Creating Play Spaces for Kids that draw the Entire Family

THE VISION
REALIZED
PROJECT CASE STUDY
01.
issue
“Wonder and Imagination-these are the 2 key emotions the
new zone must deliver.”
Glenn Gumpel, President CEO Universal Studios Japan, Osaka
USJ Co. teamed with KB Creative Advisors to lead the
development of a new zone centered on children’s
play. Universal Wonderland’s completion achieves a
milestone for the theme-park at the celebration of it’s
10-year anniversary. It sets a new standard in theme-
park design driven by a core focus in guest experience
that is repeatable and emotionally fulfilling. How KBCA
helped reimagine this new zone is a case study in design
leadership and intense collaboration.
KB | CREATIVE ADVISORS

The vision
The challenge
Design leadership
Evolving the brands
3
4
5
6
Contents
nov dec jan feb mar april may june july aug sep oct nov dec jan feb mar
2011 2012
www.kbcreativeadvisors.com
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Asia: 10a Craig Rd. 2F Singapore 089670 t: 65-3158-2045
for all enquires: jonathanL@kbcreativeadvisors.com
Case Study | UWL 2Issue .01.2013 KB | CREATIVE ADVISORS
members
million USD s.m. I.P.
increase
outlets
Attractions Food & Retail
Characters
Attendance
Design Team
Budget Area Covered
25
50+ 30k
25%
13 5
3
CONCEPTTO COMPLETION
17 MONTHS
11.01.10
first on-site
charette
03.15.12
Universal
Wonderland
Opens
NTT
prepares
submission
ride vendors
contracted
100 %
SD
complete
SD Addendums
100 %
Concept
Buyoff
Weekly Progress Updates
Schematic
production
IP
review
approval
On site work
session value
engineer
Creative
hand-over to
USJ team
USJ design team construction,fabrication, install, operations training

USJ Co’s primary goal was to
meet the needs of an underserved
market group of young children
(3-9 yrs old) and their families.
When Universal Studios Japan®
first opened in 200, the zone was
originally designed and themed as
the “WILD WEST” area. Although
well designed and meticulously
detailed, it failed to resonate
emotionally with the regional
market. This area was then re-
themed to the “Land of Oz” based
on the characters from the classic
movie. The“Land of Oz” officially
A Harmony ofWonder and Imagination
closed in 2011 to make way for the
Wonderland transformation to take
place.
The vision was to create a home
for three brands, Snoopy, Hello
Kitty and Sesame Street, inhabiting
a land filled with “Wonder” and
“Imagination” the two tenets that
would drive key program and design
decisions throughout the process.
Monument sign at entry into land Marketing key art illustrating entire land Sculpted characters greet guests at entry
THE VISION VISION DEVELOPMENT
the 3 “W”s
We always start with asking clients
some fundamentals:
What- What is the Program and
what emotion does it need to fulfill?
Who- Who are we designing for?
Why- Why does the park need this
project, towards what higher goal
does it seek to attain?
DESIGN RESEARCH
listening, discovering, fulfilling
USJ has over the years successfully
driven increase in park attendance
through a rigorous process of market
survey and putting their ear on the
ground; listening and fulfilling what
their guests seek.
Mothers were identified as the key
decision makers in driving ticket
sales for the park. In the program
and design process, the team
considered not only the types of
attractions kids would enjoy but
also planned for the amenities
and facility details that are
hospitable and ergonomic for
both kids and adults alike.
The project seeked to fulfil this
combination in the right “style”
that would evoke wonder and
imagination.
At the end of an intense charette
design process, KBCA produced
a presentation that conveyed the
client’s vision of the experiential
narrative through words, images
and original artwork of discov-
ered concepts.These collected
thoughts and visual ideas then
formed the foundation for the
next steps in design evolution.

Rehabilitate, recreate
KBCA was faced with the complex
challenge of creating a new “world”
within the constraints of existing
structure and facilities. To achieve
economy and cost effectiveness,
maximizing investment in areas
that guests actually experience and
touch was key.
The area anchoring the site at
its nort-east edge was occupied
by 2 outdoor covered theatres;
both with an overall eleavtion
drop of approximately 8 metres.
This presented both a challenge
and an opportunity in envisioning
the possible uses of this area.
KBCA’s depth of owner-operator
experience and masterplanning
poweress came into play in re-
configuring the 30,000 s.m. land
area into 3 sub-zones. Almost all
existing facilities remained intact,
except for one of the outdoor
theatre which was demolished
to make way for what was to be
eventually become Sesame Central
Park.
A constant dialogue that involved
active listening with the client and
an exchange of ideas was present
throughout the decision making
process. KBCA worked closely with
the USJ team to articulate not only
the aspirations of the project, but
also to organize and evalute pre-
existing site facilities conditions.
The KBCA design team transformed
the area with a combination of
altering, enclosing, layering and
adding to the bones of the facilities
and working in harmony with
existing site topography.
Final masterplan
Preliminary scope diagram
THECHALLENGE

