Adidas XR: Step into the Hacienda with Apple Vision Pro

Rebel9 builds the Adidas XR app for Apple’s Vision Pro on top of the Unity engine. We optimized our work to match the technical characteristics and guidelines of Apple’s Vision Pro. The Vision Pro’s hardware specifications, which allow for high-quality 3D modeling, realistic materials, and immersive sound design, were more than enough to bring the Hacienda of yesteryear to life in the present day. What’s more, Rebel9 saw the XR project as more than just a look back at Adidas’ history, but an interpretation of the brand’s heritage, combining cutting-edge technology with accessible UX. Furthermore, the project demonstrated the potential for XR technology to be utilized in a variety of fields in the future, especially as an effective tool for expanding brand experiences and enhancing communication with users.

Vision Pro’s Mixed Reality mode provides an experience that moves freely between real and virtual spaces. Rebel9 installed AR markers to provide a consistent experience, and users wearing the Vision Pro headset are transported back in time through an interface that includes an Adidas shoebox for access to the virtual world, as well as shoes, books, and cassette tapes related to the exhibition. It works by transitioning into a fully immersive virtual environment. Seol Jungmin, a software engineer at Rebel9 who developed the app, says creating an experience optimized for Vision Pro was a challenge. “We leveraged and used Unity to overcome the technical limitations of Vision Pro, and applied PolySpatial technology to implement existing visual effects and interactions. Due to the limitations of RealityKit, we had to address issues such as spatial audio and eye tracking.” Rebel9 leveraged PolySpatial technology to convert their Unity environment to RealityKit, which allowed them to achieve realistic 3D modeling and natural interactions.

Boram Jang, Lead UX Designer at Rebel9, studies the workings of the still-unfamiliar interface and picks out what can be implemented in the field. “We focused on quickly grasping the technical possibilities of Vision Pro and minimizing risk factors. We developed detailed guidelines for running the show and created a device manual so that we could quickly respond to any issues that arose.” He specifically designed an intuitive interface that utilizes eye tracking and hand gestures to make it easy for users to use without any training. “The new accessibility features of the XR headset represent the next direction in UX design. In the future, we will see cognitive design for accessibility, taking into account users in different situations and subtly designing for them. We saw this at the Adidas pop-up event, while at the same time designing for users to interact more intuitively.”

The project aims to embody the heritage of a specific era of Adidas by utilizing the innovative technology of the Apple Vision Pro. Using 3D images of the interior of the UK’s Hacienda Club and other materials provided by FAC51 The Hacienda, Rebel9 creates an immersive space that brings to life the role of Adidas in the music and culture of the time. After sorting and reconstructing the raw data provided by stakeholders, Rebel9 then flows through a timeline to design different visualization models and effectively communicate the relationship between music and fashion.

By overcoming the technical limitations of Vision Pro and delivering an immersive experience that blurs the line between real and virtual, we explored the possibilities of XR technology, demonstrating its potential to transform brand experiences and strengthen user connections. You can read more about the project in the case study. It details the challenges and solutions during development, as well as the outcomes and implications of the project, and we hope it will serve as a useful reference for developers and creators looking to innovate in the XR space.