A temporary, portable venue for TED’s 30th annual conference required some theatrical experimentation. The nonprofit organization devoted to “Ideas Worth Spreading” invited Rockwell Group to design and build a theater within the Vancouver Convention Centre’s 45,000-square-foot ballroom.
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Imagine a pop-up theater where visionaries inspire the world.
The concept grew from the remarkable experiences fostered by TED: Live talks that let the speaker and audience share a communal learning experience.
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Proximity creates a communal experience like that of a campfire.
The venue has the ephemeral magic of theater, but with the attention to detail given to permanent architecture—allowing TED to reuse it for years to come.
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“It has the excitement of a pop-up place, but has the quality of a real piece of architecture.”
A five-day assembly schedule heightened the excitement leading up to the conference.
“Every piece of the theater has been built for this moment.”
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A variety of seating options—benches, lounge seating, beanbags and chairs—are all less than 80 feet from the stage, and let viewers sit where they feel most comfortable.