FAIRIQUARIUM

Date & Location

April 2024
Orlando, Florida

The gem of the northern ocean.

In our class, we were tasked with designing an immersive experience within a 20,000-square-foot space that would engage guests for 45 minutes to 3 hours without specific budget or schedule constraints to encourage creativity.

I observed a lack of representation for kelp forests in aquariums, particularly the lesser-known deep-water kelp forests of the North Atlantic. To enhance the appeal of this underwater landscape, I proposed incorporating a storytelling element by integrating fairies, traditionally associated with land forests, into the kelp environment. This concept led to the development of a ride that narrates the journey from a town by the shore to the kelp forest to encounter the fairies.

Professor

Pete Carsillo
(Senior Creative Director at Universal Studios)

Course

Immersive Experience Studio
Themed Experience MS
University of Central Florida

Big Idea

“Fairies have been part of forest folklore for centuries. Have you ever considered the possibility of these mythical beings residing in the kelp forests beneath the sea?”

Concept Development

While completing the initial concept document, I engaged in comprehensive brainstorming sessions. This involved planning the preliminary design of the aquariums and their complementary experiences and focusing on the development of the fairies’ visual aesthetics.

Additionally, I dedicated time to researching the prominent kelp forest "Cashes Ledge," situated near New England, and utilized this information as a foundation for crafting the journey from land to the kelp forest. Furthermore, I explored the potential application of Pepper's Ghost technique to facilitate the creation of interactive fairies.

Schematic Design

During this phase of the design process, I focused on developing different experiences for guests to participate in various parts of the spatial storyline. I came up with the idea of transforming the typical aquarium experience in a unique way. Most aquariums introduce cultural topics at the end of the exhibition, but I proposed an alternate approach to storytelling: visitors would first enter a town and then proceed to the "Fairiquarium" to begin their journey into the underwater world. The entire facade of the aquarium would be themed to resemble an old town located next to the water.

The Ocean Knows Us

Exhibition room with LED lighting, offering a new perspective on our history from the view of the sea.
Fairy of the Kelp Forest

A dancing fairy sits in the middle of the exhibition room on a scallop. Her movements create the flow of glowing dust and fertilize the kelp forest.
Wave Back Home

An underwater window to the outdoor waterscape leads guests to the end of he storyline.

Fairiquarium

Using animatronics, music, projections, and Pepper's ghosts, I aimed to tell a cohesive story about the ocean. Marine animals served as guides, leading guests from the intertidal zone to the deep-water kelp forest to meet the fairies.

IMG

Old Town / Fairiquarium

The windows of the townhouses are the perfect place to display exhibitions.
Lobby: The Ocean Knows US

Exhibition room with LED lighting, offering a new perspective on our history from the view of the sea.

Intertidal / Puffins

Starting the journey on the scallop-shaped vehicles, the intertidal scene signifies the intersection of sea and land; the puffin serves as a reminder that the ocean extends beyond the surface and into the sky.
Dolphins / Whales

Dolphins assist the guests in venturing further from the shore, while the whale accompanies us to the deep water kelp forest and blows us back at the end of the journey.

Kelp Forest

The fairies are the souls of the kelps. They sing, they dance, and they gather the sunlight and air to weave them into the power of the ocean, nourishing the entire ecosystem.