Graycor Construction Company completed construction on Wonderverse, a 45,000-square-foot, one-of-a-kind, immersive entertainment destination within Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook, Illinois.
The project features a hybrid of physical and multi-media experiences, interactive installations, dynamic attractions and dining experiences, allowing visitors to step into their favorite Sony Pictures stories.
Sony, the project’s owner, engaged Graycor seven months before the start of construction to take full advantage of its preconstruction services. The collaboration, communication and coordination between all stakeholders led to the overall success of the state-of-the-art project, especially regarding the build-out of intricate spaces. Transformative spaces offering immersed experiences include escape rooms, virtual reality adventures, bumper cars, racing simulators, arcade and a speakeasy.
Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) played a crucial role in ensuring high-quality building system installations. These capabilities allowed for visualization of the project, identifying clashes with building systems, and assisting trade partners in prefabrication and installation. The use of fully integrated models prior to construction helped eliminate issues typically found in the field, resulting in time and cost savings.
“Partnering with Sony on such a unique and exciting project allowed our team to draw upon Graycor’s decades of experience in building the retailtainment space. This well-planned and executed immersive entertainment destination serves as a catalyst not only for the entertainment industry, but it will also contribute positively to the community through economic growth, community engagement and overall well-being,” says Steve Oldendorf, Project Executive. “The successful execution of the project at Oakbrook Center was underpinned by a steadfast commitment to prioritizing and adhering to safe work practices.”
The project team included Scenario as the owner’s representative and EXP as the architect of record. Construction was completed on Wonderverse in late 2023, followed by its official opening in January 2024.