Serving the themed entertainment community

Latest News

  • Teachers from around the globe meet at Space Center Houston for conference on space education
  • IAAPA EMEA holds Winter Conference for first time in Canary Islands
  • Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, co-designed by Berenbaum Jacobs Associates and JRA, opens in Cincinnati’s Union Terminal
  • Barco introduces Medialon Showmaster version 2.7
  • Legacy Entertainment’s ROAD RAGE at Trans Studio Bali billed as world’s first “stunt show dark ride”
  • Josh Powers joins IAAPA as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
  • Fred Foster, co-founder and CEO of ETC, passes away at age 61 – remembered as leader in theater technology
  • Cirque du Soleil continues expansion through partnership with football superstar Leo Messi and acquisition of The Works Entertainment
  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Online Issues
    • 2018
      • #76 – Year End/Trade Show Round-up
      • #75 – IAAPA 2018
      • #74 – EME/Waterparks
      • #73 – Asia and Technology
      • #72 – Dubai/Museums
      • #71 – MENA/Entertainment
    • 2017
      • #70 – IAAPA 2017
      • #69 – Game Changers
      • #68 Going Global: Technology on the International Stage
      • #67 – Experience Design: Many Faces Many Places
      • #66 Theatrical Influence and Convergence
    • 2016
      • #65 IAAPA 2016
      • #64 Waterpark, Zoo & Aquarium 2016
      • #63 Technology 2016
      • #62 International
      • #61 Museums and Expanding Markets
    • 2015
      • #60 – IAAPA 2015
      • #59 – Zoos/Aquaria and Waterparks 2015
      • #58 – Technology 2015
      • #57 – International 2015
      • #56 – Museums 2015
    • 2014
      • #55 – IAAPA 2014 / Tenth Anniversary
      • #54 – Waterparks, Zoos and Aquariums 2014
      • #53 – Technology 2014
      • #52 – International 2014
      • #51 – Museums 2014
    • 2013
      • #46 – Museums 2013
      • #47 – International 2013
      • #48 – Technology 2013
      • #49 – Waterparks 2013
      • #50 – IAAPA 2013
      • 2013 Wrap-Up
    • 2012
      • #45 – IAAPA & WWA Wrap-Up
      • #44 – IAAPA
      • #43 – Waterparks
      • #42 – Technology
      • #41 – International
      • #40 – Museums
  • World markets
    • Asia
    • Europe & Middle East
    • Latin America & Mexico
    • North America
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About
    • About InPark
    • Privacy Policy
  • Resources
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linked
    • Youtube

Stantec: Envisioning Enjoyland

Oct 09, 2018 Joe Kleiman #75 - IAAPA 2018, 2018, Asia, Attractions, Features, Themed Dining/Retail, Themed Resorts/Hotels, World markets 0


Stantec: Envisioning Enjoyland

Stantec talks about RD&E development and placemaking

Stantec has been active in the themed entertainment industry for more 30 years, with a portfolio of retail, dining and entertainment (RD&E); hospitality and resort projects, and an international client list that includes Walt Disney Imagineering, Merlin Entertainments Group, NBC Universal, and SeaWorld.

Recently, the company had the opportunity to collaborate with a client to develop Enjoyland, a new 260-acre RD&E in Zhengzhou (Henan Province), China. In an integrated resort or other leisure development, a successful RD&E functions as a unique experience in its own right – as a hub where visitors can shop, dine and enjoy entertainment venues – while also maintaining a sense of connection with access to other components of the property, such as hotels and theme parks. A successful RD&E prolongs the visitor experience and establishes a strong brand identity leading to increased revenue and repeat visitation.

The Stantec community unites 22,000 employees working in over 400 locations across the globe. Stantec Principal Planner and Landscape Architect Greg Meyer, PLA, describes it this way, “Our multi-disciplinary team of designers explores imaginative ways to convey authentic and memorable guest experiences and create a sense of place. As trusted partners to our clients, the quality and excellence of the built environments we produce reflect our highly collaborative and vision-oriented approach. As soon as a project begins – our team of designers and visualization experts work to seamlessly synchronize the architecture, area development and interior design to create a living model with a parallel path – ensuring the design presentation and construction models evolve and maintain consistency throughout the project.”

In the following Q&A about Enjoyland and the RD&E process, we hear from Stantec’s Greg Meyer, PLA, Principal Planner and Landscape Architect; Daryl LeBlanc, AIA, Principal – Lead Design Architect; and Robert Terry, Associate – Architectural Visualization.

What expertise does Stantec bring to designing a successful themed destination? What is your approach to design and why is this method effective?

