Ground Breaking “Pure Imagination”

Officials from Salina, the state of Kansas, and from Van Nuys, California, gathered Friday morning on the Kansas State University Salina campus to break ground on a $41 million, 47,500 square foot facility which literally is “Pure Imagination” inspired. The school has partnered with Pure Imagination Studios to establish K-AIRES, a one-of-a-kind spatial computing studio and learning center.

K-State Salina President Alysia Starkey said the groundbreaking was both a symbol and an action towards crating the foundation for the future of the campus, Salina, and the state of Kansas.

The K-AIRES studio and learning center at Kansas State University’s Salina Campus will be built by Pure Imagination Studios. Pure Imagination is an award-winning independent entertainment studio best known for combining proprietary technology with groundbreaking storytelling. They develop original content and work with some of Hollywood’s most recognized entertainment studios, including DreamWorks, FOX, The LEGO Group, Netflix, Marvel Entertainment and Warner Bros.

Joshua Wexler, is co-founder of Pure Imagination Studios, and as he told KSAL News is the company’s “Chief Executive of Fun”. The company specializes in the high tech field of spatial computing.

Spatial computing is a broad concept encompassing digital encounters that relate to objects and positions within the physical world. This incorporates augmented reality, mixed reality and virtual reality simulations of real-world places. It’s a combination of physical and digital worlds.

The K-AIRES facility will feature state-of-the-art equipment and immersive technologies which will enable the studio to transform the educational experience and establish new frontiers in aerospace, simulation, defense training, education, entertainment and immersive storytelling, manufacturing and other domains.

The K-AIRES project will employ 100 people in highly skilled, high paying jobs in Salina. It is expected to be complete in 2026.