Petro Art Production, a leader in artificial rockwork for themed attractions, is looking back at the jobs it completed in 2022, when the firm enjoyed collaborating with a wide range of clients on a number of unique projects.
“We are thrilled with the trust that has been put into us by all the incredible clients we got to work with this year. Our passion is to realize amazing rockwork, so the more we get to do that, the happier we are,” says a statement from the company.
“Authenticity and collaboration are important pillars of our company and we are glad that we could pursue our mission in 2022 while following our values. At the same time, looking back and reflecting on what we completed motivates us for another exciting year ahead.”
New theming for popular parks
Petro Art Production began 2022 with the debut of two projects at Attractiepark de Waarbeek in the Netherlands, as the family park showcased new attractions and theming additions for the season. Here, the firm design-built the queue building for the park’s new dark ride, Huyze Pelle, as well as a whole new park entrance. Part of the team’s task was to ensure that their designs matched the comical and playful style of the park.
Following this successful collaboration with Attractiepark de Waarbeek, Petro Art Production was also asked to design and realise a volcano, which will debut when the park opens for the 2023 season in April.
Elsewhere, Denmark’s Farup Sommerland welcomed the public to take a ride on its record-breaking Fønix coaster (pictured, top) for the first time in April 2022. For this project, Petro Art Production created the themed shotcrete facades around the attraction, carved in a cobblestone look to match the park’s authentic theming and include phoenix carvings to reinforce the ride’s identity.
Also in Denmark, Djurs Sommerland opened a brand new Dinosaurland area in April 2022 with rides, a themed playground, and of course many dinosaurs and Jurassic rockwork, including paths of stamped concrete with dinosaur footprints.
“It was a great pleasure to be a part of making the area look as beautiful as it does now and we enjoyed creating the different rocks and caves spread out across Dinosaurland,” says Petro Art Production. “We were on-site to realize this project in 2020 and again in 2021, so it has been exciting to follow the progress, and see how well the public received it.”
“It’s a highly themed area, and I think the work that Petro has done here has made the area look really really nice,” says Henrik B. Nielsen, CEO of Djurs Sommerland. “It’s been very good to work together with Petro and I’m sure that if we have a project in the future that involves rockwork, then of course we will have a talk with Petro again, no doubt about that! We can recommend other parks to work together with them.”
Projects continued throughout 2022
In August 2022, Winnoland in France (known as Babyland-Amiland at the time) opened its new dinosaur-themed attraction, Le Ptéranodon. The park put its trust in Petro Art Production to design-build this themed environment, which was the largest investment the park had made to date. The company’s artists built the entrance pillars, the façade of the queue building, and a large rock with an integrated waterfall feature.
In October another project launched, this time for a zoo in the Netherlands. Leisure group Libéma commissioned the firm to create rockwork for the meerkat exhibit at ZooParc Overloon. To establish a natural barrier for the animals’ space, the team built realistic-looking ‘Kopjes’ rocks around the exhibit. That way, the meerkats can feel more at home and visitors will be more immersed in the African-themed environment at the zoo.
Also in October, Petro Art Production completed a project at Tropical Islands in Germany, where it had been commissioned by Jora Vision, a leading design and production company, to execute some rockwork for a new water playground. The rocks were authentically executed in style with the tropical atmosphere of the water park, with integrated water features combined with playing elements.
In France, the company worked with Puy du Fou for the first time last year, creating the façade of its new theatre building MIMO, designed to be in keeping with the historical theme of the park. Additionally, it created rockwork for the water tunnel of the park’s immersive attraction, Le Mystère de La Pérouse. This project started last year and was recently completed in time to go live for the 2023 season.
Big announcements
As well as watching several completed projects go live in 2022, Petro Art Production was also able to share some big news, as it announced its involvement in two major projects.
Firstly, the firm announced that it had been asked to build an over 50-meter-wide and 20-meter-high volcano for the brand new Pradera Islands theme park in the Philippines. Hosting the park’s iconic ride, The Secret of Arayat, the scope of Petro Art Production concerns the outside and interior of the volcano, plus the entrance to the attraction.
In addition, the company shared that it has been charged with creating the rockwork for Negev Zoo, a newly-built zoo in Israel. Here, the team’s responsibility starts with making the 3D modelling and the technical design, as well as the execution of over 13,000 sqm of rockwork.
Other highlights from 2022 include the launch of Petro Art Production’s redesigned website and the team’s participation in a number of networking events organised by IAAPA and TEA. For example, the firm exhibited at IAAPA Expo Europe, where it host-sponsored an event for TEA.
More projects to come for 2023
The company says more announcements will follow this year, and it is already hard at work for a number of notable clients. The team is currently busy realising the new live stunt show set at Movie Park in Germany, creating Hollywood-worthy facades, and will soon be starting work on a project at Toverland in the Netherlands.
“2022 rocked with so many different clients, projects, and events that we got to be a part of. We cannot wait for everything that 2023 will bring and are excited about the upcoming season,” says Han Kuijpers, business development manager at Petro Art Production.