Daryl LeBlanc

Daryl LeBlanc: We assemble a creative team that includes planners, landscape architects, interior designers, architects, artists, and visualization experts to work in unison across disciplines. Involving our 3-D visualization resources group plays a vital role in the success of our design and overall project delivery. This process gives our team the opportunity to collaborate with 3-D visualization early on – we can develop highly complex digital modeling simultaneously as the concept design evolves. We can focus on conveying our thoughts clearly while also streamlining our output to remain as efficient as possible.

Robert Terry: Integrating various disciplines at the conceptual stage and generating a comprehensive digital model for Enjoyland was a huge advantage for us – we were able explore the space more holistically and in real-time. For example, we receive instant feedback of how the area development coordinates with the architecture, and the effect of the sun’s shadows at various times of day or season. With overlaid theming, we can provide the animated dynamics of a ride or attraction, so we can share the vision of the project with our clients in more meaningful ways.

All images courtesy Stantec

What is Stantec’s role in creating a sense of place and establishing a connection within the context of a larger destination that includes a resort and theme parks? How does the design for an RD&E relate to its role as a “hub” to a hotel and other destinations on the property?

DL: The design approach for a RD&E must be responsive to the planned future development adjacent to the venue surrounding it. In many cases, the RD&E is not the primary attraction for guests visiting the property (i.e. hotel, theme park etc.) – however the RD&E must have the capability to be a successful venue on its own. We understand that RD&E’s need to have a distinct identity. The relationship they have within an overall destination may be obvious in many instances – but in other instances, it might be more subtle. In the latter, smart design elements will remind the guest that this space is part of a larger collection of experiences.

Greg Meyer

Greg Meyer: RD&E projects are like a microcosm of theme parks and essentially become an added gate. Our experience working with theme parks and retail destinations has led to our blending seamlessly with RD&E projects, meaning the lines between park and retail and dining experiences begin to merge. The intersection of guest experiences from both worlds is exciting and allows us to communicate our client’s brand in new and inventive ways. It’s a holistic way of looking at the client’s overall design goal.

How does your design team blend a cohesive, themed and branded space for your client, while addressing the individual retailers’ need to have their own branded presence?

DL: Typically, larger venues are designed with flexibility as retailers will want more of their own identity expressed while smaller spaces often don’t have the same level for brand expression. If the architecture is meant to act as a backdrop, it’s somewhat easier to imagine how individual retailers can be represented in diverse and unique ways using signage or elaborate interventions within the façade or storefront. The RD&E owner might choose to develop a series of design standards that tell a retailer what types of modifications might be made while keeping the integrity of the RD&E intact.

GM: Placemaking for an RD&E is challenging and should be successful at all levels. It begins with developing a vision for the entire project working with the client and the design team. Once we have an established vison that expresses the overall brand and sense of place, we can then begin to explore and envision how individual retailers will fit into the overall picture.

Are there parallels to working with an IP (intellectual property) holder? What are the challenges of working with an IP holder vs. an owner trying to establish a new brand?

DL: Yes. When working with established IP holders, there are guidelines and expectations as to how that IP should be translated into a physical environment.  Sometimes the guidelines present a challenge, but more often they represent the framework for design decisions. When an owner does not have an IP, our job begins with the creation of a similar set of guidelines to help communicate what is important to the brand.

Visitors need space to enter and exit, active spaces, and places to rest and dine. How are design elements applied to accommodate for a range of activity?

DL: The diversity of spaces and activities is critical to the success of an RD&E. It is also important to cater to a wider variety of age-groups than those typically found in some theme parks. Also, as these are largely free-admission venues, the pace of experiences and expectations from guests are different than what is expected in a theme park. There is not the same sense of rushing around and trying to pack in as much as possible to get the most for your money. In that sense, having places to stop, take a breather, and relax become the more predominant drivers. Food and beverage venues with ample indoor and outdoor seating options are successful because they allow people to relax their families and take in the experience, while still spending money.

GM: Outdoor spaces are equally important as the indoor spaces and are usually the first impressions for guests as they arrive and leave. Providing enjoyable outside venues for guest experiences builds expectations and provides opportunities for varied activities that today’s users expect. Incorporating water features, lighting, landscape, seating elements, outdoor dining, signage, and interactive activities in the design for Enjoyland were essential to the project’s overall success.

Robert Terry

RT: The objective of the RD&E is to continue to attract people beyond their initial destination. It should offer a smart balance of many different forms of entertainment and experiences. These scenarios could include a space to wind down and relax, for others an opportunity to engage in more active, social environments. For Enjoyland, having an accurate digital model allowed us to better understand spatial relationships based on the unique waterfront topography. We then strategically blend activities to create a purposeful flow that enhances each guest’s experience with amenities while remaining diverse enough to accommodate all visitors.

