Experiential Design
Commercial storytelling through space, audience, and experience—applying theatrical methods to themed entertainment, museums, restaurants, and brand-centered environments.
Using theatre design skills, this course bridges the world of commercial design: theme parks, restaurants, museums, interactive installations, and other environments centered on storytelling or concept-based communication.
Students work within the constraints of commercial practice, including integration, longevity, audience engagement, and the translation of ideas into a pitchable, client-ready format.
Teaching philosophyCourse objectives
- Develop design concepts for themed and non-traditional environments.
- Translate client goals into spatial storytelling decisions.
- Visualize experiential ideas through digital modeling and rendering.
- Understand commercial design workflow, presentation, and collaboration.
Working tools
- Vectorworks and SketchUp for 3D modeling
- Twinmotion for real-time visualization
- Adobe Creative Cloud for presentation and image work
Commercial storytelling through space, audience, and experience—applying theatrical methods to themed entertainment, museums, restaurants, and brand-centered environments.
Semester sequence
The course progresses from core vocabulary into applied design, visualization, critique, and professional presentation.
01
Foundations of Immersive Design
- Week 1: Themed-entertainment history and vocabulary
- Week 2: Concept development and blue-sky ideation
- Week 3: Presentation techniques for commercial clients
02
Spatial Design and Visualization
- Week 4: 3D modeling review and themed-maze launch
- Week 5: Twinmotion workshop and rendering workflow
- Week 6: Lighting and sound in immersive environments
03
Character and Brand Integration
- Week 7: Character and costume design in commercial spaces
- Week 8: Mascot-design and branding critique
04
Large-Scale Environments
- Week 9: Arena remodel and crowd-flow analysis
- Week 10: Feedback and critique on arena concepts
05
Capstone Collaboration
- Week 12: Restaurant project launch and menu narrative
- Week 13: Initial pitch and simulated client meeting
- Week 14: Drafting and 3D development
- Week 15: Preliminary review
- Week 16: Final design deck, renders, and walkthroughs
Evaluation
1300 total points across technical growth, design projects, critique, revision, and final presentation.