Otherworld Philadelphia is a 40,000-square-foot immersive art environment where more than 50 rooms unfold into a nonlinear journey of science fiction, fantasy, and interactive storytelling. Conceived as a fully self-guided experience, the space invites guests to move freely through bioluminescent forests, glowing portals, surreal architecture, and mixed-reality playgrounds, where nearly every environment is interactive in some way.

Our role focused on building the audio and interactivity backbone that allows the world to feel alive, reactive, and cohesive across all spaces.

We developed interactivity elements within select rooms, integrating responsive triggers and synchronized audio. From subtle environmental shifts to more overt reactive moments, the goal was to ensure that guest interaction felt intentional and immersive.

At the systems level, we programmed the Q-SYS design across the entire facility, creating a unified audio architecture capable of supporting dozens of distinct sonic environments simultaneously. Multichannel playback configurations were developed within Q-SYS to support spatialized audio experiences, supporting dimensional sound fields that match the scale of the installations.

The project required complex Dante network configuration and routing across multiple creative platforms. We coordinated signal flow between TouchDesigner and Max/MSP into Q-SYS, as well as Ableton Live into Q-SYS, and from Q-SYS to LEA amplifiers distributed in tech rooms throughout the building. This architecture enables generative content, time-based playback, and live-programmed elements to coexist within a stable and scalable networked audio system.

In the lobby, we implemented background music control via Spotify integrated into Q-SYS touch panels, along with paging capability for operational announcements. This ensures that front-of-house staff can manage ambiance and communications.

Final commissioning included DSP configuration, loudspeaker processing and tuning, in-field mix refinement, and system troubleshooting to balance artistic intent with acoustic performance. Given the scale of the facility and the density of interactive technologies, on-site calibration was essential to ensure that each room maintained its own identity while remaining part of a coherent overall story.

Otherworld Philadelphia represents a convergence of art, technology, and systems design. By unifying interactivity, multichannel playback, and networked audio infrastructure into a cohesive platform, we helped translate a vast creative vision into an operationally stable and sonically immersive environment.

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Otherworld Philadelphia

Client:
Audio Focus