Obscura Digital
- Open roles
- 0
- Founded
- 2000
- Employees
- N/A
- Offices
- 0
About Obscura Digital
Obscura Digital was a San Francisco experiential design and immersive technology studio founded in 2000. Its work combined moving imagery, interactive software and engineered display systems to transform architecture and physical environments into large-scale visual experiences. The studio served cultural institutions, public art projects, live entertainment, corporate environments and major entertainment venues.
Architectural projection mapping was central to its practice. Obscura developed content and technical systems for monumental facades, domes and landmarks, adapting imagery to complex surfaces and viewing conditions. Its capabilities extended from creative concepts and animation through architectural scanning, projection calibration, interactive software and installation engineering. Alongside temporary spectacles, it delivered permanent media environments that integrated digital artwork with buildings and public spaces.
Architectural and immersive work
Its international projects included projection mapping for the Sydney Opera House and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in 2011. In 2015, Obscura collaborated with the Oceanic Preservation Society on endangered-wildlife projections for the Empire State Building and contributed to Fiat Lux: Illuminating Our Common Home at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Permanent installations included the large lobby LED wall at Salesforce’s 50 Fremont building, the interactive Digital Arts Panorama for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and the Art on theMART projection system in Chicago. Its entertainment work included the Coachella Antarctic Dome, kinetic displays at AT&T Stadium and digital production elements for Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular. These projects combined content production with the practical demands of spatial display design, audience interaction and large-format presentation.
Acquisition and operational history
The Madison Square Garden Company acquired Obscura Digital in November 2017 to bring spherical projection and immersive media expertise into the development of its next-generation entertainment venues. In late 2019, MSG wound down Obscura’s third-party commercial business and closed its independent studio operations. Technical expertise transitioned into Sphere development, while members of the founding creative team subsequently established an independent design lab. Obscura Digital’s portfolio therefore represents its historical commercial practice rather than an active studio offering.
More about Obscura Digital
Founders
The studio was founded in July 2000 by Travis Threlkel, Chris Lejeune and Leo Raderman. These are historical founding credits, rather than current executive appointments.
Production model
Obscura brought animators, creative technologists, software engineers and physical fabricators together in an integrated multidisciplinary team, connecting visual development with software and physical construction.
Archive continuity
The legacy Obscura Digital Vimeo handle was subsequently taken over and rebranded by Minds Over Matter. Material presented under that handle therefore requires attention to which company produced it.
Notable credits
13 creditsOffices
Current and former locations of Obscura Digital
- Los Angeles, California, United States
Los Angeles office
Former officeClosed 2019
About this office
Historical project-based regional presence supporting Southern California entertainment and brand activations; no premises address is established.
- New York, United States
New York office
Former officeClosed 2019
Former regional project office. The report does not establish a separate studio street address.
- San Francisco, California, United States
San Francisco offices
Former officeAbout this office
**Office** Status: inactive / historical Original South of Market warehouse premises on Bryant Street; subsequently replaced by the Tennessee Street headquarters. --- **Office** Status: inactive / historical Address: 729 Tennessee Street Closed: 2017 Former Dogpatch headquarters in a converted industrial warehouse. Headquarters operations relocated to Historic Pier 70 in 2017. --- **Office** Status: inactive / historical Headquarters Address: Building 101, Historic Pier 70, San Francisco, CA 94107 Opened: 2017 Closed: 2019 Final company headquarters and fabrication lab, established after the Tennessee Street relocation and decommissioned during the commercial wind-down.
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