The stunning Sphere has become the latest landmark on the Las Vegas strip. This new venue has captivated the city. Tech Guide got a chance to go inside.
Most of us have seen images and video of the Sphere on social media but when you lay eyes on it yourself it is even more impressive.
Located behind the Venetian Hotel and Casino, Sphere took more than four years to build at a cost of more than $3 billion.
Since its opening last year, Sphere has hosted U2’s latest concert tour which is accompanied by a stunning visual display that takes advantage of the screen that wraps around the audience.
More recently the Sphere has been utilised by filmmaker Darren Aronofsky for his film Postcards From Earth which was filmed in 16K resolution with purpose built lenses to provide the stunning visuals that will transport you to the amazing locations featured in the film.
The Sphere itself is 111m tall and 157m wide and used to display images on its exterior LED screen. The exterior has an area of 53,000 square metres.
This engineering marvel uses the laws of Geodesic math and was constructed from hundreds of interlocking triangles to create the spherical shape and structure – it is a world-first.
And you can really appreciate the work that went into the construction when you get up close and see it for yourself.
When you go inside you are greeted by robots powered by artificial intelligence who can engage with the audience and answer their questions in real time.
Attendees can also create a 360 degree avatar of themselves which can then be included in an immersive animation which is sent to you via email and shareable on social media.
Tech Guide went along to watch the Postcards From Earth film which takes full advantage of the wrap around 270-degree LED screen that can display 256 million colours and includes 167,000 hidden speakers.
To say the film is stunning is actually a massive understatement. It is truly remarkable and offers a unique experience for the audience.
The screen inside the venue has an area larger than four football fields with steep seating for 18,600 people.
To give you an idea about the size of the interior of the Sphere – it is large enough to fit the Statue of Liberty.
The 50-minute film takes viewers to sweeping exotic locations around the world, including the Australian desert, underwater amid teeming schools of fish and sharks, through temples and landmarks, across mountain ranges and canyons and into space.
Sphere is a unique and immersive venue that can thrill and engage audiences.
If you are heading to Las Vegas, be sure to put it on your list of things to see while you’re in town.
* Stephen Fenech travelled to Las Vegas for CES with support from Samsung, LG and Hisense