Harry Potter: Visions of Magic

AT MEXICO CITY

An interactive art experience that invites guests into some of the most mysterious corners of the Wizarding World through large scale installations, projections, and effects. For the Mexico City deployment my focus was on adapting an existing touring experience to a new venue and Spanish speaking audience while preserving its enigmatic tone and emotional impact.

I helped transform a beautiful but complex installation into a version that felt intuitive, emotionally legible, and tailored to local guests without losing the sense of discovery that defines Harry Potter: Visions of Magic.

ROLE

Creative Lead and Art Director for Harry Potter: Visions of Magic at Mexico City

Led the adaptation of the experience for a new venue and audience

Oversaw localization of narrative copy, interactives, signage, and guest communications for Spanish speaking guests while maintaining Wizarding World voice

Directed graphical redesign including key art hierarchy, environmental graphics, and wayfinding to improve clarity and emotional focus

Worked with scenic, media, and lighting teams to ensure each room read as part of a coherent mysterious journey rather than isolated art pieces

Coordinated with franchise partners to keep all visual and narrative changes aligned with Wizarding World canon

Collaborated with venue and operations teams to resolve circulation, queueing, and dwell time in a way that supported both atmosphere and throughput

an emotional art driven journey

Visions of Magic does not rely on a linear, spoken narrative. Instead, guests piece together meaning through visual motifs, soundscapes, and interactive elements.

For Mexico City, I worked with the team to sharpen the underlying emotional progression between rooms.

Adapting a new preshow scene with interactive elements
Strengthening the sense of approach and anticipation
Treating quieter, more contemplative spaces as intentional emotional “breathers” rather than gaps

Localization

Localization on this project was not a simple translation exercise. Every line of copy needed to feel natural in Mexican Spanish and still sound like it belonged in the Wizarding World.

Working with translators, franchise partners, and local stakeholders

• Reworked room titles, prompts, and narrative hints so they carried the right balance of mystery and clarity
• Adjusted how instructions were delivered using a mix of text, iconography, and in world visual cues so guests understood what they could touch, activate, or explore without breaking immersion
• Refined typographic and layout decisions so Spanish copy remained legible and balanced within dense visual compositions and low light environments

The goal was for guests to spend their attention on discovery and emotion rather than decoding signage. If they could intuit how to move, where to look, and how to participate, the experience could remain quietly mysterious rather than confusing.

Traces of Magic

Throughout Harry Potter: Visions of Magic features numerous interactive points throughout the experience called Traces of Magic. While I was creative lead, I helped develop and refine these interactives to make the world feel more immersive and personalized.

Outcomes

The Mexico City adaptation of Visions of Magic delivered an experience that felt tailored to local guests while remaining fully aligned with Wizarding World canon.

• A localized version of the experience that balanced mystery with readability for Spanish speaking audiences
• Clearer wayfinding and interaction cues that reduced uncertainty in a nonlinear art forward layout
• Stronger emotional rhythm, with anchor rooms and calmer interludes that helped guests stay engaged rather than fatigued
• Internal and franchise feedback that the adaptation preserved the artistic intent of the original while making it more accessible to a new market

Reflection

Harry Potter: Visions of Magic at Mexico City reinforced for me that emotional structure and readability are just as important in art installations as they are in traditional attractions. Working on an exploratory interactive art experience inside the Wizarding World sharpened my approach to localization, graphic integration, and emotional pacing in spaces where guests are free to move as they wish.

The project continues to inform how I adapt large IP experiences for new venues and cultures. It strengthened my belief that when constraints, language, and emotional intent are all treated as part of the same design box, it is possible to create experiences that feel both specific to a place and true to the world guests love.