theme park : a job scope of landscape architect?

[mohd fidzrin]

as long as i know, designing a theme park is part of landscape architect job scope. but until now I’m wondering why none of theme park project world wide still not identified their landscape architect/designer?

[Boilerplater]

They are typically designed by large teams of profesionals, making it difficult to identify individuals that are responsible for the overall design. Also, they often evolve over time and use many different consultants as needs arise. I worked for a Six Flags park in college, and I know rides are often sold to them as a turn-key operation. They might use their own in-house people or a consultant for a theme on the ride. Disney has their famous in-house “imagineers’.

[dean clere]

The project development for a theme park takes quite a few teams to plan out. There is really not a one stop company that does it all but it takes landscape architects, engineers, interior designers, and many more to complete the job. A lot of it is outsourced as well.

[Jordan Lockman]

For my thesis I did a theme park. It was fun. In reality though Architects also have their hands in these projects. Another thing is that LA’s are not at all qualified to design the rides as you may know. I found myself using rides from specialty companies templates and treating the rides themselves as any other design element, like a tree, building, etc. So we are not likely to be involved in the next big roller coaster design, but we may design the paths and water features around it. Also the planting plan that accompanies it. I agree that with most parks I was finding that they had been designed in an ongoing process, but you could often find the design team listed if you looked hard enough.  

[Jason T. Radice]

Having desinged a number of water theme parks myself, the posters are correct that there is a rather large team of people who design the park, as they are enormously complex. An LA, architect, or even specialized park planner may lay out the design. I know one large company who really left it to the park manager to lay the placement out in existing parks for add ons. Usually, parks are done piece-meal…adding this object, adding that object. The manufacturer usually does the layout and engineering. Park staff generally does the landscaping and can do much of the install of non-specialty components. Many parks used to have design/engineering staff, but have reduced this staff and rely more heaviliy on outsourcing (Disney). One of the MAJOR players in theme park design is FORREC in Canada. Being such a specialized industry, they really don’t need to advertise outside of thier circle, and most in the circle already know who is who.

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