Making its global debut as one of the world’s largest fantasy and science fiction-themed experiences, The PORTALS Experience was designed and built to showcase one of the most extensive collections of original fantasy and science fiction art, featuring over 300 original paintings and 10,000 hand-painted miniatures across eight themed realms.
The 13,000 sq ft walk-through immersive event exhibition unfolded as a journey through expansive, detailed, and larger-than-life themed environment sets designed to provide a fully immersive experience. Built entirely through handcrafted installations and authentic physical pieces, the event exhibition took visitors through a series of immersive environments, from a storytelling timeline tunnel and cavernous landscapes to ancient legends, fantasy worlds, and futuristic sci-fi settings inspired by beloved universes such as J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, Dune, and Warhammer 40,000.
Client
Venue
Categories
Scope
- Design
- Fabrication
- Installation and Dismantling
- Project Management
At PORTALS, every sculptural composition was designed and built with attention to detail, creating a rich visual narrative that guided visitors through a series of fantastical realms.
Highlights of the event exhibition included the lost city of Atlantis, where custom water-ripple lighting and submerged architectural elements created the illusion of an underwater civilisation, as well as a dramatic gaming realm with a giant illuminated D20 die.
Visitors were also invited to The Central Archive to view a library of original novels illuminated by suspended, massive rings before entering the Space Tunnel, a dark walkway filled with bespoke strips of white lights evoking the sensation of hyperdrive.
From there, visitors arrived at the Realm of Sci-Fi, an area split between two distinct themed environment designs: Mars with its rust-coloured rocky terrain anchored by a large realistic crater with debris flying around, and the futuristic facade of a Martian outpost, completed with a viewing window of Mars, a laboratory with green vats, and a spaceship-esqe corridor.
“The narrative of the visual exhibition came to life through immersive experience design and intricately themed environments, blending artistry, storytelling, and spatial design into a cohesive journey.”
Within the event exhibition, the transitional zones acted as gradual spatial shifts between the different realms, guiding visitors from one environment to the next. Each themed room was also thoughtfully curated to feel both distinct yet interconnected, forming a cohesive experiential whole.
