The Secret Grotto
PROGRAM | Walk-through Immersive Experience
STATUS | Storyland Design Competition 2024
DATE | June 2024 - August 2024
COLLABORATOR | John Craig, Dilon Pinholster
The Secret Grotto is a one-of-kind LBE concept combining elements of a public market/ food hall with a sandbox-style immersive art exhibit, showcasing beautiful displays of digital media and water-based special effects, all integrated into a compelling narrative adventure steeped in detailed placemaking.
The History of the Grotto
The Secret Grotto is an enigma. While some endeavor to discover its secrets in the name of science, others look to exploit its features for profit. Some come to worship the mysteries held deep in its cavernous depths, while others look to harness the seemingly magical properties of its crystalline features for beauty, wealth, and power.
Not much is known about this strange place, but one thing seems for certain; the water “holds” the memories of all those who came before; an aquifer of collective consciousness. Discovered by a team of archaeologists in the 19th century, the Grotto was kept secret while those dedicated to science and natural preservation worked to study and protect it. With time, however, the Grotto’s presence has become increasingly known…
In the era of social media, the Grotto's enchantment has seemingly begun to fade. Some people in the outpost whisper of the damage from “the world above”. Superficial, mass-produced memories lack the depth needed to sustain its magic, and are dissolving and crumbling the very walls within the depths.
The Villain
Actors/Operators
The Townspeople
The Miners/Scientists
You are invited to join a society of villagers, researchers, and explorers to unearth the Grotto's secrets.
A New Type of Immersive Entertainment
The Secret Grotto is not just a unique “LBE” experience, but a new model for a more dynamic and immersive community amenity; a blended space combining the public realm with immersive narrative storytelling, while also including a distinct auxiliary ticketed experience.
Circulation and Program
Mine Elevator - Enter the Secret Grotto -
After leaving the lobby, visitors will enter a large and creaky “mineshaft” where they will be introduced to the Grotto by an Elevator Operator as they are “lowered” down into the earth. Fantastical projections of the various layers of earth’s crust plays all around the walls and ceilings, as the elevator creaks and shakes downwards.
The Grotto Outpost - A Spontaneous Public Space -
A Unique Public “Food Hall” and “Town Square” Concept Featuring Local Vendors Integrated Into a Larger Narrative & Thematic Framework.
Mystical Geyser
Story Market
Interactive Booth
Bar & Cafe
The Depths of Wonder - Deeper Exploration -
Miners abandoned their gas-powered lanterns deep in the "Depths of Wonder," where they were later rediscovered, often overgrown with mineral formations that efficiently capture mystical cave waters.
Cave guides provide visitors with these lanterns to help explore the caves, complete missions, retrieve water for various tasks, and bring back to the Mistical Geyser. These tasks depend on the visitors' prior interactions with characters in the Outpost, with some seeking to study the water and others aiming to exploit or ship it to the "world above."
The Memory Crystal Cove
Hydralink (“Reflections”)
The magic of the cove comes alive as light refracts and spreads throughout.
Point lanterns and spotlights at unique features and see what happens…
Connecting other “Story Markets” from around the world, guests can interact with live video feeds of other people, working together in comradic unison to unlock the cave’s magic.
The Healing Spring
The Fountain of Youth
Various manufactured pools of water will offer relaxing seating areas for guest to place their feet in the water and unwind from the stress of the outside world.
The room comes alive with a vivid display of water effects, light, and projections, in a spectacular sequence showcasing pulsating laser light effects, emanating from the central fountain.
Plan
![plan [Converted] - JOHN-01-min.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/456eac_f09218e4aa0c425ab12f80101b5b4978~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_720,h_482,al_c,lg_1,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/456eac_f09218e4aa0c425ab12f80101b5b4978~mv2.png)
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1F (The Depths of Wonder)
2F (The Grotto Outpost)
Our Process
Our team met weekly over Zoom (one of us being in LA, one in Orlando, and the other in New York) for the entire competition process. The first month was spent in a broad brainstorm in Miro, based on the competition guidelines; the next month was spent on concept refinement, fleshing out initial sketches and ideas. The final month focused on deliverable production and regular check-ins and creative hand-offs and exchanges, and refining the narrative that is The Secret Grotto.
