AMP Capital Shopping Centres (AMPCSC) has opened its display at the biennial AMP Amplify Festival, which since 2005 has been transforming level one of its Alfred St offices into a showground of innovation with talks, workshops, breakfasts, and seed funding events.

Part of the festival is the Amplify Expo, where exhibitors showcase their inventions, creativity and resourcefulness by demonstrating how emerging technologies and new ideas can be applied to solve key business challenges. AMPCSC uses the festival to create a digitally led activation which is later rolled out into shopping centres across the AMPCSC portfolio.

This year, AMPCSC has taken advantage of new technology made available through Google and Samsung to create a unique virtual reality experience for participants.

Entitled Virtual Voyage, the installation invites participants to use either a Google Cardboard headset, powered by a Google Nexus mobile device, or a Samsung VR Headset, powered by a Samsung Galaxy, for a virtual reality experience that will capture their imagination by flying through a series of iconic Australian environments from a completely unique perspective.

Belinda Daly, head of shopping centre marketing at AMP Capital Shopping Centres, said Virtual Voyage is about creating a unique point of difference for AMP Capital Shopping Centres.

“The concept uses technology to build on the notion of the customers’ ‘third place’, creating truly unique experiences for visitors to our centres,” Daly said.

“These experiences create lasting impressions that encourage longer visits to the centre and encourage customers to return more often.

“We will take Virtual Voyage on a roadshow of our centres, utilising it as part of school holiday activities where we will be able to bring Virtual Voyage and the immersive environments to life through a range of interactive journeys.”

Amplify Festival will run from Monday, June 1 to Friday, June 5 2015 with more than 2000 visitors expected to take part.