Imagine being surrounded – head to toe, back to front – by that magical universe your favourite musician has imagined for a much-anticipated concert. This is exactly what The Sphere in Las Vegas delivers: an immersive live experience unlike anything we have seen before.
Blowing the typical live concert model – the artist flanked by massive projection screens at the end of the stage – out of the water, it is a triumph of interactive architecture, where its interior as well as the exoskeleton become monumental projection screens, delivering life-like 3D videos and animation inside whilst simultaneously lighting up the Las Vegas skyline.
The Sphere recently opened to the public with a U2 concert series and images from inside have taken over social media: from a flock of animals that fly around the audience to a digitally recreated concrete shell that ‘opens up’ to reveal a new world.
Who owns The Sphere in Las Vegas?
The Sphere was conceived as a partnership between the Madison Square Garden Company and the Las Vegas Sands Corporation; the project was launched in 2018. Previously known as the MSG Sphere, the building is located by the Las Vegas Strip and to the east of the Venetian Resort. Las Vegas Sands (which was also behind the Venetian Resort) provided the 18-acre site for the building. In 2022, the Venetian was bought by Apollo Global Management, replacing Las Vegas Sands Corporation.
Who designed The Sphere?
The Sphere was designed by Populous, a global design firm specialising in stadiums and large-scale event venues. Its futuristic interiors and lighting were masterminded by ICrave, a Miami and NYC-based studio, that was chosen via an international competition.
How much did it cost?
In 2018, it was estimated that the project would cost $1.2 billion. After accounting for design changes, supply chain crisis and inflation, it is understood that The Sphere ultimately cost $2.3 billion.
How big is The Sphere in Las Vegas?
Measuring 112m high and 157m wide at its broadest point, The Sphere can accommodate a 18,600-strong audience. Its dome is made up of 32 trusses, each one weighing 100 tons and the exoskeleton, upon which the exterior LED screen is mounted, is 30 percent taller than the dome. The property includes 304 parking spaces and a 300m long pedestrian bridge; plus there were plans to build a new monorail connecting The Sphere and the Venetian.
How does it work?
The interior of The Sphere is fitted with the world's largest and most complex LED screen: measuring 15,000sqm, it features a 16K resolution wrap-around display. The exoskeleton is fitted with approximately 54,000sqm of LED display space: there are 1.2 million pucks, each containing 48 individual LEDs that can display 256 million different colours, transforming the exterior into a monumental billboard.
Instagram content
Inside the dome, the concert arena is best described as a semi-circular amphitheatre, with the undercarriage of the tiered seating allowing space for auxiliary functions such as the welcome area, toilets, merchandise sections, production, maintenance and security. The space between the dome and the exoskeleton is occupied by the air-conditioning and projection equipment. There are nine levels inside The Sphere, including a basement. The property also features a VIP club and 23 suites.
10,000 of the venue's seats feature haptic technology, using sound, reverberation and motion to deepen the experience. The interior LED screen is backed by over 160,000 speakers. Usually stadiums double up as concert venues; in that aspect The Sphere's interior does pose an issue, in that, it is not designed for stadium sports. However, it is perfectly appointed for ring-based sporting events such as boxing. Now, what could be more Vegas?
