Innovative Materials Used in Themed Environment Construction

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Innovative Materials Used in Themed Environment Construction

Themed environments are not only growing in popularity but are also crucial in several different industries and applications.

If you’re not familiar with them, a themed environment is similar to a display, themed attraction, etc. Think of something along the lines of a Christmas display in a mall during the 90s.

Themed environments help pull guests into an experience and ultimately encourage them to convert and push your company’s goals.

For example, they can be used in retail to push a certain product line or in a demonstration to help make the education process a lot more effective.

However, themed environments are evolving, and a big part of that has to do with the materials being used by the top contractors in the industry, now.

Today, we’re going to look at themed environment construction materials that innovate the building process to make more immersive and more cost-effective themed environments for your event.

Let’s get started!

Foam Construction Materials in Themed Environment Construction

Traditionally, construction materials such as wood, stone, and various metals have been used to make the structure of themed environments, and making the more complex decorations that bring the environment to life was a far more difficult task.

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Now, foam is making every part of the project easier, more immersive, and more cost-effective.

This is not the same type of foam used as packing material, and it doesn’t look or feel cheap. Multiple polymer-based foams allow artists to create intricately detailed and realistic foam sculptures, facades, decorations, and more to bring a themed environment to life.

The Benefits of Foam in Themed Environment Construction

Foam provides many benefits when it comes to building themed environments, and it’s one of the most innovative materials used in themed environment construction.

Here are some of the benefits your themed environment will get from including foam in the construction process.

1: Lightweight and Easy to Manage

A lot of themed environments aren’t permanent. They’re around for the holidays or other limited-time events, and then everything gets removed until it’s needed again. Some are traveling events that only stay in place for a week or two.

Foam is extremely lightweight, and it allows you to have a visually immersive environment that’s also easy to adjust, pack away, or transport when the time comes.

2: Cost-Effective

Foam reduces the number of obstacles artists have to face while working with it. It’s lighter, easier to work with, and doesn’t require the extensive use of highly specialized equipment.

Along with material costs being fair in most cases, this makes foam a cost-effective material that doesn’t sacrifice quality.

3: Mimics Most Materials Easily

When it’s used properly, foam can be used to mimic pretty much any type of material, and when combined with advanced painting and texturing techniques, there’s practically nothing you can’t use foam for.

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From making historical recreations to fantasy statues, foam can be used for most applications effectively.

Concrete for Themed Environment Construction

Concrete has been a staple in themed environment construction for a long time, and while other materials have innovated the industry, concrete still has its uses.

Concrete is heavier and more complicated to work with, and if it’s not done properly, it can break fairly easily.

This means that it’s not optimal to use in the same situations that foam is.

Concrete tends to be far more useful in situations where the feature will be permanent because you certainly don’t want to move it around a lot or when it’s a part of the environment’s structural integrity and needs to hold up throughout the themed environment’s operating period.

This makes it great for statues that will have a long-term placement, walkways, facades that will constantly be touched or bumped into, features where mimicking the look of concrete simply won’t be enough, and similar applications.

Despite its slightly more limited use, concrete does have a few benefits over other options on this list.

1: High-Quality for Permanent Installations

One thing about concrete is that it’s built to last. Sometimes, that’s not necessary, and the drawbacks of concrete make it undesirable in those situations, but when you need something that can stand the test of time and lots of abuse, concrete is the perfect choice.

It can bear weight, is resistant to the elements, and requires little to no maintenance when used properly.

2: Molding Allows for Detailed and Varied Designs

Concrete can be molded, and as long as the right type of concrete is used, it can be turned into very detailed and unique designs. Extremely intricate details tend to be difficult to make without chipping being an issue, though.

Fiberglass in Themed Environment Construction

Finally, fiberglass is a great material for themed environment construction. It combines the benefits of both foam and concrete in some applications.

It’s extremely durable, it can be shaped into practically anything, and it’s lightweight. It’s also somewhat cost-effective when used for smaller parts of the project.

This all comes together to make an awesome building material that can be leveraged in the majority of themed environments seamlessly.

However, it’s not without its flaws.

Namely, it can be dangerous to work with. Basic materials such as respirators are needed when creating practically any themed environment, but fiberglass can be particularly dangerous when inhaled. That adds risk to the manufacturing process.

Also, if the fiberglass feature breaks, chips, or isn’t manufactured properly, it can have extremely sharp edges. That creates a liability for the operator of the themed environment.

Finally, compared to foam, it takes longer to work with.

Used in the right applications, fiberglass can be a great material for various types of environmental features, but professional knowledge needs to be leveraged to understand where it best fits the project.

Partner with Baker Studios for Your Themed Environment Project

Now that you are familiar with themed environment construction materials, it’s time to partner up with reliable designers.

If you’re looking to create a themed environment, whether it’s to educate the public, push sales, or simply create a cool event, Baker Studios can help.

We work with all three of these core materials and more to create intricately designed themed environments of all kinds, and our professional team knows exactly which material is best for any application.