Immersive Environment Thingvellir
National Geographic / Disney
What if you could watch your favorite movies while immersed in a world-famous heritage site? We were part of developing this immersive environment for National Geographic and Disney+ on Apple Vision Pro to virtually transport users to UNESCO World Heritage site Thingvellir National Park in Iceland.
To make the experience more engaging, the environment incorporates interactive elements and authentic natural sounds that add depth to the setting. Users can toggle between two timescapes—a snowy daytime landscape and an aurora-lit night scene—giving them a dynamic way to explore the surroundings.
The National Park
Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Iceland, offers breathtaking landscapes where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. Its dramatic rifts, glacial springs, and rich history—home to the world’s oldest parliament, the Althing—make it a unique destination. Our team handled the full field-production of making 3D-assets and 360-degree panoramas to recreate the environment exactly as it looks in real life: as if you were there.
This real-world wonder accompanies other fictional worlds from the Marvel and Star Wars universes available on the Apple Vision Pro, adding to the balance of authenticity and escapism. Surrounding viewers with Thingvellir’s serene landscapes grounds viewers in the beauty and history of our planet while they explore cinematic adventures.
Services we have provided
Story development
We specialize in developing stories for immersive formats, letting the audience step into the story and interact with it.
Immersive production
We capture, produce and publish content within all fields of the immersive space - from 360-video to interactive virtual reality.
3D and Reality Capture
We bring back high-resolution 3D assets from all over the world, using photogrammetry, lidar and reality capture.
User Experience
The Immersive Environment Thingvellir offers users a choice between two immersive settings on the Apple Vision Pro. During the daytime, users can explore a snowy Icelandic landscape, while nighttime unveils the aurora borealis lighting up the sky. This toggle feature provides an engaging visual context as users enjoy Disney+ content, transforming traditional viewing into an interactive, scenic experience.
Impact
This immersive environment has set a new standard in National Geographic’s virtual storytelling, showcasing their ability to fuse natural history with cutting-edge technology. The project has expanded their mission to connect people to the wonders of the world and also highlights Disney+'s role as a leader in the future of experiential entertainment. We're proud to be part of taking it further.
Credits
Martin Edström
Oliver Akermo
Jonathan Lövholm
Get in touch
Do you want to learn more about immersive storytelling? Perhaps you already have a project idea?