
Undergraduate Honors Theses
Thesis Defended
Spring 2018
Document Type
Thesis
Type of Thesis
Departmental Honors
Department
Environmental Design
First Advisor
Emily Greenwood
Second Advisor
Georgia Lindsay
Third Advisor
Bruce Bergner
Abstract
Most theme parks today have a ride component, whether it is a themed roller coaster or water park, but the entertainment design industry has not focused as much on designing interactive experiences without the need for thrill. Experience design and themed entertainment design focus on how thematic elements create a somatic and immersive environment. Design, like entertainment, is constantly transforming to fit the needs of its visitors. The design of entertainment spaces needs to be considered through multiple lenses and this project seeks to understand design elements that are necessary for a successful immersive design. The film Spirited Away, by acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki, is the ideal story and style to fit an alternative theme park design. The loose plot and detailed illustrations throughout the film provide rich visual experiences that can easily be translated into enticing three-dimensional spaces. This project focuses on the best tactics for developing immersive entertainment through the theme of Spirited Away. This paper defends the final design of an experiential theme park, without rides, centered on the film Spirited Away.
Recommended Citation
Skinner, Elyse, "Designing an Immersive World: Exploring Theme Parks through Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away" (2018). Undergraduate Honors Theses. 1738.
https://scholar.colorado.edu/honr_theses/1738