IMAX VR

Project Overview:

The development of a 15,000 sqft flagship IMAX VR location in Los Angeles aimed to establish IMAX as a pioneer in the emerging field of experiential virtual reality. With plans to replicate this model across six additional locations globally, the project required not only delivering an engaging flagship experience but also ensuring the design and construction approach was scalable, flexible, and cost-effective.

Goals:

• Complete the transition from lease execution to operational launch within five months.

• Position IMAX as a leader in the emerging VR entertainment market.

• Develop a scalable and replicable design model for future locations.

• Drive alignment across stakeholders to meet aggressive budget and timeline goals.

Challenges:

• Balancing the construction of a flagship space with the need for scalable, repeatable design and construction methods.

• Navigating the fluid nature of VR technology and customer experience design as both were still being actively defined in 2016.

• Addressing permitting and safety complexities unique to VR, such as ensuring customers—immersed in VR headsets and headphones—could safely respond to fire alarms or emergency events.

• Managing a diverse group of vendors, architects, contractors, and marketing teams to align with budget, schedule, and brand vision.

Solutions Delivered:

• Scalable Design Documentation: Detailed and replicable documentation ensured design and construction methods could be efficiently deployed across multiple future locations.

• Flat-Pack Millwork: Custom millwork was engineered to be flat-packed, reducing costs and enabling faster deployment to additional sites.

• Flexible Infrastructure: Electrical and data systems were installed in an overhead catwalk framework, creating a technology-agnostic infrastructure with adaptability for future advancements in VR technology.

• Collaborative Permitting Solutions: Close relationships with local permitting authorities and fire marshals were cultivated, fostering collaboration and trust in solving complex safety concerns.

• Custom Safety Alerts: Unique safety protocols were developed, including custom alerts integrated into VR headsets and headphones, synchronized with the building's fire and life safety systems.

• Spatial Awareness Design: VR pod flooring was engineered to provide tactile feedback, ensuring customers could sense physical boundaries even while fully immersed in VR environments.

Outcomes:

• The flagship location was successfully completed within the five-month timeline, aligning with aggressive schedule goals.

• Innovative design solutions established a scalable model that streamlined future expansions.

• Safety challenges unique to VR environments were effectively addressed, meeting permitting requirements without compromising the customer experience.

• The space was positioned as a cutting-edge experiential entertainment destination, setting a benchmark for future VR retail environments.

Connection to Eleven23:

This project reflects core principles central to eleven23’s approach: strategic leadership, innovative problem-solving, and a human-centered design mindset. The ability to align a diverse team, solve complex permitting and safety challenges, and deliver a scalable, future-ready design mirrors the same approach eleven23 brings to every project.

Whether navigating emerging technologies, balancing stakeholder priorities, or developing systems with scalability in mind, this project serves as a clear example of how precision, creativity, and leadership come together to deliver transformative spaces.