How the Las Vegas Sphere is changing creative construction?

There is a new addition to the Las Vegas skyline – The Sphere at The Venetian Resort. This incredible construction is the work of James Dolan, CEO of Madison Square Garden, and is benchmarking immersive experiences for the coming years. It is an entirely new type of building that is arguably changing creative construction for the better as we go into a new era of immersive design.

What is the Las Vegas Sphere?

First of all, the size is worth noting – this is the largest spherical structure in the world, standing 157m (516ft) wide and 112m (366ft) tall. The exterior is eye-catching and impressive but it’s inside where all the real creativity is happening. The Sphere is lined with fully programmable LED lighting, for example, and can generate life-like images that are visible from many miles away. It is essentially designed as an entertainment hub and at 15,000 m² (160,000 sq ft) is the largest and highest resolution screen in the world of its type. If you’re looking at The Sphere from the outside then you’re looking at 54,000 m² (580,000 sq ft) of screens, which can be used to create the most incredible visual displays. There is nothing pedestrian about this incredible construction, which is pioneering a new and innovative era.

Innovation-focused

Designing The Sphere required a significant focus on innovation. The creators – Sphere Studio – had to design a unique camera system that they called Big Sky, with a single 316-megapixel HDR image sensor (a 4k camera has 40 times less resolution). Sphere Studio also developed their own image processing software, which is driven by GPU-accelerated RAW processing. The Sphere also has an innovative sound system, which sends sound up through the floorboards and which can also deliver other elements, including scent and wind. The end result is a multisensory experience of the like that has never been seen before, in Las Vegas or anywhere else.

How can The Sphere be used?

This is a creative construction that is truly versatile. It can be used to host concerts and award shows, even ring sports tournaments like MMA. The megaband U2 have an upcoming residency at The Sphere that is being pitched as a “quantum leap forward” in the world of live performance. The Sphere is designed to dial up the immersive experience, taking it beyond the realms of cinema or performance and to another level entirely. Uses that have already been floated include:

• An immersive environment for historical transformations that are truly convincing.
• Expanding the world of interactive gaming with participants controlling a part of the overall display.
• A concept where visitors are invited to virtually “paint” the exterior with digital graffiti.
• A transformation into an astronomical experience, such as a planetarium that shows the movements of planets and stars across the Las Vegas skyline.

The Sphere is a truly exciting development in creative construction, not just due to the innovative nature of the design itself – but also what it represents for the world of immersive experiences.