BOUND BY MILES
Chicago / Technical installation

Shedd Immersion Theater

A six-week hands-on technical installation supporting a newly reimagined, multisensory 4D theater at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium.

Shedd Immersion Theater
Project notes

What the work involved.

01
Project context

Work in an immersive theater setting with specialized equipment and installation requirements.

02
Shannon’s contribution

Hands-on technical installation, site coordination and practical workflow improvements as part of a broader project team.

03
Transferable experience

An example of construction and field problem-solving skills applied outside conventional building projects.

04
Important distinction

The project was not contracted or delivered by Bound by Miles as a company.

Case-study wording is a working summary of supplied experience, not a client endorsement or an independently verified project record.

The project / independently published

A new kind of immersive theater.

Shedd Aquarium and SimEx-Iwerks opened the new Immersion Theater to the public on May 9, 2026. The redesigned Phelps Auditorium combines imagery extending onto the side walls, next-generation motion seating, synchronized wind, mist, scents, lighting and an interactive augmented-reality pre-show experience. Shedd and SimEx-Iwerks have worked together on 4D experiences since 2006.

6 weeksShannon's on-site installation assignment
3Laser projectors installed with the project team
May 2026Public opening of the attraction

Receiving and site readiness

Shannon arrived ahead of the installation team, received deliveries and coordinated site access and work sequencing with the on-site supervisor.

Specialized systems installation

Installed and mounted AV and show-effects infrastructure including motion seating, water and scent lines, speakers, HDMI extenders, IR assistive-listening components, lighting and projection equipment.

Practical workflow design

Developed a curved seating-layout template, improved repetitive installation workflows and maintained organized, clean cable runs while working across interdependent systems.

Commissioning support

Assisted with equipment testing and commissioning. This was hands-on work as part of SimEx-Iwerks' larger delivery team, not a claim to have designed or led the overall theater project.

Independent project sources: Shedd Aquarium opening announcement ↗ · SimEx-Iwerks project case study ↗. Shannon's responsibilities are drawn from his first-hand account and are not individually documented in those announcements.

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