Bold patterns, colourful landscapes and kaleidoscopic mirrors
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls: the circus is coming to town! When commissioned to reimagine the kids’ gallery for Ciência Viva – an interactive science-and-technology centre in Lisbon – NorthernLight created a vibrant, colourful playscape reminiscent of the circus. Bold graphics, bright hues, dazzling lights and kaleidoscopic mirrors invite kids to perform and play, while reconnecting parents to their childhood memories. The discovery of a park meets the emotion of a carnival: you can almost smell the nostalgic wafts of popcorn, candyfloss and caramel.
Surreal circus playscape
Circuses call to mind clowns, tents, music and acrobats. We put a surreal and playful spin on such visual cues, imbuing them with nostalgia, humour and emotion to arrive at a new transformative circus experience for children and families. In this fantastical landscape, things seem impossible at first glance. Jump aboard a popcorn car with square wheels, step into a crazy ice-cream shootout or climb a clown puppet that mimics your voice. Catering to the age of selfies, we developed the perfect stage for capturing kids in their element: playing, discovering and having fun.
A star is born
Tcharan Circus of Experiences is a charming space that provides a stage for children to become stars. Spellbinding activities await those who enter the psychedelic striped tent structure. Kids can overcome stage fright by lying like a fakir on a bed of nails, lift tonnes of weight like a strongman, or wheel around on a unicycle. The centrepiece – a giant clown marionette – allows visitors to also become puppeteers. Kids can lift its arms, modulate its voice and change its facial expression. The playscape is conceived with experiential learning in mind. Since we learn by doing, kids discover science by physically interacting with a diversity of installations.
circus
emotions
square meters
Interactive experiences
Design language
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