A Behind-the-Scenes Look at POPULOUS’
Inspired Sphere Design for Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.
POPULOUS is a global architecture and design firm
specializing in sports, entertainment, and
convention facilities. The company was founded in
1983 in Kansas City as a sports architecture group
within larger firm HOK. In 2009, POPULOUS
became an independent company after a management buyout.
Today, POPULOUS has offices across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
Firm is considered one of the leading designers of sports venues in world.
Some of POPULOUS’s most famous projects include Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, which pioneered the retro baseball park design trend in 1990s. POPULOUS has since designed over a dozen Major League Baseball stadiums. Other notable sports projects include Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Yankee Stadium in New York, and ANZ Stadium in Sydney. POPULOUS has also planned Olympic facilities for games in Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing, Vancouver, London, and Sochi.
In addition to sports architecture, POPULOUS has designed major multipurpose arenas and convention centers. These include the O2 Arena in London, the Los Angeles Convention Center, and the Qatar National Convention Center. The firm’s portfolio also includes university athletic facilities, e-sports arenas, horse racing tracks, and auto racing circuits across the globe. POPULOUS approaches each project by focusing on local culture, identity, and community.
POPULOUS has received over 200 design awards since its founding. Awards include the 2021 World Architecture Festival Sports Building of the Year for Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and the 2022 Architizer A+ Award for Taipei Arena in Taiwan. Sustainability is also a key focus—POPULOUS has 21 LEED-certified projects. The firm was named 10th in Top 100 Giants in sports industry by SportsPro magazine.
The leadership team at POPULOUS includes founder and chairman Joe Spear, CEO Jim Swords, president and director of sports architecture Chris Lee, and managing directors for each geographical region. Notable senior principals include senior principal and chairman of Europe Bruce Miller and senior principal of the Asia-Pacific region Ben Vickery. POPULOUS typically operates by assembling large design teams representing various areas of expertise for each major project.
Sphere at venetian designed by POPULOUS:
The Sphere is a unique spherical building inspired by sustainability and innovation. Covered in responsive LED panels and semi-reflective glazing, sphere’s dynamic exterior will display captivating light shows. Inside, high-tech immersive environment will host entertainment, exhibitions, conferences, and other events. eye-catching view of sphere is integrated into existing Venetian Resort campus and you can view it from Venetian hotel rooms.
To create Sphere’s distinct spherical shape and media facade, POPULOUS worked with creative partners Storyland Studios, Manica Architecture, and Gensler. The structural engineering firms Arup and Halvorson and Partners also played key roles in bringing the 17,500-seat, 400,000-square-foot spherical venue to life. The Sphere blends POPULOUS’s expertise in designing iconic, experiential venues with creative technology and sustainability.
Construction on Sphere began in 2018, with an estimated completion in 2023. The jaw-dropping project is expected to redefine digital architecture possibilities on Las Vegas Strip. It also sets new standards for LEED Platinum certification. Venetian Sphere demonstrates POPULOUS’s innovative approach and exceptional ability to design landmark buildings that enhance visitor experiences.
For over 35 years, POPULOUS has brought its international sports, entertainment, and technology expertise to create acclaimed buildings across world. The Venetian Sphere in Las Vegas is latest architecturally stunning, experientially rich venue from this leading firm. With its focus on design excellence, community, and innovation, POPULOUS is sure to continue shaping exceptional spaces for decades to come.
FAQ on Sphere vegas designed by POPULOUS:
Q: Who designed the unique spherical building known as Sphere in Las Vegas?
A: Venetian Sphere was designed by the architecture firm POPULOUS, which has offices around the world and specializes in sports, entertainment, and convention facilities. POPULOUS assembled a creative team including Manica Architecture and Gensler to bring the distinct sphere design to life.
Q: What will Venetian Sphere be used for?
A: 17,500-seat Venetian Sphere will host a wide variety of events including concerts, conferences, product launches, exhibitions, awards shows, and more. Its immersive environment focuses on entertainment experiences and innovations in technology.
Q: How big is Venetian Sphere in vegas ?
A: spherical structure is over 400,000 square feet in size. sphere has a circumference of 780 feet and reaches a height of 366 feet. It is large enough to fit about 18 basketballs inside.
Q: What makes exterior of Venetian Sphere so unique?
A: Venetian Sphere is covered in responsive LED panels and semi-reflective glazing that will display visually stunning light shows and projections viewable both inside and outside sphere. This dynamic media facade makes building an iconic addition to Las Vegas Strip.
Q: When will Venetian Sphere be completed?
A: Construction on $2.1 billion project began in 2018 and is slated for completion in 2023. When finished, the jaw-dropping sphere is expected to redefine architecture possibilities in Las Vegas.