Tinkerpunk Junktion
Themed Entertainment, 2024-2025
As part of Imagination Design Academy - Educational Program (IDA)
“We are looking to develop a new location-based experience for our flagship shopping mall location in Springfield, Virginia, which could become a model for the transformation of our other larger sites across the US.” -Malltopia Client Brief
This project was part of NextGen Showcase, an 11-month-long educational program that simulates a creative studio environment, whereby participants work in teams to create a themed attraction in response to a client brief. Teams worked through Blue Sky, Concept, and Schematic Design phases and held a final presentation at SATE Europe 2025 to a crowd of industry professionals.
Project Site: Springfield Town Center, Springfield, VA
Size: +100,000 SQFT across 2 Floors
“Have you ever wanted to unleash your creative potential and make the world a better place? Families from all over are welcome to Tinkerpunk Junktion, a handmade haven where the Tinkerpunks have transformed an abandoned metro station into an embassy of both creativity and sustainability.”
Solstice Studios Team Members
Stephen Tao - Project Manager
Kyara Lampe - Project Coordinator & IDEA Consultant
Kincső Filoména Madarász - Creative Director
Zoe Macarewa - Art Director & Graphic Designer
Steven Coward - Architect & Concept Artist
Serena Murray-Bruce - 3D Concept Artist
Sven Nibbeling - Concept Artist
Harry Davies - Operations Director & Video Editor
Jarret Wasko - Writer, Researcher & Concept Artist
Ryan-Sam Marshall - Technical Director
Arjun K Singh - Interactives Designer and Copy Editor
Peter Gau - Mechanical Designer
Kacy Cartwright - Lead Show Writer & Assistant Creative Director
Mentors: Lacy K Campbell & Dave Lascaut
Art by Kincső Filoména Madarász & Serena Murray-Bruce
Concourse Entrance Video
Project Presentation Board - Presented at SATE Europe 2025
“The output of work suggests that this team is cohesive and on top of their game - each contributor owning their piece of the process and collaborating across roles. I’ve been reviewing Schematic Design packages for most of my 35 years in the business and this one really stands out as some of the best work I’ve seen.”
“Through this whole process the team has had a strong idea and has delivered at each phase. Responding to client notes and concerns. They are a strong team that can deliver on their concept.”
Project Narrative
Have you ever wanted to unleash your creative potential and make the world a better place? Families from all over are welcome to Tinkerpunk Junktion, a handmade haven where the Tinkerpunks have transformed an abandoned metro station into an embassy of both creativity and sustainability. Tinkerpunk Junktion contains several activities to captivate and delight visitors, including an interactive dark ride, a kinetic restaurant, several retail options and much more.
”Far away and beyond, on their homeworld of Wim live the Tinkerpunks. The limited resources of their world spawned a creative culture built on recycling and renewing what was once broken (and having some fun with it along the way).
As the Tinkerpunks evolved, so did their technology and they eventually traveled beyond Wim, finding their way to Earth. They fell in love with our plentiful planet, but were disheartened by the humans’ tendency to waste. Emboldened by their desire to create meaningful change, the Tinkerpunks set up the very first embassy-of-sorts: a satellite workshop where they would remain to assist the humans and continue their research.”
Excerpts from Schematic Design Package
Tinkerpunk Malfunction
Interactive Dark Ride
The Tinkerpunks recruit guests to fix a malfunctioning invention, while they get a look behind the scenes at the creations process. Guests are welcome aboard old maintenance carts. Under the watchful eye of their guide, Sienna, these apprentices-in-training are in for a bumpy ride, though they’ll learn a lot along the way!
Tinkerpunk Malfunction Entrance
