Are you an aspiring architect longing to work on theme park projects alongside some of the A-list theme park owners and design teams? Here are some of the top architecture firms in North America that have internal themed entertainment design studios or teams that work with A-list theme park design groups such as Walt Disney Imagineering, Universal Creative, and more.
It’s a little known fact that very few theme park owners fully self-perform (design) their theme park and themed entertainment projects 100% in-house. Even more of a rarity, there are very few theme park owners that have internal design teams. A theme park design industry secret is even the top theme park owners with internal design teams utilize outside design talent – architecture and engineering firms, interior design firms, kitchen design consultants, etc. – to compliment, bolster, and support either their internal design teams or fully self-perform theme park design projects.
Theme Park Architects
I’m often asked by future, prospective theme park architects, engineers, and designers I mentor and advise, “If I can’t land a job with Walt Disney Imagineering or Universal Creative, how do I get my foot in the door into the theme park design business?” My answer is always the same. Look at working with one of the many outside theme park design teams that work side-by-side with the theme park owner’s design teams such as Disney Imagineering, Lego, Universal Creative, and more.
✅ Click Here to Learn How To Become a Theme Park Architect
Theme Park Architecture Firms
Here’s a list, in no particular order, of some of the top theme park design architecture firms in North America:
PGAV Destinations
Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri – with a new office coming to Orlando, FL – PGAV Destinations has emerged to be one of the top themed entertainment and theme park design architecture firms. Though located far from the top theme parks in the U.S., PGAV Destinations works on theme park and themed and immersive entertainment projects both domestically and internationally.
HHCP Architects
From their office in downtown Orlando, Florida, HHCP Architects (Helman Hurley Charvat Peacock Architects, Inc.), has worked with some of the top theme park owners, such as Walt Disney Imagineering, Universal Creative, and other themed entertainment projects for both in-berm theme park projects and out of berm themed projects.
Huitt-Zollars
The Huitt-Zollars office located in Orlando, Florida – formerly known as Morris Architects prior to being acquired by Huitt-Zollars – has been assisting local theme park owners such as Walt Disney, NBCUniversal, and Lego with a multitide of theme park and themed hospitality projects.
✅ Click Here to Learn More About the Theme Park Design Process
BRPH
Though their home office is located in Melbourne, Florida, BRPH in the past few years has built up their Entertainment Studio in Orlando, Florida to be one of the top theme park design architecture firms working alongside some of Orlando’s top theme park owners.
Cunningham
From their office in Los Angeles, Cunningham has worked on theme park and themed entertainment projects from California, to Florida, and overseas working on all types of theme entertainment building types including retail, food & beverage, rides and shows, and more.
Forrec
Located in Toronto, Canada, Forrec themed entertainment group has worked on themed and immersive projects and theme parks in both North America and abroad.