Here’s some essential info from Wikipedia:
Upon its completion, the Sphere will be 366 feet (112 m) high and 516 feet (157 m) wide at its broadest point.[24] It will be the largest spherical building in the world at 875,000 sq ft (81,300 m2).[26] It will include seating for 18,600 people,[62][58] and all seats will have high speed internet access.[63] Haptic technology is incorporated in 10,000 of the venue’s seats.[62] Seating does not wrap around the entire sphere, instead covering approximately two-thirds of the interior while the stage takes up the remainder.[64] The venue can accommodate 20,000 people in standing capacity.[37] The sphere has nine levels, including the basement, where a VIP club will be located. A total of 23 suites will be included, across the third and fifth floors.[52]
The Sphere’s interior will be equipped with a 16K resolution wraparound LED screen, measuring 160,000 sq ft (15,000 m2).[65][62] It will be the largest and highest-resolution LED screen in the world.[45] The exterior of the venue will feature 580,000 sq ft (54,000 m2) of programmable lighting,[10][66] which can be modified based on holidays, for example to depict the sphere as a Halloween pumpkin or a Christmas snow globe.[4] The sphere will feature 164,000 speakers,[67][68] and the sound system will deliver sound through the floorboards.[66] 4D features, including scent and wind, will also be used.[4]
The arena will primarily host awards shows and concerts, in addition to other entertainment events.[69] Although it was not designed to host sporting events, there is the possibility of hosting matches for boxing and mixed martial arts,[70][64] as well as esports tournaments.[52]
And rumored to be manufactured by Saco.
Here is a lengthy video that I can’t embed …
And here is a local news report from Vegas …
Here’s a few pictures from various sources of the outer shell under construction, for a better sense of its scale and engineering. The “pixels” are actually HUGE – they look like individually heat-sinked LED spot lights up close.
Some pictures from the 4th:
Check out this wild science page they put together – helpful for all the future sphere designers/engineers that are out there!
ABOUT THE WRITER
Brad Koerner is a Harvard-trained architect who has spent decades looking at how technology affects and defines built environments. He has a specific interest in technologies like lighting and digital displays. He is based in Amsterdam and open to new projects.
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