Top Immersive Events of 2021

Every Olympics has public events that engage citizens of all demographics in the celebration of athletic achievement, but the 2020 Tokyo games took this to a whole new level. The coronavirus pandemic banned international travel and limited attendance of up to 10,000, resulting in creative solutions to keep the viewers at home yet still able to experience the event as if they were there in person.

Although many sports fans were cheering at home, the Olympic Broadcasting services pushed the boundaries of broadcasting to deliver an immersive experience to its viewers. The games were natively produced in ultra-high definition (4K) and an immersive audio feed in 5.1, bringing 3D viewership to audiences.

The immersive experiences were brought to another level with the advancement of augmented reality (AR) systems after collaboration with companies such as Intel. Using the company’s True VR technology, Intel took viewers to unique views of various events by placing them inside a virtual scene. This allowed fans to experience the action from many angles throughout different sports. “At the Olympic Games, we are pushing boundaries by providing immersive experiences for our audiences across multiple platforms,” said Yiannis Exarchos, CEO of the Olympic Broadcasting Services. “This is quite a unique experience in the world of sports broadcasting, and we are very excited to see the outcome.”

The pandemic resulted in music festivals having to get creative with their event delivery, virtually speaking. Music festival organizers began live streaming events and hosting virtual gatherings, with some of them adapting to using VR and AR technology. One of the biggest virtual events was the Virtual Burning Man 2021 event. The virtual Burning Man united fellow burners to come together digitally and enjoy both music and art from the comfort of their own homes.

Virtual Burners were able to partake in Burning Man’s unique and collaborative culture. It showcased boundless creativity, self-expression, and interactive participation. Virtual Burning Man 2021 united festival-goers during the pandemic that resulted in local festivals having to cancel their events. While some virtual music festivals were hosted over VR chat rooms, Burning Man took advantage of VR technology by incorporating VR headsets, haptic gloves, and motion capture suits (to view participants’ real-time body movements). It was an engaging experience that created a virtual Burning Man community.

Visitors were able to access the Virtual Playa through a free downloadable client and explore the vast area, view art installations, or attend a party in one of the five domes located within the city walls. While there wasn’t any fire to be had, VR Burners were still free to experience the magic of the desert without having to deal with harsh desert conditions. Artists showcased their unique creations that ranged from whimsical, fantastical sculptures to awe-inspiring light installations.

Sports fans could catch a number of shows and events at the World’s Largest projection dome in Atlanta, GA, built by Lumen & Forge. This year’s featured event was a live streaming event displaying the 2021 Super Bowl in 360 degrees. The 40 thousand square feet of screen space made for an exhilarating experience as guests were able to see every detail on a spherical screen that showcased NFL Super Bowl 51 live! Custom added graphics, including background graphics with interactive scoring animations while playing key highlights or replaying them so you could feel you were experiencing the event live – watching everything unfold around you in 360 degrees.

Custom seating configuration allowed for an exhilarating experience as guests could see every detail on a spherical screen that showcased NFL Super Bowl 51 live. It allowed fans to celebrate the big game in a whole new way, through immersive technology. The 65-foot tall inflatable dome structure allows for a 360-degree view of the stadium. Fans were unable to take their eyes off this immersive aspect of the dome, making it a huge hit among guests and viewers around the world.

Imagine Van Gogh is an event showcasing works of art by Vincent van Gogh with immersive technology. The event has become a worldwide spectacular, 130 years after Van Gogh’s death. The artworks were selected exclusively from the artist’s last two years of his life 1898-1890. A total of 200 paintings were used in the exhibit. The imagery, positioning and rhythm associated with each painting was composed by Annabelle Mauger and developed with Julie Baron, a collaboration with Art Historian Androula Michael. The exhibition brought a multi-sensory celebration of Van Gogh, bringing a deeper appreciation to the beloved artist’s work. The immersive event has toured the world, breaking new critical grounds.

The immersive event included 7 major components: Virtual Reality Experience – painting yourself into a van Gogh painting; A Virtual 360 tour of van Gogh’s paintings in Arles and Auvers-sur-Oise – the very places where Van Gogh painted these masterpieces; Interactive Educational Experience – a personalized educational experience that empowers you to learn about Van Gogh’s life and work, with the ability to create your own artwork at the end of it; Live Music Concert – listening via headphones to 15 musical numbers which include: Vincent’s classics such as “Starry Night over Rhone,” along with some lesser-known works of his also performed by a live musician.

The exhibition has been reviewed by international art critics from around the world, who have given rave reviews including: The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, The Boston Globe, the London Times and many more.

Although Area 15 opened in September 2020, it continues to WOW guests and visitors with regular new installations. The immersive venue offers thrill-seekers a variety of experiences that use cutting-edge technology to combine art, programming and experiential design. Guests are invited to discover Area 15 where they will encounter various galleries, themed restaurants and bars and a unique array of art installations dotted throughout the venue. Using lights, colors, stunning visual effects, 3d projection mapping and other methods, guests to Area 15 are completely surrounded by sound effects and visuals making them feel they are actually on the alien home planet with its barren landscapes covered in mosses, vines, and various plants.

Area 15 is the ultimate immersive experience, and guests can expect to be catapulted into a different world where nothing seems normal. With various visuals, installations and unique themes throughout the venue, Area 15 fully engulfs visitors into its epic story. From the moment you walk in, captivating art and digitally created visuals will take you away from the every day world as you discover a fantastical alternate reality.