How do you employ storytelling in design development for the themed outdoor realms? What inspires themes for architecture?

DL: Storytelling is fundamental to what we do. It helps us take an IP or a brand and write out the parameters for the experiences we want to create. In this sense, the architecture often becomes secondary to the experience and more of a backdrop than a focal point.

RT: The story is crucial to a project, it forms the foundation of our concepts, helps set the tone of the space and provokes more highly creative solutions to design challenges.  Aspects of the story are subtly woven throughout, providing more meaningful connections that help guide the guests through the space. And our proven process allows us to generate multiple, accurate snapshots of each phase of the project to visually articulate the story to our clients. And after all, it’s all about providing a clear picture of our design throughout the project so we can help our clients create the space they envisioned. • • •

If you’re attending IAAPA in Orlando and would like to learn more about Stantec’s design capabilities, please contact Greg Meyer, Principal Planner and Landscape Architect: (407) 496-8328 or Gregory.Meyer@Stantec.com

FROM THE PAGES OF INPARK MAGAZINE:

Flying with Stantec

Share this:

  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Print
  • Pinterest

  • Asia, China, Enjoyland, Henan Povince, placemaking, RD&E, retail dining & entertianment, Stantec, Zhengzhou
  • tweet
Related articles
  • Legacy Entertainment’s ROAD RAGE at Trans Studio Bali billed as world’s first “stunt show dark ride”
    Legacy Entertainment’s ROAD RAGE...

    0

  • Shanghai Disneyland
    Shanghai Disneyland

    0

  • China 2020
    China 2020

    0

  • The main Attraktion!
    The main Attraktion!

    0

More in this category
  • Teachers from around the globe meet at Space Center Houston for conference on space education
    Teachers from around the globe meet at...

    Feb 15, 2019 0

  • IAAPA EMEA holds Winter Conference for first time in Canary Islands
    IAAPA EMEA holds Winter Conference for...

    Feb 15, 2019 0

  • Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, co-designed by Berenbaum Jacobs Associates and JRA, opens in Cincinnati’s Union Terminal
    Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust...

    Feb 14, 2019 0

  • Josh Powers joins IAAPA as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
    Josh Powers joins IAAPA as Executive...

    Feb 13, 2019 0


Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.





Current Issue

  • #76 – 2018 Year end/Trade show round-up
    #76 – 2018 Year end/Trade show round-up

    Dec 19, 2018 0

  • The zoovolution
    The zoovolution

    Dec 18, 2018 0

  • Legends, camels & ACE
    Legends, camels & ACE

    Dec 18, 2018 0

  • World’s fairs: 2020 vision
    World’s fairs: 2020 vision

    Dec 18, 2018 0

  • Can you tell me how to get to SésamoAventura?
    Can you tell me how to get to SésamoAventura?

    Dec 18, 2018 0

  • Mad Systems: The future is now
    Mad Systems: The future is now

    Dec 18, 2018 0

  • WWA 2018 shows waterpark markets are diverse and strong
    WWA 2018 shows waterpark markets are diverse and strong

    Dec 18, 2018 0

  • Time for a change
    Time for a change

    Dec 18, 2018 0

  • On-brand museums
    On-brand museums

    Dec 18, 2018 0

  • HollandWorld Redux
    HollandWorld Redux

    Dec 18, 2018 0

  • Two Bit Circus: When maker culture met the LBE
    Two Bit Circus: When maker culture met the LBE

    Dec 18, 2018 0

  • IAAPA Expo 2018 roundup
    IAAPA Expo 2018 roundup

    Dec 14, 2018 Comments Off on IAAPA Expo 2018 roundup

  • “Are you guys crazy?”
    “Are you guys crazy?”

    Dec 14, 2018 0

  • Oceaneering’s trackless vehicles become self-driving as well
    Oceaneering’s trackless vehicles become self-driving as...

    Dec 14, 2018 0

  • Building a cartoon network
    Building a cartoon network

    Nov 07, 2018 0

IPM Interviews

  • The main Attraktion!
    The main Attraktion!

