Creative Studio Berlin, the experiential design firm founded by Chris Lange, is creating the new Play Shipyard at Schloss Dankern, a unique vacation destination in Emsland, northern Germany, which hosted 1.26 million visitors in 2024.
At the heart of the holiday village lies the historic Dankern moated castle. Initially, 110 houses were constructed in 1972. Now, the area features 800 holiday homes in different designs and sizes, equipped with various amenities, all nestled in the forest beside the castle and adjacent to Lake Dankernsee. In recent decades, several experiences have been created in pristine natural settings, featuring games, leisure, and sports activities for all ages.
Happy children, happy parents
Schloss Dankern provides guests with a relaxing, family-friendly experience. In 2021, Christian Freiherr von Landsberg-Velen took over the holiday centre from his father, Friedhelm Freiherr von Landsberg-Velen. His grandfather, Manfred, founded it in the 1970s. Despite numerous innovations and expansions, Schloss Dankern has remained true to its original mission: to create a space where families can enjoy quality time together. The objective is happy children, which also leads to happy parents.
“Creative Studio Berlin created the Play Shipyard concept back in 2022. Now, the team of producers, the art director, and designers are overseeing delivery in time for our 2025 season start,” says Christian von Landsberg-Velen. “Our guests will be completely immersed, entertained, and even educated about our region’s rich shipbuilding history.”
See also: From vision to reality: celebrating five years of Creative Studio Berlin’s impact
The multi-million-euro transformation project, Play Shipyard, presents an innovative approach to storytelling and guest experiences, forming an integral part of a broader investment strategy. The rich history of shipbuilding, sailing, and exploration in this region serves as the foundation for the new storyline, which is firmly anchored in Emsland’s heritage.
“We are using many local companies to fabricate the elaborate sets and only a few speciality manufacturers for themed props and play equipment, which makes the process very efficient. The holiday village just closed a week ago, and we are already in full swing of demolition and new builds,” says Mario Schmid, show producer at Creative Studio Berlin, responsible for delivering the project.
The new facility and attractions invite guests to explore a fun journey through various shipbuilding styles and technologies from different decades. Each facility is extensively themed; for instance, one ship features a kitchen and a quick-service kiosk, while another accommodates restrooms and operational areas such as lockers and an ice cream kiosk. The outside of the reimagined zone will be activated with a large water play fountain.
Elsewhere, Creative Studio Berlin is working on an immersive water park expansion at Suntago Water World, Poland.
