AtkinsRéalis, a major engineering services company, has announced that it has been appointed as lead multidisciplinary design and supervision consultant for UAE’s ambitious Sphere Abu Dhabi project, responsible for overall design co-ordination across architecture, structural engineering and specialist immersive technologies. 

In May, UAE-based Alec Holdings, an engineering and construction group, had been signed up by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi to oversee procurement, construction delivery and project completion under a design-and-build framework.

Announcing the contract win, the Canadian company said both organisations will be operating in clearly defined and complementary roles. The partnership combines AtkinsRéalis global design expertise with Alec’s regional delivery capabilities to realise one of the world’s most technologically advanced entertainment venues.

Sphere is a category-defining entertainment venue, featuring a fully programmable LED exosphere and a wraparound interior display capable of delivering stunning 16K-resolution visuals, complemented by advanced beamforming audio technology that can direct sound to individual seats. An immersive entertainment venue on Yas Island, it is scheduled to open in 2029.

The original Sphere in Las Vegas became the highest-grossing arena in the world within its first year of operation, redefining audience expectations for live entertainment, it added.

Delivering an experience of this scale and technical sophistication demands exceptional design, engineering and construction capabilities, said the statement. 

Sphere Abu Dhabi therefore brings together two organisations with deep and complementary expertise across complex entertainment, cultural and large-scale infrastructure projects worldwide. 

Both companies bring extensive experience in delivering technically complex destinations across the region, including work on Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia’s flagship entertainment giga-project, where AtkinsRéalis is serving as design consultant and Alec is delivering construction works across several landmark venues. 

This experience provides both organisations with first-hand insight into the technical and logistical demands of next-generation entertainment infrastructure at scale.

Peter Willmott, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East, AtkinsRéalis, said: “Sphere Abu Dhabi is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a completely new kind of immersive destination for the Middle East. Together with ALEC, we are integrating cutting-edge design, advanced engineering, and immersive technologies to deliver a venue that will redefine what entertainment means globally.”

Sphere Abu Dhabi is being developed by Tourism – Abu Dhabi as part of the emirate’s broader strategy to further establish the UAE capital as a global destination for culture, entertainment, and innovation. 

The venue will introduce an entirely new dimension of immersive storytelling to the region, redefining how audiences engage with live and digital experiences at scale.

Sean McQue, Managing Director of Alec Construction, said: “Sphere Abu Dhabi is one of the most technically demanding and culturally significant projects we have undertaken, and it demands exactly the kind of integrated, collaborative delivery model that our partnership with AtkinsRéalis enables.”

“Their design leadership combined with our construction expertise and deep regional presence gives this project the right foundation to deliver to the global benchmark this venue deserves,” he added.