9.81 Park is an eco-friendly Gravity Racing theme park featuring self-developed engineless racing carts that utilize gravitational force (g=9.81 m/s2) to race down sloping tracks. The design of the racing tracks and carts are optimized for Gravity Racing and make up the components of a system that integrates information and communication technologies (ICT) and gamification strategies. This system not only provides new experiences to visitors but is also the foundation of a new type of smart theme park that seamlessly extends online experiences to offline spaces.
Keeping the essence of Gravity Racing alive while at the same time finding the right form of expression for 9.81 Park’s vision of creating a smart-technology infused new era of joy was the main focus during the ’Race981’ design of the smart theme park. With the design keyword of innovation in mind, referring to the gradual and immediate changes 9.81 Park technologies and services introduce, the goal was to keep the challenge alive by amplifying the notion of a new type of theme park and infusing liveliness into the space, highlighting the raw emotionality and excitement racing sparks. The design concept takes not only technological innovation into account, but also focuses on other essentials of the park such as providing experiences of play that allow spontaneous involvement by its visitors. The Race981’s all spaces have been analyzed with a focus on user experience and are designed with maximizing the core experiences of each area in mind.
The BASE area which also hosts the circular band-shaped ticketing kiosk, features a curved glass wall, allowing an open view into the control room from which all system operations are supervised. All interior elements in the control room such as lighting, walls, furniture etc. are informed by curved shapes, thus creating a fluid continuity between the online and offline experience and infusing the tension and liveliness of racing into the space.
A 75 meters long large-scale lighting object featuring 5 lanes of RGB moving lights inspired by a race track connects different areas and provides visitors with a visual experience of speed, while communicating the park’s identity as a place of liveliness and movement. Additionally, exhibition platforms in the form of short race tracks showcase the three engineless cart models GR-E, GR-D and GR-X as symbolic objects. The cavernous corridor with its simple structure, repetitive forms and the uni-colored finishing is designed to raise the the level of expectation and amplify the tension before the boarding process.
PADDOCK (2nd floor)
The PADDOCK area in the 2nd floor hosts the exclusive Masters’ Lounge for master customers who enjoy high speed races. Seats from the actual carts are placed in the waiting area as a simulation of what is to come, conveying a sense of tension before boarding. The ceiling holds lighting installations reminiscent of racing tracks and induces a sense of speed into the space. In order to create an exclusive experience for VIP customers in the Race981, media devices that display individual ranking and performance data.
PLATFORM (3rd floor)
The PLATFORM on the 3rd floor will be experienced by all visitors and is structured according to the three different types of race tracks. It also features an area that allows groups of visitors to watch the instructional safety video. The structural elements are inspired by the brand pattern and pipes used in the vehicle body of the carts and formed as capsules. The three different tracks are visually marked in the three different colors derived from the brand colors. In order to guarantee the most efficient use of the space, the curved semi-transparent walls embrace and hide the structure columns, and a beam projector with a short focal length lens was installed. The formal arrangement of the Barrisol lighting and the streamlined band structures symbolically represent limitless expandability and thus reflect the 9.81 Park’s identity.
