Beyond the Render - UE5 Real-Time Storytelling for Cultural & Immersive Spaces

Over the past months, I’ve been diving deep into Unreal Engine 5.4 as part of a personal exploration into how real-time tools can transform the way we design and communicate immersive experiences.

CENOTE has been my creative testbed—an evolving conceptual project rooted in the growing trend of immersive wellness experiences. It’s where I’ve been experimenting with UE5’s potential to bring a design vision to life—not just visually, but emotionally and atmospherically.

Workflow I've been using is 3ds Max for modelling and form development and then taking the base build into UE5.

CENOTE explores the intersection of natural phenomena and sensorial design. Bringing it into UE5 opened up a completely new dimension of storytelling—one where light, sound, materiality, and movement become part of the narrative.

I’ve found UE5 to be an incredibly powerful tool for exhibition design, themed environments, and any project where story, space, and sensory immersion intersect. It’s not just about creating a nice render—it's about crafting experiences that feel alive, reactive, and deeply intentional, and visualising projects through the lens of film making.

There is a turning point happening in how the Attraction industry and Cultural institutions are looking to represent themselves and one of the key vehicles being used to do this is Web3 which in part will allow for more virtual immersive experiences online. Cultural institutions will require more virtual components to be available online to help promote future exhibitions and this will be a key marketing touchpoint for guests’ pre and post visitation.

Particular Games Engines are already primed with assets and tools which can directly generate content within Web 3 platforms. This is the perfect time to make design work adaptable and in sync with such new and vastly developing technology.

Still learning, still experimenting—but excited by the possibilities.