Entry Portal,
The Flying Snoopy:16
vehicle Flying Round Ride,
Snoopy Studios
Facade Redevelopment
Show Producer/ Creative Director, Show Producer/ Creative Director,
Design Architect Design Architect Design Architect Design Architect
Area Development Designer Area Development Designer
Landscape Architect
Vehicle Designers
Vehicle Designers
Interior Designer
Interior Designer Interior Designer
CAD Designer
Storyboard Artist
Concept Artists
Specialty Consultants
Signage and Graphics
Wardrobe DesignWardrobe Design
Wardrobe Design
Wardrobe Design
Wardrobe Design
Show Set DesignersShow Set Designers, Art Directors
Production Designers Production Designers Production Designers
CAD Designer CAD Designer
Writers
Hello Kitty CupCakeDream-
Hello Kitty’s Ribbon Collection
Cup Cake Bakery,
Apple Fries Car
Hello Kitty Ribbon Boutiique
Facade Development
Sesame Plaza
Elmo’s Little Drive
Big Bird’s Big Top Circus
Sesame Store
Elmo Imaginarium
Elmo’s Bubble Bubble
Abby’s Magical Party
Moppy’s Lucky Dance Party
Big Bird’s Big Nest
Grover’s Construction Company
Bert and Ernie’s Wonder-The Sea
Cookie Monster Cafe
Sesame Central Park
Sesame’s Big Drive
Big Bird’s Climbing Nest
Abby’s Magical Tree
Abby’s Magical Garden
Water Garden
Cookie Monster Slide
Ernie’s Rubber Duckie Race
Design leadership takes a vision
and makes it real.
In 2010, Oct 27, USJ Co. asked
KBCA to meet on site for a
charette session to transform one
of the lands in the park.At 9am on
Nov 1, KBCA senior design delivery
leaders were on the job.
Drawing talent from Singapore,
Los Angeles and Berkeley, KBCA
mobilized a group of 22 design
professionals. Among them
were experts in the design and
programming of environments for
children, creative producers,design
architects, illustrators, set and
production designers, art directors,
landscape architects and specialty
consultants.
Delivering the project in just 17
months required a full throttle,
fast track process. To manage
the scope of work, the area was
dvided into key blocks, each with its
USJ Co.
A
Snoopy
B
Hello Kitty
C
Sesame
G.C.
S.G.C
DESIGN LEADERSHIP
NTT
Facilities
distinct program and uses. KBCA
led the charette process including
vision briefings, brainstorm sessions,
and design discussions capturing
ideas in play and feeding them back
to the design teams.
The team participated in weekly
“work-shops” where progress
in visual ideation, sketches and
renderings were presented and
ideas exchanged. The energy and
synergy these dialogues generated
resulted in a rich and seamless
set of overall ideas for Universal
Wonderland.
View of SesameTown from Hello Kitty Fashion
Avenue
DESIGN
KB | CREATIVE ADVISORS
LEADERSHIP

Day dreams of flying in the clouds
At the first zone upon entry, KBCA
proposed a bold move to place the
new outdoor round-ride in front
of the existing “Snoopy-Studios”
building.
By orienting the new land entry
portal to frame a kinetic structure
of cuteness, it draws guests in and
becomes the iconic starting point
for the imagination and wonder
that awaits beyond. KBCA ‘s design
USj character wonderland | PaGe 2worK In ProGreSS coMMentS | May 24, 2011
SnooPy center Icon concePt
SnooPy rIde VehIcle
Study models made for fine-tuning
ergonomics, scale and “photo-friendly” factors.
Installed flying snoopy and centerpeice
KBCA imagined an environment of
exuberance and celebration that is
original but still attuned to the brand’s
tone and language.
team charetted through several
concepts before finally stirking the
chord that evokes wonder and
imagination in Snoopy’s world..
EVOLVING
THE BRANDS

