Wētā Workshop, a creative studio combining artistry and innovation, has been honoured in the Themed Entertainment Association Thea Awards. The firm has won the Immersive Mall Experience award for Aura: The Forest at the Edge of the Sky at the Haikou International Duty-Free Shopping Complex, Hainan, China. The complex is the biggest duty-free shopping centre on the planet.
The 2024 Thea Awards were presented in Los Angeles on Saturday 16 March. They celebrate the best in themed entertainment and retail initiatives worldwide, including theme parks, exhibitions, museums, and retail spaces.
This is the third international award for Aura: The Forest at the Edge of the Sky and Wētā Workshop’s third Thea Award victory. The studio was previously honoured for Gallipoli: The Scale of our War in 2017 and Wētā Workshop Unleashed in 2021.
Measurable impact
Aura: The Forest at the Edge of the Sky is a cutting-edge multisensory attraction set inside a massive atrium at 50 meters wide and five storeys high. As guests explore the area, they will encounter a surreal setting of music, sound, and lighting which together create a story about an adventure into a fantastical world that honours Hainan’s environment and natural beauty.
Richard Taylor, creative director and CEO of Wētā Workshop, comments: “Myself and our team at Wētā Workshop along with our construction partner Dafeng (from Hangzhou) are so thrilled that Aura: The Forest at the Edge of the Sky has received this honour, but what has been even more rewarding is seeing the warm response from visitors and the real measurable impact that this project has had for Hainan.”
In response to the prevalence of internet shopping, Aura: The Forest at the Edge of the Sky aimed to create an immersive retail experience that would spark visitors’ imaginations. Since its debut in October 2022, it has had over 4.5 million visits, and Hainan’s offshore duty-free shopping has increased by 72.5%.
Taylor says: “It was so important for us to create something unexpected, and we did this by treating people not as observers, but active participants in this experience. I believe this win demonstrates that there is immense value in creativity and innovation across all aspects of modern living.”
Enchanting experience
Visitors can take the ‘Sky Escalator’ up through the building. This stunning tunnel of light and sound is housed inside a massive fallen tree trunk. The ‘Tree of Light’ is composed of 5,000 handmade opalescent spheres with 12,500 individually controlled LED lights which illuminate the 35m tall structure. A huge interactive spiral stairway enables guests to wander around the tree and trigger the lights.
A five-storey high LED screen shows a captivating media display which is synchronised throughout the atrium space. It delights the audience and enhances the light effects in this sophisticated, yet playful venue.
The project was developed in partnership with the client, China Duty Free Group (CDF), and the construction partner, Dafeng.
Andrew Thomas, senior creative director of location-based experiences, Wētā Workshop, explains: “Aura: The Forest at the Edge of the Sky was a huge opportunity for Wētā Workshop to apply our creative thinking to a space that’s not typically seen as an entertainment destination.
“We were inspired by Hainan’s own natural and cultural environment to create a rich, multi-dimensional location-based experience that has lifted the game globally for modern retail experiences.”
In addition, Aura: The Forest at the Edge of the Sky at the Haikou International Duty-Free Shopping Complex has won the Platinum Award for Best Commercial Complex of the Year at the GBE HOPSCA Awards 2022–2023; the Trinity Award for Non-Airport Retailer of the Year; and first place in the Themed Environment category in the 2023 blooloop Innovation Awards.
Wētā Workshop is expanding its location-based experiences worldwide with major projects in New Zealand, China, Europe, and the Middle East.
Last year, Wētā Workshop partnered with Poutini Ngāi Tahu to develop the Pounamu Pathway. This cutting-edge tourism initiative on the West Coast of New Zealand celebrates the cultural, historical, and natural heritage of the area.
