The event and entertainment industry has long been talking about immersive experiences, and in the past few years it has truly become a new benchmark for engaging with audiences in new, creative ways. In this post we look back on some of the most stunning immersive environments, shows, and exhibitions delivered by our AV Alliance members in the last couple of years.
In previous articles we wrote about immersive technologies blending the physical world with virtual reality. With immersive technology you can deliver a unique experience that creates the illusion of blending our physical world with virtual reality without using green screen. Many associate immersive strictly with virtual environments, VR gadgets, AR, and technologies that are expanding the limits of what we as humans are able to perceive through our senses. However, not all immersive experiences quite simple to describe. They have the ability to evoke feelings, transport you to a different time and space, to absorb your environment on a much more engaged level, and lose yourself in the moment. With immersive technologies, what you see, hear, and experience is exactly what you get, and more.
Whether it is 360° projection mapping, highly advanced LED technology, mixed reality content fed through media servers onto massive surfaces, a lighting extravaganza, or surround sound that tricks the mind and leaves goosebumps in its wake – immersive is an art form that has its rightful place from the biggest event venues, exhibition halls, and galleries to churches, parks, and even the streets, or even the middle of the desert.
Without further ado, let’s see a couple of memorable examples for immersive environments and experiences from all around the world, delivered by AV Alliance members!
Habegger AG | Not Another Farewell Party
In 2022 our Zurich-based member Habegger AG hosted an evening event at the Halle am See in Walenstadt, designed around the theme “Not a Farewell Party”, for a client from the construction industry. Habegger realised the technical and content-related implementation together with the client, and took charge of creating an immersive experience for the 230-strong audience. Apart from creative concept and design – including the creation of a fictional “Great Company” magazine that gave structure to the eight-hour program and provided a central theme -, audio, video, signage, and lighting, Habegger also installed a 360-degree projection around the entire hall.
BeWunder | Kazakhstan Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai
Our Dubai-based AV Alliance member BeWunder (back the still under the name Neumann&Müller Middle East) was responsible for supplying complete audio, video, and lighting solutions for the Kazakhstan Pavilion at the Expo 2020.
The aim of the pavilion of Kazakhstan was to showcase and share the country’s nomadic spirit with the visitors of the Expo 2020, “creating a sense of belonging and connection”. Nestled in the Opportunity District, the Kazakhstan Pavilion itself was divided into five main zones that took the visitor through the past to the present day of the Great Steppe and the lifestyle of nomads. Each area was equipped with audio, video, and light installations, and provided unique experiences such as exploring the land and its natural resources through interactive walls and screens, learning about the “Richness of Biodiversity” through a vertical garden installation, witnessing Kazakhstan’s capital Nur-Sultan City in all its glory on an immersive LED screen, play various games and try AI in the “Future Now” exhibition, and enjoy a curved, 270° virtual projection with a dance performance.
Novatech Creative Event Technology | Art After Dark Melbourne
Our Adelaide-based member Novatech Event Technology created the immersive AV installation “Constellations” for international artist Joanie Lemercier as part of Art After Dark Melbourne in 2022. After experimenting with light as a medium and space as a canvas for a decade, this time Lemercier chose water as the main element of this art piece. The breathtaking immersive water screen projection that Novatech had set up became a mesmerising display of cosmic art and created 3D-like visuals by projecting light through water particles in the air. The installation was complete with electronic soundscapes by Paul Jebanasam.
Dorier Group | Grand Théâtre de Genève 140th Anniversary
To celebrate the 140th anniversary of the Grand Théâtre de Genève and its reopening after a 3-year renovation in March 2019, our local member company Dorier Group – along with visual design agency Le Truc – was commissioned to carry out a mesmerizing projection mapping show over the façade of the building . The project took two months of production and preparation for Dorier, and they used 4 x Barco UDX-4K32 video-projectors to create a spellbinding immersive experience.
BeWunder | Japan Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai
Our Dubai-based member BeWunder (previously Neumann&Müller Middle East) was responsible for the Japan Pavilion’s audio, video, and lighting solutions at the Expo 2020.
Located in the Opportunity District, the Japan Pavilion aimed to pay tribute to the country’s way of coexistence between its people, nature, and science by combining three main areas in its concept: people, technology, and ideas. To this end, the stunning exhibitions within the Japan Pavilion guided guests through the country’s past right into the future, showcasing various examples of Japanese landscapes, nature, culture, etc. through hanging and layer screens, floor projections, and voice AR as well as different special effects, such as mist.
The exhibition also featured illustrations projected onto a transparent screen with special light effects, a 360° screen, a giant sphere functioning as projection surface, and artificial mist creating an immersive experience, as well as a zone dedicated specifically to the upcoming Expo 2025 taking place in Osaka, Japan.