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If you've ever wandered down the narrow alley between Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue and looked up to see a giant glowing egg overhead, congratulations: you've discovered one of Miami Beach's strangest landmarks.
Now, the Betsy Hotel is giving that landmark a major upgrade.
The South Beach hotel has installed a permanent, state-of-the-art projection system on The Orb, turning the architectural oddity into a year-round public digital art venue showcasing commissioned works by contemporary artists from Miami and around the world.
Designed by architect Allan Shulman and Betsy co-owner Jonathan Plutzik as part of the hotel's 2016 expansion, The Orb is an egg-shaped structure that serves as a bridge connecting the historic Betsy Ross and former Carlton hotels. But it also functions as a gallery space and public art installation tucked into the restored alleyway at 14th Place.
The new projection system features a Christie laser projector that delivers 17,800 lumens of brightness (about nine times more powerful than a typical home projector) and has been calibrated specifically for the Orb's curved surface. That means artists can create works designed exclusively for the structure, with imagery wrapping seamlessly around its spherical form.
"The Orb presents a remarkable curatorial opportunity, allowing The Betsy to champion the emerging power of digital immersive art and move the hotel's longtime gallery program outside into the light," said Betsy co-owner and art curator Lesley Goldwasser.
The inaugural installation under the new program arrives just in time for Miami's World Cup summer. Beginning June 11 and running through July 18, local transmedia artist dNASAb (pronounced "diznee") will debut The Gooooaaaaal Is Love, an immersive cinematic work that turns the Orb into a giant celebration of soccer culture and global connection. Created specifically for the structure, the piece uses cinematic storytelling, original music and experimental digital imagery to explore what the artist describes as the shared joy and belonging that football inspires around the world. Throughout the installation, viewers will encounter the recurring phrase "Protect What You Love," encouraging reflection on the communities, cultures and environments people cherish.
"We are excited to work with our local foundation partners ... commissioning one of the region's outstanding emerging visionaries in this space to celebrate the FIFA World Cup—on a canvas shaped like a soccer ball!" Plutzik said.
Best of all, the projections will run year-round and remain completely free to the public. Which means Miami Beach's giant floating orb is officially no longer just a weird thing you stumble upon—it's now one of the city's newest outdoor art galleries.