulously crafted a series of projection elements that were intricately mapped onto the interior of St Peter’s Seminary, accentuating the building’s brutalist forms while revealing hidden details within its decayed surfaces. The interplay of light and shadow emphasized the structure’s rhythmic geometry, transforming it into a living canvas where history and future vision converged. As audiences moved through the space, they encountered shifting patterns of light that echoed the seminary’s original grandeur, juxtaposed with its current state of atmospheric ruin. Paired with the ethereal choral score, the projections deepened the immersive experience, allowing visitors to connect with the site on an emotional and sensory level. Produced by NVA, Hinterland was an unforgettable tribute to the power of architecture, memory, and transformation, leaving a lasting impression on all who witnessed this extraordinary reawakening of a Scottish icon.
Credits
Photography by Alan McAteer and Alaisdair Smith
Media server programming and delivery by Andy Coates
Credits
Photography by Alan McAteer and Alaisdair Smith
Media server programming and delivery by Andy Coates
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