    Feb 10, 2019 0

    Beyr established Attraktion! Group after an 18year tenure...
  • Mad Systems: The future is now
    Mad Systems: The future is now

    Dec 18, 2018 0

    InPark reported on the launch and revisited with Ensing for...
  • Time for a change
    Time for a change

    Dec 18, 2018 0

    InPark checks in with industry leaders who are heading back...
  • Michael Mercadante: Giving back
    Michael Mercadante: Giving back

    Nov 05, 2018 0

    Michael Mercadante, President of Main Street Design, Inc....
  • JCO: Theming beyond the theme park
    JCO: Theming beyond the theme park

    Nov 05, 2018 0

    JCO, based in St. Louis, MO, specializes in master planning...
  • The Hettema Group: Inside the experience designer’s studio
    The Hettema Group: Inside the experience designer’s

    Nov 05, 2018 0

    Founded by Phil in 2002, The Hettema Group has gone on to...
  • AAE Wrapup: IAAPA in Hong Kong
    AAE Wrapup: IAAPA in Hong Kong

    Sep 14, 2018 0

    Estimates indicate the Expo attracted more than 9,000...
  • Mack Solutions: Designing Rulantica
    Mack Solutions: Designing Rulantica

    Sep 14, 2018 0

    With a unique theme and detailed storytelling, the park is...
  • Weber Group: Meet the partners
    Weber Group: Meet the partners

    Sep 14, 2018 0

    The new Weber Group is managed by four partners, all of...
  • IAAPA, BRPH, accesso: Faces and places
    IAAPA, BRPH, accesso: Faces and places

    Sep 14, 2018 0

    "The beautiful thing about the creative and entertainment...
  • Expo 2023 Argentina Buenos Aires: Exclusive interview with Mr. Hernan Lombardi
    Expo 2023 Argentina Buenos Aires: Exclusive interview with...

    Jun 01, 2018 0

    The number of visits to Expo 2023 Argentina Buenos Aires is...
  • A Bid for Expo 2027 Minnesota
    A Bid for Expo 2027 Minnesota

    May 11, 2018 0

    "We have chosen an ideal location conveniently located...
  • nWave: Visioning forward
    nWave: Visioning forward

    Apr 30, 2018 0

    "nWave keeps pace with evolving markets and evolving...
  • ACE and Technomedia: A match made in Asia
    ACE and Technomedia: A match made in Asia

    Apr 30, 2018 0

    On February 2, 2018, Technomedia and ACE formed a strategic...
  • JRA: The strength of storybuilding
    JRA: The strength of storybuilding

    Apr 30, 2018 0

    In his role as senior designer at JRA, Colin Cronin has...
  • Panasonic: The psychology of imaging
    Panasonic: The psychology of imaging

    Apr 30, 2018 0

    Vice president and director of Panasonic Hollywood Labs,...
  • Barco: Show control 101
    Barco: Show control 101

    Apr 30, 2018 0

    In this exclusive interview with InPark, Eric draws on his...
  • Hasbro: Toy Stories
    Hasbro: Toy Stories

    Apr 29, 2018 0

    The international attractions industry and the public alike...
  • Special Interview Section: Creating change
    Special Interview Section: Creating change

    Apr 28, 2018 0

    InPark speaks with industry leaders taking on new...
  • Laura Marakowits: A mega maverick
    Laura Marakowits: A mega maverick

    Apr 28, 2018 0

    In addition to heading up Themed Entertainment &...
  • Brian Morrow: Creative Reality
    Brian Morrow: Creative Reality

    Apr 28, 2018 0

    Following a successful 12 year career at SeaWorld Parks &...
  • Greg MacLaurin: No instructions
    Greg MacLaurin: No instructions

    Apr 28, 2018 0

    "I was specifically hired to provide interactive design for...
  • Nol Van Genuchten: Triotech’s showman
    Nol Van Genuchten: Triotech’s showman

    Apr 27, 2018 0

    After years with Cirque du Soleil, Nol founded Creative...
  • Michael Daut: Building a bigger Mousetrappe
    Michael Daut: Building a bigger Mousetrappe

    Apr 27, 2018 0

    Michael Daut recently joined media-based experience design...
  • Loren Barrows: Alcorn’s New COO
    Loren Barrows: Alcorn’s New COO

    Apr 04, 2018 0

    An eight-year team member of Alcorn McBride, Barrows...
PLN5165_IAAPA_ORLANDO_BANNERS_INPARK_160X600

Categories

  • IPM Interviews
  • Theme Parks
  • Museums
  • Water Parks
  • Attractions
    • Haunts
    • Zoos & Aquariums
  • World markets
    • Asia
    • Europe & Middle East
    • Latin America & Mexico
    • North America
  • Technology & Media
  • Business
    • Events
    • People
  • World Expos

InPark Magazine

2349 E Ohio Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53207 USA
262.412.7107
mpalicki@inparkmagazine.com

View our Privacy Policy

Copyright 2018 InPark Magazine / All rights reserved