JURASSIC WORLD: THE EXPERIENCE
AT BATTERSEA POWER STATION - LONDON, UK
Neon creative was tasked with transforming an existing art exhibition into an immersive experience. Jurassic World: The Exhibition offered incredible animatronics and unique scenic for each, but lacked an overarching narrative or emotional connection. Jurassic World: The Experience introduced a narrative throughline, immersive adaptive interactives, and unique environments that help guests connect on an emotional level.
I worked directly with the architecture firm and production leading the creative vision for Neon's first permanent venue construction which is found at Battersea Power Station in London. Our team turned numerous budget, space, and time constraints into moments that actually enhanced the guest experience.
My Role:
As Creative Lead, I directed the overall vision, coordinated multidisciplinary teams, and guided design decisions that balanced spectacle, guest agency, and the unpredictable energy of bringing life-sized dinosaurs to life.
-
Oversaw creative direction of project from concept to delivery
-
Led creative as the onsite Creative Director
-
Defined the emotional and narrative structure for the permanent version of the experience
-
Led the redesign and show writing of several major scenes and transitions, including the Raptor Encounter, Gyrosphere Valley, Brachiosaurus Immersive Retail, and Finale.
-
Worked with architects to shape how the show lived inside the building, including exterior LED light show and venue modifications.
-
Collaborated closely with production, scenic, graphics, media, lighting, and franchise partners to maintain the creative intent while dealing with production challenges.
In Jurassic World: The Exhibition each scene stood alone as a series of beautifully crafted vignettes. For Jurassic World: The Experience, we weave those moments together to create a living world with an overarching narrative.
For example, guests previously would exit a peaceful scene with the ankylosaurus and enter a dramatic T. Rex encounter with no connective tissue. Now, a failing generator interrupts the raptor encounter, so guests flee to a safety bunker which is blocked by the T. Rex and Carnosaurs.
FROM EXHIBITION TO EXPEIRENCE
From Constraint To Landmark Moment
The Neon at Battersea Power Station building presented a serious challenge to Jurassic World: The Experience, the brachiosaurus was simply too tall. Cutting this iconic character or making her hunch down were out of the question, and there was no simple solution. Working with Neon's VP of Production, we came to the conclusion that the only path forward was to remove a section of the second floor.
Our franchise partners were initially concerned with this radical choice, so I knew this had to be an enhancement to the scene and not a compromise. By opening the space vertically, the brachiosaurus could stand tall and be seen on both floors.
Under my direction, my team developed an opportunity not available anywhere else in the world, a chance to meet brachiosaurus eye-to-eye. Typically, the finale scene was being chased by the T. Rex straight into retail, but at Battersea guests ended on a moment of awe and wonder.
Additionally, we created a uniquely immersive retail experience where guests could see the beauty of these creatures while they picked out a memory to take home with them.
What could have been a compromise became one of the experience’s most memorable and heartfelt scenes.
Raptor Encounter: Passive to Personalized
In the original Exhibition, the "Animal Behavioralist Training Demonstration" was a passive show. Guests watched Blue the raptor perform a scripted set of behaviors behind a fence, with prerecorded dialogue and no interaction. Feedback consistently rated the scene as the most underwhelming portion of the show.
For Jurassic World: The Experience, I developed the Raptor Encounter, a highly immersive, interactive, and personalized moment. The same set pieces were rearranged to give guests freedom to choose their level of engagement. Blue could now respond dynamically to each guest’s actions, voice, and gestures.
This scene also was incorporated much more strongly into the narrative. Previously, guests would meet Blue and leave without incident, but in Battersea, I used actor performance, lighting, sound, and special effects to create an unforeseen disaster that knocks out the power just long enough for the T. Rex and Carnotaurus to escape their enclosures.
Under my direction, this scene went from our lowest rated scene to a fan favorite.
Outcomes
The Battersea version of Jurassic World: The Experience was delivered on time and budget despite major production challenges while introducing more emotionally resonant scenes for guests.
Key results:
-
A raptor encounter that moved from a low rated static scene to a guest favorite through adaptive, performer driven structure
-
A brachiosaurus and retail sequence that functioned as a single immersive environment rather than a show followed by a store
-
A finale that more clearly paid off the narrative and emotional promises made earlier in the experience
-
Stronger alignment across creative, franchise, and operations teams around a shared understanding of the emotional journey
Reflection:
Jurassic World: The Experience at Battersea was a turning point in how I approach established IP. This work continues to shape how I lead teams through challenging projects. I fully embrace a creative systems approach which helps me know when my team can turn transform challenges into opportunities and how to more successfully work across a wide range of disciplines.
other jurassic world: the experience projects
Across more than a dozen deployments of Jurassic World, I supported creative direction, scenic adaptation, narrative adjustments, and approvals for multiple international venues. My work included:
Gardens by the Bay, Singapore
Concept development, show writing, copywriting, and science communication tailored to the conservatory.
Bangkok, Thailand
Concept development, show writing, and graphic direction
Variety of Locations
As Neon's creative lead and art director for Jurassic World: The Experience's traveling shows, I provided oversight for installation, scenic adaptation, IP approvals, graphic design, voice acting, and show writing for over a dozen venues all around the world including Bogota, Madrid, Manchester, Melbourne, Mexico City, Basel, and Houston.