Creative Studio Berlin, the experiential design firm, is celebrating its busiest year yet, marked by two openings, a Thea Award, a new, larger studio, and an expanded team with expertise as international as its portfolio.
Founded by Chris Lange, Creative Studio Berlin conceives and designs theme parks, water parks, attractions, museums and immersive experiences, and serves as creative lead and project manager from the first sketch to opening day.
This year, sketches for projects in northern Germany, on the Turkish Riviera and further afield have filled the studio walls, demonstrating the company's significant momentum.
"This year showed us what is possible when a strong team meets brave partners," says Lange. "We opened two very different projects within a few weeks of each other – and at the same time set the studio up for the years ahead."
The Berlin-based experience design firm reflects on a landmark year, and shares what is coming next.
Two openings, two very different worlds
2026 has seen the launch of two major projects: the Waterfly expansion at The Land of Legends in Antalya, Turkey, and Forsthof (Forest Farm) at Ferienzentrum Schloss Dankern in Germany.
Waterfly opened on 1 May and is anchored by the 50-metre Dragonfly Tower. Billed as Europe’s tallest waterslide tower, its six slides include the world-first Helix Twist from WhiteWater.
The tower is accompanied by Butterfly Beach, which is designed specifically for younger visitors.
This is Creative Studio Berlin's third major project at The Land of Legends, and follows The Land of Laughter and the Turtle Water Coaster.
For this latest collaboration, the studio sought to create a distinctive water world with bold architecture, a feeling of freedom and speed, and a coherent dragonfly-and-butterfly story that runs throughout.
Forsthof (Forest Farm) at Ferienzentrum Schloss Dankern in Germany features autonomous vehicle technology© Schloss Dankern
The new Forsthof (Forest Farm) themed area at Schloss Dankern launched on 26 June, and builds on a long-standing partnership that also includes the shipyard-themed, Spielewerft play area.
Developed by Creative Studio Berlin together with the resort and local partners, the zone features abc rides’ Tractor Tour, the first trackless AGV ride designed as a tractor, and Germany's first autonomous vehicle technology for this type of attraction.
Children can steer and accelerate the ride's six vehicles through the farmyard, while a local navigation system ensures safe operation along the 200-metre route.
Another highlight of 2026 was award recognition for the studio, which received its second Thea Award from the Themed Entertainment Association for The Secret Laboratory at Schloss Augustusburg.
In addition to project work, Lange has once again spoken at key industry events throughout the year, including IAAPA Expo Europe in London, TEA SATE Asia conference in Singapore, and TEA Explores in Istanbul.
Rounding out 2026, IAAPA Expo attendees can meet Lange and the team in Orlando.
A new home and new faces
As Creative Studio Berlin's projects have grown, so has its studio. In April 2026, the company moved into new premises in Berlin, bringing project management, architecture, show set design, and art direction together under one roof.
The team has also expanded, with colleagues from Iraq, England, Sri Lanka, South Korea and Spain bringing diverse expertise across architecture, interior architecture, exhibition design, set design and production. These new recruits join staff members from Germany, the US, Italy and Hungary.
"We don’t just want to grow bigger – we want to grow smarter," says Lange. "In the end, guests don’t take home a ride system or technology – they take home emotions.
"Whether it’s a family attraction in the Emsland or a water world on the Turkish Riviera, our job is to create the moments that make people want to come back – and to deliver them for our clients on time, on budget and built to last."
What comes next
Future projects, the studio shares, include the continuation of its partnership with Land of Legends. A full pipeline includes the reimagining of the park, set to open in 2028.
A rendering from Creative Studio Berlin showing the reimagined Land of Legends© Creative Studio Berlin / The Land of Legends
It is also building on its long-term relationship with Schloss Dankern, with several new projects already in development for the coming seasons.
The studio is developing entirely new visitor attractions for both the German Spy Museum and Deutschlandmuseum, and is creating a new themed land for Fantasiana. This includes a new live entertainment venue and a prototype ride system created in collaboration with Art Engineering.
For Schloss Lichtenwalde in Saxony, it has won the tender to conceive, design and install a new permanent exhibition to tell the history of the palace and its park. This will focus on the venue's historic water features.
Run by the same operator as Schloss Augustusburg, the project builds on the success of Creative Studio Berlin's Thea Award-winning Secret Laboratory.
Green Hills Resort's theme park will be the first attraction of its kind in the region© Creative Studio Berlin / Green Hills Resort
The company is also expanding into Central Asia, contributing to the region’s first-ever theme park at Green Hills Resort in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Part of a larger resort expansion, the park project is in its early phase, with master planning and concept design underway.
Recently, Creative Studio Berlin's “Crocodile Island” at Suntago Water World was recognised in the blooloop Innovation Awards' Family category, sponsored by Huitt-Zollars.
