AV Case Study: Thiess Immersive Igloo Vision Theatre
This 360° theatre is improving mining productivity, making collaborative efforts more engaging, and bringing distant sites closer than ever before.
25 November 2025
Text:/ Jared Adamo
Outside, the blue cylinder looks rather unassuming, branded with Thiess’s large friendly logo. Floor-to-ceiling, with a 6m diameter footprint, accessible right alongside standard corporate meeting rooms, the theatre is nestled into the corner of the office floor at Thiess’s headquarters in South Brisbane. A modest computer in a wheeled rack, topped with a monitor and keyboard, is perched out of the way in a back corner. The black trunk of cables running up and into the the blue cylinder hints at the control station’s purpose, but only when one passes beyond the blue barrier, into the immersive theatre, does the function of the Igloo Vision installation truly become felt and appreciated.
This immersive space is fast gaining recognition within Thiess as a versatile visual portal that can be leveraged to engage both internal and external audiences in new and powerful ways. Described as a ‘VR headset you can stand in’, the space allows users to communicate with each other, make notes, and dynamically interact with content, all while completely surrounded by audio and visual media.
MORE THAN JUST A DISPLAY
While the theatre is currently helping with daily operations in the Brisbane office, it can be packed down and deployed to tradeshows, expos, and high-profile presentations, making it a mobile virtual portal. Initially commissioned for MINExpo 2024, the theatre’s mobile functionality was central to its original intent. But Chris Lyons, Thiess’ Australia East Client Engagement Manager, is well aware of the theatre’s versatility and growing importance to various facets of the business, drawing attention to the significant environmental, resource, and financial benefits achieved by this kind of virtual immersion: “Mining is done everywhere around the world in remote locations that are not always easy to get to,” he comments. “If someone has never been to a mine site before – which is true of many of our new starters, it’s an easy way to show them what a mine site looks like. We can also bring our clients in. As the technology continues to evolve, and we evolve with the Igloo, we’ll be able to show them our mine plans with updates on what we’re doing, using this immersive theatre rather than actually visiting site.”
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It makes it really easy to walk into this space, pick up a tablet, and jump into their immersive content
SHORT THROW FOR THE LONG HAUL
To achieve the audiovisual holistic integration is no simple technological feat, and was lead by James Sheridan, Head of Igloo Vision Asia Pacific. Taking care of the display aspects are six Vivitek DU4381Z-ST projectors, chosen for their just-right balance of features and price.
James Sheridan: “We’ve used Vivitek for this installation because of this particular projector model. They currently stand alone in the market at this price point. You get 0.5 ultra short throw performance, and that means when we’re standing in a space like this you can get quite close to the screen before you catch light on your face or shadowing on the screen, leading to a much better experience and capacity.
“Driving the whole thing is the Igloo Core engine. It’s an immersive media player, and does the stitching and edge-blending to create a seamless image we see all around us. You can bring in 360° video, images, game-engine content, point clouds, and live 360 streams.”
The theatre isn’t limited to high-end bespoke content though, and can easily display any traditional digital media formats. Photos and 3D renders can be effortlessly combined with videos and animations anywhere on the projected circular display. But with a few software extensions and some custom-created 3D content, the theatre transforms into a truly unique interactive experience. With a few clicks at the control station – or better yet, via the hand-held tablet from within the immersive space, users find themselves virtually flying over a 3D photogrammetry scan of a remote mine or exploring point-cloud data while the operator dynamically leads them through different perspectives and vantage points.
James Sheridan: “It makes it really easy and accessible for a general user without any technical background to walk into this space, pick up a tablet, and jump into their immersive content.”
After a session spent virtually exploring a remote location, the tricky part is finding the door back to the real world!
UNLOCKING VIRTUAL VISTAS
The implications are profound, and Thiess knows they’ve procured for themselves a formidable asset. From collaborative engineering efforts and prospective client demos, to pre-site induction safety training, surrounding one’s audience with all-encompassing vision and sound is a powerful way to make any messaging memorable and poignant.
Chris Lyons: “What we can do with it is only really limited by us. The theatre can adapt to whatever we bring to it.”
Igloo Vision: igloovision.com
Synergy Audio Visual (Vivitek): synergyaudio.com
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