MIT Future Fest Transforms Kendall Plaza With Projections

Designer Behnaz Farahi and the Critical Matter Group debuted a large-scale ocean-themed installation in Cambridge.

Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Science Fiction

MIT Future Fest Transforms Kendall Plaza With Projections

Live Poll

Do large-scale public art installations help communities effectively engage with complex future issues?

Designer Behnaz Farahi and the Critical Matter Group transformed Cambridge's Kendall Plaza into a digital ocean for the inaugural MIT Future Fest. The immersive installation invited participants to visualize future possibilities through crowd-sourced messages.

Why it matters

The project served as the primary centerpiece for the inaugural Future Fest symposium, creating a public space designed to encourage attendees to imagine future outcomes. It highlights the intersection of collaborative design and large-scale public art.

The display utilized two 30,000-lumen laser projectors to cover a 2,850 square foot area. The design team completed the entire development and installation process in just three weeks.

The players

Behnaz Farahi

She is a designer who led the installation project showcased at the Future Fest symposium.

MIT Future Fest

This is a new symposium hosted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology intended to explore future possibilities.

Critical Matter Group

This creative collective collaborated on the design and execution of the public projection installation.

The details

Projected from the top of the MIT Museum, the installation featured ocean imagery captured by photographer Jan Erik Waider paired with ambient audio by musician Justin Boreta. Over 400 international participants contributed personal messages that were integrated into the visual experience.

September 30, 2026: The Future Fest symposium officially began.
October 4, 2026: The Future Fest symposium concluded.

Industry Dynamics

This installation aligns with the broader trend of elite academic institutions leveraging high-tech visual media to host cultural symposiums. It reflects an ongoing shift where university campuses are increasingly utilized as hubs for public-facing experimental art.

Attendees and Cambridge residents experienced the installation at Kendall Plaza throughout the five-day symposium period. The project provided a free, public-facing visual experience that anchored the festival proceedings for all visitors.

The takeaway

Large-scale public art installations can serve as effective anchors for academic symposiums by creating tangible spaces for public interaction. Designers can achieve high-impact visuals in short timeframes by utilizing advanced projection technology and crowd-sourced engagement models.