Sphere Entertainment, along with design firm ICRAVE, has revealed unique details about the interiors of Sphere in Las Vegas, the next-generation entertainment medium that opened its doors to the public earlier this Fall. Since the moment the Exosphere, the venue’s fully programmable LED exterior, was lit up for the first time on July 4, Sphere has become a landmark recognized world-wide for its captivating design and groundbreaking entertainment experiences.
“Every aspect of Sphere was designed to create an experience that transports audiences to new places,” said Paul Westbury, Executive Vice President, Development and Construction, Sphere Entertainment. “To complement that vision, ICRAVE was a true partner, blending Sphere’s distinctive architectural and structural elements with sophisticated lighting and interior design to create an experience that takes guests from simply being in a venue in Las Vegas to feeling like they have entered a new world.”
As the largest spherical structure on Earth, and featuring cutting-edge technologies on its exterior and interior, Sphere is revolutionizing live and immersive entertainment experiences. Tasked with designing over 300,000 sq. ft of interior spaces for Sphere, ICRAVE sought to bring an ethereal atmosphere to every inch of the venue’s public-facing interior spaces, which are spread across eight levels and include: the Atrium, food and beverage locations, expo spaces, 23 premium hospitality suites, and more.
“We needed the surrounding spaces to live up to the promise of what’s inside the bowl and to ensure guests feel a seamless connection to the venue before even taking their seat for a show,” says Lionel Ohayon, Founder and CEO of ICRAVE and Co-Founder of Journey. “The design of Sphere clearly delineates and accentuates the moment one leaves the default world and enters the venue, a place like nowhere else in the world.”
The unique experience of Sphere begins the moment a guest walks into the venue’s Atrium. With sweeping, uninterrupted columns and intersecting curves, along with continuous black terrazzo flooring and convex ceilings, the Atrium creates an otherworldly experience – and builds anticipation for the event in the main venue bowl. The uninterrupted columns soaring through the Atrium space are outfitted with a custom and programmable lighting design that can transform the space for different events or shows.
The deliberate use of architectural lighting throughout Sphere’s interiors is designed to enhance the main stage act, as though the building itself is ‘performing’, contributing to the overall immersive experience. Continuous bands of light, the reflective flooring and a series of intersecting curved surfaces creates a sense of motion, and with few straight lines, the spherical nature of the venue is carried throughout elements of the interior design.
Additional design details throughout the venue also highlight how Sphere uniquely brings together art and science. For example, several of the mathematical equations and laws involved in Sphere’s creation and construction are featured throughout the interior spaces of Sphere. In a further nod to the science behind Sphere, the venue also features hospitality spaces such as the Radius Bar, the Curve Bar, the Circle Bar, and more.
