Abu Dhabi is set to add a new landmark to its skyline with Sphere Abu Dhabi, a $1.7bn development on Yas Island that is still under construction. Attention is increasingly turning to its most striking feature, the Exosphere.
Standing 112 metres tall, the Exosphere is a programmable LED screen that will wrap around the outside of the sphere. It is designed to show art, advertising and immersive visual content before visitors even enter the building.
LED façade delivered by a UAE-based contractor
Blue Rhine Industries (BRI), a UAE-based specialist, is delivering the work. Main contractor ALEC Engineering and Contracting, a subsidiary of ALEC Holdings, awarded BRI the lead subcontractor role for the design, installation and commissioning of the 1.2 million square foot LED façade.
BRI leaders said they regard the audiovisual integration project as the most significant in the company’s 20-year history. They presented it as evidence that local contractors can lead projects of global prominence.
Venue capacity, opening timeline and programming
Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi) is working closely with Sphere Entertainment on the project, which is the company’s first outside the US. The venue will sit between Yas Mall and Sea World Abu Dhabi.
The venue will offer flexible seating for up to 20,000 people and is set to be completed by the end of 2029. Planned entertainment includes international concert residencies, combat sports and immersive original productions that draw on Emirati culture and regional talent.
By combining engineering advances, immersive display technology and regional storytelling, the project aims to position Yas Island as a top-tier international entertainment and tourism destination.
