How to host an event in a geodesic dome and make it shine

In this article, the Geodomes Immersive Experiences specialist analyzes the possibilities offered by a geodesic dome for events, public and private, where the audience can enjoy a personalized and immersive environment.

In Anglo-Saxon countries there is an expression referring to novel or creative thinking that recommends that one should 'think outside the box'. (think outside the box), but if you really want to create a truly immersive brand experience, invite your customers to enter a bubble, literally.

In this sense, Geodesic domes for events allow the client to display their brand message in multiple formats, from a logo on the outside to personalized immersive projections inside, creating in the latter a unique and surprising environment among the public. Besides, Controlled entrances and exits allow for easy tracking of audience participation.

A geodesic dome or tent is a structure based on a mathematical form that provides unique resistance and security., which is not comparable with other types of event tents, and which are currently used mainly as unique tents for events (event dome) and for tourist accommodation (glamping domes), Although this article will focus on the first.

Domes for events

These are high performance structures, safe and striking for its unusual shape and originality, given the absence of columns or pillars, with a diaphanous surface where it is possible to create a multitude of different configurations to host any type of event.

When domes first entered the experiential marketing scene, They were expensive items., with practically one size fits all pop-ups,that allowed simple opportunities to generate brand image. Fortunately, These structures have evolved and companies like Geodomes Immersive Experiences They are adapting these products and their costs to the events market in Spain.

Technology enables personalized activations and events that immerse audiences in a personalized and immersive world. As it continues to improve, so will the resolution and image quality of these experiences offered in the domes, which in the near future will be even more visually impressive than those of VR devices and movie theaters.

Although today there are many more sizes of domes available for events., The costs necessary to create a super-production in these structures can multiply quickly if some aspects are not clear., like the capacity, video content, audiovisual equipment, etc.

However, the variety of sizes, Prices and technological options allow us to create a solution that adapts to the scale and budget of each client., while being customizable for the best possible return on investment.

Once you decide you are ready to host an activation or event with a geodesic dome for your next experience, You must focus on your planning and execution strategies to get the most out of it and dazzle with your event.. These three factors are crucial to getting the most out of an event dome.:

1. Location: It is one of the primary elements of the success of the activation. At this point, It is convenient to differentiate between events open to the general public and private ones.. In the first case, The environment in which the dome will be located is a much more important factor than whether it is a private event, in which public attendance is previously organized, as well as its transportation to the installation.

Geodesic domes are aesthetically beautiful due to their unique shape, but you also have to think about the image of the environment that visitors are going to share on social networks, since as a marketing strategy -both for the event and for the company itself-, The images shared will give an idea of ​​the grandeur and professionalism of both.

For example, unless the event is related to agrarian issues, installing a geodesic dome open to the public in the middle of an empty field will not attract many visitors. The experience of the public and the images that can be captured of the environment is something that should always remain in the memory.

Think carefully about how many people you need to run the event, how the public will access and attract the dome and how they will interact with the elements installed inside. Use these considerations to create a checklist of essential items for the correct location of your dome..

For example, The Geodomes team helped the Mexican Tourism Promotion Council organize a geodesic dome experience as part of the international promotional tour of Mexican tourism Live it to believe it. The premise was to locate the dome in different cities, in a preferential location that would be attractive to the local public, with high visibility and a natural audience flow.

The surroundings of the dome in Madrid were located in the Plaza de Colón, a space that captured the attention of citizens already during its assembly due to its uniqueness, which helped increase the number of visits once the exhibition opened to the public.

Inside, a 360º immersive video projection, with images of the wonderful tourist spaces of Mexico, finished captivating all attendees. A studied decoration and exterior lighting, with cultural artistic elements of this country, and a restaurant area with food truckincluding, They completed enough attractions so that the flow of visitors was continuous and the images shared on social networks were spectacular.

In the same way, in cities like London or Berlin, where the dome was installed in Potters Fields Park, adjacent to Tower Bridge and City Hall, and on Washingtonplatz, next to the Hauptbahnhof central station, respectively, contributed to obtaining a flow of visitors naturally, without the need to advertise the event in these areas, with influx of both local visitors and tourists.

For this reason, It is convenient to locate the spaces in which to install the geodesic dome, as well as designing a 3D implementation to see what it will look like prior to installation and, if the result is positive, will most likely please both the public and the end customer.

2. Focus on the budget

Being clear about your budget is also important to creating a compelling experience for your audience.. If you only focus on trying to fill the dome with people to its maximum capacity at all times, the experience will be overwhelming and scattered, and will not tell a personalized story to each of your visitors.

So it is advisable to ask yourself before: What are the essential ingredients of this event?? If a particular feature is not absolutely necessary, remove it. Your budget will determine the look and performance of your dome; when brands pretend otherwise, the results can be disastrous in terms of participation.

If you sell your dome experience as if it were Universal Studios, but it really offers an event with low quality projections or without much sense, Your audience will leave with a diminished view of your brand.

It is important to clarify that any size of geodesic dome, due to its spherical shape, It is suitable for immersive projections, but you have to take into account its capacity, the number of people expected inside at the same time and the size of the video projectors, since an immersive video projection in which the shadows of the public are seen reflected on the walls does not offer a good impression.

From the company Geodomes Immersive Experiences the recommendation is to hold Fulldome events, with immersive projections in domes with a large or medium size, since in this way unexpected shadows are avoided.

It is preferable to use a larger geodesic dome if you intend to make video projections inside it even if its capacity exceeds your occupancy expectations., since it is always possible to limit the occupancy area to adjust it to your needs, instead, in smaller domes that, due to their capacity, fit their occupancy needs., It may mean that the experience is somewhat diminished if shadows of the audience are projected during the presentation..

Smaller geodesic domes are ideal elements for product presentations on a smaller scale., pop-ups, information points and any type of experience that ensures a satisfactory result, with error-free execution.

If the budget allocated for the event is unlimited or it is a large account, You can let your imagination fly and attach external elements to your dome that, on the one hand, expand the display surface and, on the other, offer a unique aesthetic customized to the brand.

The attached video from Geodomes Immersive Experiences shows a proposal for the installation of a geodesic pavilion to promote the Qatar World Cup 2022, which has an outdoor installation simulating the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab mosque in Qatar, an internationally recognizable structure that uniquely personalizes access to the geodesic pavilion.

3. Know your audience

It's not just about installing a dome, put some fun and games inside and hope the audience comes out excited. First you have to know the audience to determine what type of show will have the greatest impact..

It is essential to find out and inform ourselves about who will make up our audience and, therefore, use that information to fit each element of the customer experience, with a compelling story they will want to share.

While creating any experiential marketing event is a real investment for your brand, Planning and executing your dome experience can take your audience to a new world, sparking excitement about your product and keeping viewers engaged enough to share their experiences for days and weeks after the event.

Ultimately, Geodesic domes are amazing structures with a great diversity of possible configurations to make any type of event held in this type of unique tents shine..