Located on the ground floor of Montréal’s convention centre — the Palais des congrès de Montréal — OASIS immersion is a walkable collection of mesmerizing spaces featuring three immersive galleries, two dazzling light installations, and a lounge area with a café and a boutique. It provides a great experience for any delegate with a bit of downtime to fill between sessions, and it’s right onsite.
Downtime that inspires
Once a bus terminus and a warehouse, OASIS immersion’s spaces include 105 laser projectors and 119 surround sound speakers. The state-of-the-art equipment creates 360° projections on walls and floors that capture the imagination and encourage contemplation. Your delegates can now partake in any of three rotating all-immersive exhibitions, all with a focus on local talent when it comes to sound design, curation, technology and conceptualization.
Experience 1: Forever transformed
The first experience delegates can choose is Transformé, an emotionally loaded voyage through imagery that’s based on real-life stories. It addresses human issues like mental health, compassion, inequality, diversity and wonder. The 80-minute walkthrough exhibition includes eight works that were originally designed for virtual reality headsets, here reformatted to create a collective experience.
Experience 2: Van Gogh seen differently
Titled VAN GOGH – Distorsion, this experience literally surrounds its visitors in the bright and colourful work of Vincent Van Gogh. This immersive journey encapsulates some 225 paintings, drawings and sketches by the Dutch master and amps them up with a soundtrack projected through 119 surround-sound speakers, plus 360° projections on the walls and floors of the three galleries. This experience runs approximately 65 minutes.
Experience 3: The sweetest folly
The final immersive attraction is family oriented, but fun for all ages. Sweet Folie is a zany celebration of imagination, creativity and wonder, where giants and other colourful characters are presented in a video ballet divided into three spaces: first the magical lair of a gentle purple giant, then an artful universe where the walls come to life, and finally a space that inspires visitors to move, dance and groove to the beat alongside the virtual characters. It lasts about 75 minutes.
Perfect for groups
Though OASIS immersion is an immersive experience open to the general public, it’s possible to purchase batches of tickets to allow your delegates to access the experience as a group. The space is also customizable; it can be adapted for special events. Planners and AV specialists can create visuals and design environments for specific groups if desired: for example, a group could host an immersive opening cocktail in a room that designed to reflect the culture and vibrancy of Montréal itself.
Cocktail-style food and beverage services are also possible; the team behind OASIS immersion has pre-qualified a short list of caterers that maintain and enhance the integrity of the experience. Simple bar service is also a possibility.
About the Montréal convention centre
Always with an eye on creativity and innovation, the Palais des congrès de Montréal is big, versatile and packed with art. It can play host to conventions that welcome thousands of people, or it can accommodate an intimate gathering of CEOs. Its various rooms have been used for sporting events, massive electronic dance parties and trade shows — and did you know the rooftop garden grows fresh herbs and houses a few colonies of honey bees? It’s the jewel in Montréal’s crown of fascinating event spaces, and one that’s adaptable to an infinite set of needs.
Cheat sheet
Venue: OASIS immersion (by the Palais des congrès de Montréal)
Address: 1001 Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle
Website: oasis.im/en/
Instagram: @oasisimmersion
Twitter: @Palais_Montreal
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