From Vision to Reality: Mixed Reality for Scalable Fabrication
Transforming Large-Scale Public Art through Mixed Reality Fabrication
What if you could go from concept to construction, without a single fabrication drawing?
Mixed Reality offers a new way to fabricate: by visualising 3D designs directly in real space. It simplifies workflows, reduces the need for shop drawings, and makes advanced fabrication more accessible, scalable, and cost-effective.
In collaboration with Balich Wonder Studio, Fab.Pub helped realise Al Nehem, a 30-metre-long Whale Shark sculpture suspended between four skyscrapers in Doha during the FIFA World Cup. Designed by Mamou-Mani Architects and completed in just three months, this record-setting installation demonstrates how Mixed Reality and digital fabrication can work together to bring large-scale visions to life, quickly, affordably, and on-site.
Design Challenge: How do you build fast without losing clarity?
Delivering a complex, large-scale sculpture within a short timeframe and tight urban constraints posed a major challenge. Traditional workflows rely heavily on fabrication drawings and physical templates, which add time, cost, and potential for miscommunication.
The Solution: Holograms instead of physical guides.
Fab.Pub harnessed Microsoft HoloLens headsets to overlay 3D models onto physical components, enabling real-time, on-site guidance for assembly. This Mixed Reality workflow allowed for live design iterations, reduced errors, and minimised the dependency on physical mock-ups. Engineers and fabricators could compare each part against its virtual twin, enhancing accuracy and reducing costly rework.
Key Benefits for Designers: Mixed Reality empowers hands-on creativity with fewer barriers.
- Accessible: Democratises digital fabrication by lowering technical barriers.
- Affordable: Reduces the need for costly drawings, templates, and prototypes.
- Scalable: Works for both large installations and small, modular components.
- Simplified Workflow: Go straight from 3D model to physical build.
- On-Site Visualisation: Clients and teams can preview designs at full scale before fabrication.
Where You Can See the Impact: Mixed Reality brings flexibility to a wide range of disciplines.
The integration of Mixed Reality technology can be applied across various industries, including:
- Architectural Installation: Visualise and assemble complex forms directly on-site.
- Product Design & Prototyping: Reduce back-and-forth by skipping 2D detailing.
- Event & Exhibition Design: Create modular, rapidly-deployable structures.
Ready to elevate your project with Mixed Reality?
At Fab.Pub, we combine parametric design, robotic fabrication, and MR technology to simplify the process without compromising creativity.
How we can help you scale your next idea with clarity and confidence.