Under the Harbour

You can ferry across it, marvel at its shimmering beauty and even swim in it, but how often do you dive into the emerald depths of Sydney Harbour? Using the architecture of Customs House as a canvas, award-winning creative studio Spinifex Group presents Under the Harbour, a surreal underwater encounter sure to delight children and adults alike.

Through Spinifex's imaginative and fantastical lens, a hyper-coloured multi-verse splashes across the façade of the historic building. As a rainy twilight gathers across the harbour, a giant octopus bursts out of the water and wraps its tentacles around the sun, dragging it under. This watery world is alive with neon sea creatures, botanical wonderlands, and unclassified oddities. Under the Harbour is a playful, exquisite escape from reality into an extraordinary underwater fantasy certain to inspire audiences and deepen the appreciation of Sydney’s aquatic haven.

This super-scale projection mapping experience is the creative vision of Spinifex’s Los Angeles-based design director Ben Alpass. Ben's work spans multiple disciplines including photography, print, animation, interactive, installation, and projection. In 2018 alone, his work was awarded a Cannes Lion, D&AD Pencil, and a One Show Gold Pencil. Originally from Melbourne, Ben studied Multimedia Design at Swinburne National School of Design and has been the recipient of the Melbourne Design Award.