P&P Projects, a provider of turnkey design-build services for themed entertainment & leisure experiences is celebrating the success of one of its recent projects.
During the recent IAAPA Expo in Orlando, the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), a non-profit representing compelling places and experiences worldwide, revealed this year’s Thea Award winners, and the line-up included Liseberg’s Underlandet, as well as Jurassic World Adventure at Universal Studios Beijing. P&P Projects provided its turnkey design-build services for both of these attractions.
For the Underlandet project, the firm helped to create a unique and original family dark ride. Here, it takes a look back at the process
Creating Underlandet
Working closely with both Liseberg and Quarry Fold Studios, P&P Projects developed the initial concept for the attraction into a schematic, detailed and technical design package. This provided a base from which all show sets, props, show action equipment, AV and special effects could be produced in the firm’s workshops.
Talking about this stage of the project, Philipp van Stratum, CEO of P&P Projects, says:
“Based on the initial design input we received, we created a complete scale model of the attraction, in order to determine the creative fit-out for all scenes and their thematic elements in the show building.”
The team needed to translate the creative design intent into a working application for the final ride experience, while also working around Gosetto Srl.’s ride system and across two floors.
“To then capture the visual identity that is so unique to this attraction, we produced a full-scale basic set of show elements that included all thematic materials and characteristics that we see in the ride,” explains van Stratum. “As we do in all our projects, we dived into the DNA of the story to make sure we spoke the same visual language in our products. Doing this, we conducted extensive research throughout the Liseberg park to understand the look and feel around the park’s Rabbit characters – who take central stage in this attraction.”
Rising to the challenge
After this, the team was hard at work bringing the world of Underlandet to life. Ingo de Haas, project manager at P&P Projects, reflects on the process:
“We were honored that Liseberg trusted us with their original theme, in such a way that we were able to work rather freely in the development of the attraction. We had great fun adding little details and gags throughout the experience that strengthen the overall story that is being told.”
P&P Projects spent just over a year producing and installing show sets, props and thematic elements in the attractions queue and the ride itself, while continually cooperating with Quarry Fold Studios. “All parties united, we had a collective goal: to deliver a fun, unique family ride experience,” says de Haas. “A shared motivation combined with close collaboration and communication played an important role in the success of this project.”
One of the key challenges was to create a convincing, large-scale underground land within a limited space, says van Stratum: “We had to provide an ever-growing sense of depth and exploration in a gigantic-looking tunnel system that is operated underground by the Liseberg Rabbits. This feeling can be beautifully conveyed in a design, but staying true to this in a limited space was an exciting puzzle to solve.”
Solutions included tricks like forced perspective and other optical illusions. De Haas adds: “We applied several theater-like techniques to expand upon the given footprint for the ride and, thus, to create an extra immersive layer upon the experience.”
A unique experience
P&P Projects was an ideal choice for this attraction, thanks to its more than three decades of experience in design-build projects for the leisure industry.
“The translation of an original, purely creative concept into a workable design and fully-fledged dark ride – that’s a quality I think we are proud to possess,” says de Haas. “Looking back at the initial design provided for the attraction, it’s impressive to see the final ride experience has stayed so true to the original concept.”
Reflecting on Underlandet’s new Thea Award-winning status as an ‘Outstanding Achievement’, can Stratum says:
“In its kind, it’s a truly unique immersive experience that works with a one-of-a-kind original storyline, giving a warm and welcoming home to the central characters of Liseberg park. We are thankful for the trust we have been given by Liseberg in the realization of this attraction and we thoroughly enjoyed this collaboration with all parties involved.
“Together with Jurassic World Adventure, both these rides share a different theme but convey the same aspects of a unique, creative and immersive experience quality on a world-class level.”
The company also recently shared more details about the work it completed for Jurassic World Adventure at Universal Studios Beijing, another award-winning project.
