Mandai Wildlife Deploys Projection and RFID Infrastructure for 10,000-Square-Metre Immersive Venue

March 2, 2026 by guest author, John Berkovich

Singapore’s Mandai Wildlife Reserve is expanding beyond traditional zoo infrastructure with the launch of Exploria, a 10,000-square-meter (107,640-square-foot) indoor immersive attraction built around projection, interactive media, and synchronized AV environments.

The facility serves as a major indoor anchor within Mandai’s broader redevelopment strategy, repositioning the wildlife reserve as an integrated nature destination that blends conservation, hospitality, and immersive media.

Exploria at Singapore’s Mandai Wildlife Reserve (Image: Mandai Wildlife Group)

Rather than relying on static exhibits, Exploria operates as a programmable, multi-zone digital canvas. The attraction integrates large-format projection and digital display technologies alongside spatial audio, responsive lighting, augmented-reality overlays, and simulator-based installations to create environments spanning rainforest ecosystems, extreme climates, and ocean habitats.

At the center of the deployment is a 360-degree theater combining synchronized visuals, audio, and motion effects. The infrastructure supports scene-based transitions and multi-surface media presentation, allowing the venue to function as a dynamic media platform rather than a fixed exhibit space.

Visitors receive RFID wristbands on entry, enabling the system to generate personalized digital avatars and trigger interactive elements throughout the attraction. The wristbands link physical movement with digital outcomes – activating media moments, collecting virtual species badges, and tracking engagement across zones.

RFID-linked personalization reflects a broader shift in destination design, in which immersive venues are increasingly built on software-driven AV backbones rather than as standalone showpieces. Instead of relying on a single headline installation, the infrastructure supports continuous narrative sequencing and adaptive content layers.

Montreal-based experiential design firm GSM Project led the design.

For integrators and venue operators, projects like Exploria signal how immersive environments are becoming long-term operational platforms rather than one-time installations. The focus is shifting from deploying individual display technologies to managing interconnected media ecosystems that can evolve over time.

As operators compete for repeat visits, indoor attractions are increasingly being built less like exhibits and more like digital infrastructure designed for content refreshes, seasonal updates, and new revenue opportunities without major physical rebuilds. 

(Images: Mandai Wildlife Group)