About the Dome
More About the Dome
A wall that would make any fly that lands upon it, an incredibly lucky & deeply satisfied voyeur.
The Dome at Notsuoh is a one-of-a-kind, immersive theater nestled inside the historic walls of Notsuoh in downtown Houston.
Conceived and constructed by artist/engineer/inventor Matthew Dougherty the Dome began in 2019 as an ambitious experiment. What began as a prototype took on a life of its own.
Over the years, the Dome has welcomed poets, filmmakers, dancers, DJs, sound artists, musicians, visual artists, immersive installations, meditation circles, workshops, performances, and countless creative experiments. It has been transformed into a planetarium, a cinema, a dance floor, a listening room, a sanctuary, a laboratory, and a stage. Just as often, it has quietly served as a place where visitors could sit beneath evolving light installations, play their own music, or take a relaxing break from the beautiful chaos of Notsuoh.
Matthew has passed stewardship of the space to Notsuoh founder Jim Pirtle, leaving behind a lasting work of art embedded within the building. The Dome continues to evolve with every artist, performer, curator, musician, and visitor that steps inside— a social sculpture within a social sculpture. While Matthew has moved on to new explorations in immersive media, 360-degree filmmaking, virtual reality, and future dome projects, the Dome he imagined remains here at Notsuoh as part of the building's living history. Like the rest of Notsuoh, a project never meant to be finished.
It still stands, vibrating with a new beat every week — a magic bubble full of sparkling experimentation, collaboration, and creation—a room that changes with the people who gather inside it, and a space where new artists and new communities will continue adding chapters to its continually fascinating & mounting memoir.
Dome Features
The Dome at Notsuoh is a fully equipped immersive micro-venue, designed for flexibility, creativity, and impact. it includes,
Seating & Layout:
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Seating for up to 25 audience members
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Configurable table and chair setup for writing workshops, meetings, or roundtable events
Audio & Visual:
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BassBoss sound system with Bluetooth and HDMI connections
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One 4K projector with optional fish eye lens offering 270 degree immersive viewing
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Dual projection options: immersive wraparound or centered rectangular display
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Screen mirroring for live demos or online workshops
Lighting & Atmosphere:
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DMX -controllable lighting system
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Hex Par lights plus specialty fixtures for mood and effect
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Premium Cumaru hardwood flooring with cushioned underlayment
Comfort & Amenities:
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HVAC with 3 air vents for climate control
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Lockable storage and espresso machine
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USB-A, and USB-C charging
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Door curtains, and ante chamber for immersive transitions
The Team
Matt Dougherty
Dome Creator
Matt is a mathematician, technologist, artist, engineer, and the projectile behind The Dome at Notsuoh. Having careers spanning engineering, science, and entertainment, he has enjoyed innovative projects across industries including NASA's space shuttle avionics, electron microscopy, medical molecular imaging, NOAA climate & weather high-performance computing, chief engineer of KPFT, the producer of the Juneteenth Blues Festival broadcast on NPR, the producer of the Belizean DVD Garifuna Drum Method, collaborating with the Smithsonian Folkways, and inventing immersive visualizations.
His current playfulness centers on developing platforms for 360-filmmaking & virtual reality, understanding the biochemistry of amino acids, innovating aerated concrete, and using visualization for science and the arts. By creating tools and infrastructure for interactive exploration and artistic expression, he blends his perspectives of technical expertise and imagination, to fathom his curiosities in business, culture, science, medicine, music, and dance movement, through open-ended collaborations and personal lifelong jaunts.
He frequently tests new ideas by building and destroying systems, to define the physical limits, individual character, and social ethics of how we utilize science and art as culture.
Artist, Curator and Director of Programming
Julia is a Houston-based performance artist, curator, and director with a Master’s degree in Arts Leadership from the University of Houston. Her work focuses on social sculpture and creating immersive, community-driven art experiences that bring people together in meaningful and unexpected ways.
She has directed large-scale festivals and events, including the internationally recognized Experimental Action performance art festival, and has collaborated with leading institutions such as the Mitchell Center for the Arts' CounterCurrent Festival, DiverseWorks, and the Orange Show. A
s a performer, she has presented work across the U.S. and internationally, including performances in New York, Leipzig, Germany and Pittsburgh.
Julia is known for cultivating experimental art communities and creating platforms where artists can grow, connect, and take creative risks.
i1150n
Sound & Visual Artist
DJ I1150n is a sound technician, video artist, and longtime contributor to Houston’s underground art scene. Originally from Los Angeles, he left a career in film and television to pursue a more hands-on, community-rooted creative life in Houston. Now a key collaborator at The Dome at Notsuoh, he brings deep expertise in both analog and digital media, helping shape immersive environments through sound and video.
As a DJ and artist, his sets blend jungle, house, and experimental electronic textures with a focus on rhythm and emotional depth. He’s known for his ability to move between genres seamlessly and for supporting other local artists through collaboration and technical know-how. A frequent presence at events throughout the building long before the Dome existed, DJ I1150n is not just part of the team—he’s part of the fabric. Outside the booth, he’s a dedicated uncle, a lover of analog gear, and someone who helps make art happen, both behind the scenes and on the main stage.
Notsuoh
A Living Work of Art in the
Heart of Downtown Houston
Located in a historic building on Main Street, Notsuoh is one of Houston’s most iconic and unconventional bars. Owned and operated by performance artist Jim Pirtle, Notsuoh is more than just a nightlife spot—it’s an evolving social sculpture designed to spark connection, curiosity, and wonder. Known for its surreal, ever-changing art installation, the space is a collision of taxidermy, local art, family heirlooms, and Houston history, all carefully curated and constantly reimagined by Jim himself.
A longtime fixture in Houston’s experimental art scene, Pirtle once gained notoriety for absurdist performance works—most infamously involving mayonnaise. These days, he’s more likely to be found engaging travelers and locals in conversations about art and philosophy amid his ever-shifting installation.
Now a family-run business, Notsuoh serves finely crafted cocktails in an atmosphere that rewards curiosity and invites exploration. It’s a haven for adventurous nightlife lovers and a rare home for experimental art projects that couldn’t exist anywhere else.
The Dome at Notsuoh lives upstairs because Jim welcomed an experimental space into his own experimental space. Notsuoh didn’t just make room for the Dome—it nourished it. As a host, collaborator, and living structure, Notsuoh offers fertile ground for The Dome to grow into itself, providing the perfect environment for immersive art to evolve in dialogue with its surroundings. Together, they form a layered, living ecosystem of art, sound, light, and human connection in the heart of Houston.