Couture but Cute
It’s all about the Bow!
KBCA was tasked with taking this
concept that personifies Kitty and
translating it into a groundbreaking
genre of architecture.
Armed with design research
centered heavily on fashion,
culture and food, the design team
engaged in an active dialogue with
USJ’s “Team Kitty” to establish
the key design elements that are
quintessentially Hello Kitty.
Hello Kitty has evolved over the
past 30 years and continues to
be a powerhouse global brand.
The challenge was to evolve it yet
another level into the“next” look
that is an original to USJ.
The design team set out to uncover
the elements that would make a
modern and sophisticated statement
but overlaid with “Cute”.
Kitty’s “Bow” was identified as an
icon unique to the character’s
identity and became part of the
signature quilted wall- an evolution
that began from a classic handbag.
The Bow also played a key role
in the development of the “Hello
Kitty Ribbon Collection” –a Meet
and Greet attraction.The attraction
personalizes the experience by
offering guests a selection of bow
accessories prior to their special
moment with the Kitty herself.
Complementing the oversized
ribbon is a system of layered
patterned glass that plays on
transparency and a whimsical
repitition of the brand’s signature
logo. A system of banding
“ribbons” surrounds the interior
environment- leading guests, from
the entry through a showcase of
“Kitty’s Couture” – culminating
into her shoe display chamber
where kids are entertained with an
oversized “shoe slide”.
The concept for the “tea-cup”
round ride evolved from a series of
ideas linked to Kitty’s modern-day
accoutrements. The oversized and
colorful Cupcakes are a natural fit
and doubled as the perfect snack
opportunity.
Bow selection showcase,attraction signage.
The quilted wall was angled to orient the
Iconic Bow towards guest approach.
A single cupcake mold was made and
variations of patterns and color combination
applied.
Hello Kitty Boutique interiors,Entrance
from Fashion AVenue

SeSaMe : d is for drIVe
jUnIor rIde VehIcle- 3d Model One Body / Four Faces & Four Colors
Each face
would need to be
a “Plant-on”
element
Elmo
TellyGrover
Ernie
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Identifying the “style” that unlocks
a sense of wonderment was a key
component in the design of Sesame
town. KBCA’s design team created
a signature look that evolved from
a formula using the IP’s basic style-
guide combined with the “BIG
FACE” concept.
The designers took an
“anthropomorphic” approach in the
façade design and inflected the lines
to create a “Uniquely USJ Sesame”
style that is consistent throughout
the interiors and outdoor play areas.
By virtue of the brand’s popularity
and it’s wide-reach to the broader
Bursting with Imagination and
Wonder
market, this zone offers the most
attractions for “what kids like to
do”.
Through market research
conducted- one of the most
popular activities identified
amongst kids was driving. Driving
with autonomy appealed to kids as
it offered a “role-play” of a grown-
up activity. Two variations of this
attraction was developed, one
suited to the very young toddlers
and another scaled up for the more
adventurous young drivers.
KBCA designed the new
facade to work with keeping
the existing structure and
base surface panels.The
effect works into a backdrop
for adding the new stylized
Sesame facades.
Pre-existing primary structure
of building facade from “Land
of Oz”-was retained.
The mini-drive course for toddlers
was designed to be centrally located
to form a focal point of energy and
excitement in the main plaza.
Vehicle Design studies and
final product

USJ CHARACTER WONDERLAND | PAGE 9WORK IN PROGRESS COMMENTS | MAY 5, 2011
SESAME: INDOOR IMAGINATION PLAY
ENTRY
The play on scale of the
suspended “big face” ring
heads- added to a sense
of wonderment. Guest
experience the worlds
imagined “inside the heads” of
each character.
The mini-flume offers an
adult and child shared
experience
To break up the 2500 s.m. space into
several distinct play spaces- KBCA’s
design team proposed suspended “Big
Face” heads of the favourite characters
that would create compression and scale
in the 16m tall volume.
Each “Pod”‘s play program is developed
to be symbiotic with the tone and
language of the respective Sesame
Characters.
A series of ramps designed to function
both as access and a secondary viewing
platform.
The Elmo Imaginarium contained
the highest density of focused play
programs within the land. Central to
the volumnious space is a mini-flume
attraction themed as Elmo and his
goldfish Dorothy.
An important space planning
component was for parents to have
an overlook from which to find
some respite while the kids explored
below.
The success and popularity of the
project is a result of focusing on
the timeless activities kids love and
customizing the environment to
inspire imagination and a sense of
wonder.
GROVER’S CONSTRUCTION COMPANY: BUILDING BLOCKS
MOPPY : LUCKY DANCE EXTERIOR
BERT & ERNIE’S UNDERSEA ADVENTURE: VIEW FROM PLAZA
Key to Success

Creating Play Spaces for Kids that draw the Entire Family

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