Hot Air Balloon over the Parliament - Interactive VR Experience

Overview

Created for the Museum of the Hungarian Parliament, this interactive VR experience placed visitors in a fully physical hot air balloon replica, where they could put on a headset and rise above Budapest in 1896. From the balloon, participants floated over the city and witnessed the Hungarian Parliament Building under construction, one of the most iconic architectural projects of its time.

The unique design combined a physical installation with virtual immersion: the real balloon basket matched the VR version, allowing visitors to touch and feel their surroundings. Additionally, the experience was developed as a multiplayer environment, enabling groups of visitors to see and interact with one another inside the same virtual world.

Outcome for the Client

Our Role

We oversaw the full scope of development, from research to VR optimization.

Historical Research & Environment Design

• Recreated the Parliament Building in its under-construction state, using architectural plans, sketches, and archival references.

• Modeled the surrounding Budapest cityscape as it appeared in the late 19th century.

• Integrated authentic period details, such as scaffolding, cranes, and construction materials.

VR Interaction & Multiplayer

• Synced the physical balloon basket with its virtual counterpart, aligning dimensions for accurate touch interaction.

• Developed multiplayer functionality, allowing up to several visitors to share the same hot air balloon ride in VR.

• Implemented naturalistic avatars and presence features to maintain social immersion.

Immersive Experience Design

• Directed the hot air balloon’s flight path to showcase both the Parliament and the evolving urban landscape.

• Designed ambient soundscapes — city noise, construction sounds, wind — for heightened realism.

• Balanced a sense of wonder with educational storytelling.

Optimization for VR

• Maintained seamless performance with multiple players in the same environment.

• Implemented LOD systems for the expansive cityscape.

• Ensured smooth synchronization between physical props and VR interaction.

Technical Details

Engine: Unreal Engine

Multiplayer: Networked VR with synchronized avatars

Installation: Physical hot air balloon basket paired with VR environment

Lighting: Dynamic sunlight with atmospheric haze for realism

Assets: Authentic 19th-century Budapest models, construction props, balloon rigging

Performance: Optimized for multiplayer VR museum setup

The project provided the museum with a highly engaging, interactive attraction that:

• Connected visitors to a defining historical moment — the construction of the Parliament in 1896.

• Blended education and entertainment by combining architectural history with a playful hot air balloon ride.

• Offered a social, multiplayer experience, encouraging visitors to share the moment together.

• Delivered a memorable installation that stood out from traditional museum exhibits, increasing visitor engagement and repeat interest.

Conclusion

The Hot Air Balloon over the Parliament project brought together physical installation, VR immersion, and multiplayer interaction in a single museum exhibit.

By allowing visitors to see the Parliament as it rose above the Danube in 1896, the experience combined education, history, and spectacle into a unique attraction — one that transformed a static exhibit into an interactive, shared journey through time.