Palace of the Machines

Palace of the Machines is a one-night immersive experience commissioned by Knotch for Cannes Lions 2016.

A half-show, half-party, and a strange experience full of secrets to discover. With a cast of 20, four bands and two swimming pools.

Set within a private villa in the South of France, the project transformed the space into a live, interactive world exploring the relationship between humans and machines. Guests were invited to enter the fictional domain of a visionary cybernetics professor, whose experiments in human–machine fusion unfold across a series of immersive environments.

Blending live performance, installation, music, and narrative design, the experience guided audiences through a multi-sensory journey — from theatrical encounters and hidden storylines to large-scale spatial interventions. With a cast of performers, multiple bands, and layered storytelling across the villa, the event blurred the boundaries between audience and participant.