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Q&A: Shawn Sullivan Talks OMNIA


OMNIA, a new nightclub by the Hakkasan Group, located in the former PURE Nightclub space at Caesars Palace, merges Rockwell Group’s opulent design with cutting edge technology that enhances interactions between DJs and guests, allowing DJs to create immersive, sensory, and celebratory experiences. Below, Rockwell Group Partner Shawn Sullivan talks about what makes the 75,000-square-foot space unique.

Q: OMNIA was created in a space that housed one of the pioneering nightclubs in Las Vegas—Hakkasan Group’s PURE Nightclub. How did that legacy inform the project?

A: The space that we took over has a rich history. When PURE opened a decade ago, it transformed Las Vegas into a town where you not only came to gamble, dine, and be entertained, but also to hear the best DJs in the world. It set the stage for that.

We were excited by the existing heritage, but we wanted to take it to a whole new level. One of the most spectacular spaces at OMNIA is the rooftop, with a view of the Strip. We changed the circulation and stepped the platforms and cabana structures so they are more visible from the Strip. Now you have an even better panorama of Las Vegas, and a better view of the DJ. It’s a sexier, see-and-be-seen space.

Q: What were Hakkasan Group’s goals for the guests?


A: Hakkasan Group wants the guest—both general admission and VIP—to have an amazing time. We thought a lot about the general admission guest. The club has an organic flow: guests can move around constantly, for great perspectives and views.

Some of the best locations to perch are for the general admission guest. For example, there’s a bar behind the DJ where, when you’re there, you feel like you’re part of his entourage.

We also wanted to create a fantastic room that would celebrate the DJs’ craft. At OMNIA, they have the ability to essentially control the architecture with technology.

Q: Nightclubs can be tough spaces to design; they are usually huge and dark, and rely on special effects. They’re not typically known for their architecture. OMNIA, though, is beautifully designed. What was the inspiration?

A: It’s a very big space and we wanted it to be remarkable and memorable.


We studied European concert halls and performance and were inspired by their spectacle and scale, but took a modern approach. Our goal was to recreate that special feeling of sitting in an opera box, but transform it for a nightclub.

Q: How did you achieve that?

A: You arrive in this elegant way, up a grand staircase. There are multiple portals and vestibules and different ways to discover each room. The spaces that lead to the club help set the tone, and amplify the “wow” you’re going to have when you get there.

We also integrated the architectural lighting, not just club lighting, into the DJ’s toolkit so that even the sconces and furniture have the potential to be part of the lighting effects during a show.

Q: The chandelier is a centerpiece of the design & experience. Tell us about it.


A: The chandelier is the centerpiece and is located in the main room with a 74-foot-high, domed ceiling. The 22,000-pound kinetic chandelier is made of eight concentric circles, each clad in LED-embedded crystals with an array of theatrical lighting effects.

Each ring can fly away and half of the circle can turn on its side and penny-roll—it creates an immense display of moving scenes throughout the night.

There’s very little that’s interesting about technology alone. What we wanted to do was embed the technology into the architecture to surprise guests. On a slower night, we can lower the chandelier so that you can almost touch it while you’re on the dance floor. It helps transform the space to be more intimate and is a one-of-a-kind tool for the DJ.

Q: Were you there for the opening night, March 12, with Calvin Harris?

A: Yes. It was one of the more rewarding things I can think of in memory, seeing all of the dreaming and hard work of the consultants and collaborators come together in the mechanics and the design. There was an extraordinary DJ, a full house, and it worked flawlessly.

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