|
.
|
|
Annual awards for the themed entertainment industry seek, gauge and celebrate excellence in the creation of compelling places and guest experiences
|
|
|
Las Vegas - “The annual Thea Awards, presented by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA), reflect the best among the projects and people of our industry,” says TEA president Steve Thorburn of Thorburn Associates. “It was a good year for museums as people vacationed closer to home, and as our Thea Awards Committee found, museums are delivering superlative new guest experiences. Other Thea Awards illuminate the growing Asian market and its steady flow of creativity and innovation. The predominant thread of this awards cycle is a maturation in the use of technology - we've mastered the seamless and transparent blend of media and technology with live performers and physical elements - all in the service of storytelling. Ours is an industry reaching for economic recovery, and we're pleased to note that TEA grew more than 30 percent over the past two years. We extend hearty congratulations to all the new Thea Award recipients and salute them for their contributions.” The prestigious Thea Awards recognize and honor excellence in the creation of outstanding visitor experiences, attractions, exhibits and places. Truly international in their recognition of outstanding productions, the Thea Awards focus international attention on innovation within the Themed Entertainment and Experience Design Industry. The awards were created in 1994 by TEA to recognize and honor excellence all up and down the chain of creative production. The Theas honor the vision and dedication of the project owner while bestowing and recording credits for the work of the designers, technicians, vendors and suppliers who realize the project.
The Thea Awards Nominating Committee recommended the current slate of 12 Thea recipients, with final approval by the TEA International Board of Directors. The Awards will be formally presented March 6, 2010 at the 16th Annual Thea Awards Gala, to be held at Universal Studios Hollywood and sponsored by Economics at AECOM. The Awards Gala is a formal black-tie dinner event and is open to the public. Tickets/more information: www.teaconnect.org.
Thea Awards for Outstanding Achievement (AOA)
SCIENCE CENTER EXHIBIT
Skyscraper! Achievement & Impact
Liberty Science Center, Liberty State Park, Jersey City, New Jersey USA
This unique and timely exploration of the ever-present but oft-misunderstood urban icon, the skyscraper, was praised by the Thea Awards Committee as interactive, multi-disciplinary, informative, immersive, budget conscious, and inspirational. The 12,800 square foot visitor experience manifests across-the-board excellence in design and execution and most of all in the inventive, unique and totally immersive development of the skyscraper exhibits. Aiming to enlighten visitors about the complexity of the planning and construction of skyscrapers, the exhibits engage guests in the wide variety of work disciplines to help illuminate science, engineering and technology as well as to inspire future careers in the construction industry. The entire process of skyscraper planning and construction is deconstructed using multimedia, full body interactives and experiment-based lab stations. Moving from the first Zone that introduces the Skyscraper as a building environment, Zone 2 allows guests to experiment with building and city planning and explore the real world elements – wind forces, materials and mechanical systems - that impact design. At the Zone 3 construction site, hard-hat wearing guests find out what it is like to walk an I-Beam, operate a construction crane, and experience how 100 mph rain and wind force impacts a curtain wall. In the final zone, all the experiences coalesce in a look toward the environmental impact and global future of skyscrapers. Five years in the making, Skyscraper is a key feature entry experience to the $109 million upgrade of the Liberty Science Center which looks across the Hudson River to the lower Manhattan skyline where the Twin Towers once featured so prominently. Skyscraper achieves an engaging balance of education, entertainment, guest participation and involvement.
Please click here to download a press release containing all recipients of the 16th Annual Thea Awards.
|
|