Lost World Aquarium Case Study
AVI-SPL turns the Lost World Aquarium into an immersive underwater audiovisual experience
Organization
Lost World Aquarium at Atlantis, The Palm
Location
Dubai, UAE
Market
Entertainment and Experience
Solutions
Crestron, Epson, Philips, Q-SYS, Samsung
The Lost Chambers Aquarium has long served as a calm marine-life counterpoint to Atlantis, The Palm’s headline attraction. However, as expectations for immersive spaces grew, its set pieces and gentle narrative no longer reflected the resort’s desired image.
The resort decided to refresh the aquarium for an easily adaptable and story-led environment, the Depths of Discovery at the Lost World Aquarium.
Atlantis, The Palm partnered with AVI-SPL and AVI-SPL’s Experience Technology Group (XTG) to reimagine the experience.
Designing an interactive underwater world with experiential AV
AVI-SPL first outfitted the resort’s entrance zone to validate the end-to-end approach for the Lost World experience. The space features Philips dvLED screens with control processors. With the broader scope awarded, the team moved into full design and installation for an October 2025 reopening.
AVI-SPL’s creative technologist, Juanjo Albala, and design engineer, Aaron Leishman, developed an extensive audiovisual design for the 16-chamber attraction.
The concept and technical design had to be easy to operate and seamlessly blend with marine life tanks and compelling video content.
AVI-SPL worked closely with BoraBora Studios to ensure the technology and video content would work cohesively.
The final design embraces large-format projection mapping, interactive triggers, educational kiosks, and newly conceived spatial audio. Together, these technologies inspire visitor movement and support character and narrative intent.
Explore the Lost World
Powering the Lost World Aquarium
The AV ecosystem features 60 Epson projectors powered by 14 media servers, immersing guests in underwater video content and spectacle.
140 loudspeakers deliver a spatial audio experience throughout the aquarium corridor. Visitors hear an original soundtrack and oceanic sounds. Acoustic grilles and architectural recesses hide subwoofers to preserve the design.
Over 25 interactive kiosks, interactive signage displays, a sphere display, gesture-tracking cameras, nodes to feed environment lighting, and minicomputers come together to make aquarium guests feel like they are a part of the mythological world.
Additionally, the team enabled interactivity around a handheld Trident that triggers media, lighting, and sound through infrared receivers.
Albala and Leishman emphasized flexibility in ecosystem management so staff can change seasonal content and perform system checks from a central office, not the server room. Q-SYS Core X20 and Crestron CP4 manage the audio, logic, and interactivity. CAT extenders transmit video feeds.
Bringing the aquatic experience to life
AVI-SPL project engineer James Taylor led onsite integration. Taylor and his team had to translate projection studies, system designs, and bill of materials into a workable installation within an existing architecture.
Working inside an existing space was the defining challenge. The aquarium’s architecture left little room for repositioning equipment.
“A retrofit like this always requires rapid re-engineering,” says Taylor. “Because our timeline was short, we did not have the luxury of reworking concepts from scratch. We had to make it work.”
Preserving the underwater illusion
AVI-SPL faced integration challenges, such as projector placement near a tank in the Medusa room. Taylor’s team collaborated with staff to encase the projectors in custom fiberglass enclosures to protect them from water and ensure reliability.
Additionally, the team had to find a way to seamlessly stage and conceal 25 projectors in The Lost Chamber for 360-degree projection. The team hid the projectors in fiberglass panels and reworked keystone structures to preserve the experience.
“The result looks identical to the original,” Taylor shared. “We can still service projectors and operate properly, as there are removable access panels and built-in ventilation.”
With AVI-SPL responsible for the project’s complete end-to-end delivery, despite the large volume of equipment, almost none of it is visible.
As the opening date approached, the final weeks became intensely collaborative.
“We worked very long hours, but everyone pulled together,” says Taylor. “You can design something perfectly. But in the real world, you always find something you did not expect. For a retrofit, you must react quickly and rely on teamwork.”
In addition to design and integration, AVI-SPL is providing managed services to support the exhibit’s long-term operation.
The result: An enchanting experience making waves in immersive storytelling
Atlantis, The Palm has transformed its aquarium into a captivating marine habitat learning experience by collaborating with AVI-SPL’s Experience Technology Group. The once calm aquatic learning environment now immerses people of all ages in a fantasy-driven environment.
Marine life, captivating content, elaborate lighting, and soundscapes surround visitors. And with the power of the Trident, they take their aquarium experience into their own hands, uncovering secret messages and multi-sensory effects.
Feedback from Atlantis, The Palm and Kerzner International has been overwhelmingly positive.
“What we heard on opening night was that the result is everything Atlantis wanted and more,” Neil Edden, AVI-SPL Business Development Manager reflects. “The experience matched the renders exactly, which is rare for a project of this scale and complexity.”
Ready to transform your spaces with immersive AV that delights and supports flexible storytelling? AVI-SPL’s Experience Technology Group is ready to collaborate with you. Let’s get started!
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