In June and July 2024, we partnered with Erth and Adelaide Zoo to bring Universal Kingdom to life, an ambitious after-dark experience that transformed Adelaide Zoo into a fully immersive prehistoric world.

From concept through to fabrication, our Melbourne-based creative studio designed and built a series of large-scale installations that blurred the boundaries between sculpture, puppetry, and theatrical design. The centrepiece of the 2024 experience was a 10-metre-long inflatable Plesiosaur, designed, patterned, and hand-sewn in our workshop. Suspended from a trussing system with ten programmed winches, the creature moved with lifelike swimming motions, finished in rich blue and aqua hand painted tones that created a striking wet-look effect.

Audiences were also invited to explore a walk-through Dinosaur Bone Graveyard, featuring hand-sculpted EPE foam fossils, each individually painted to evoke the texture, scale, and age of ancient remains. Adding awe and play, our most-loved giant inflatable Mosasaur made an appearance, dynamically interacting with our custom-designed fish rod puppets.

The experience was illuminated through collaboration with After Dark Theatre, whose lighting design transformed the site, and A Million Things Music, who created a soundscape that brought the prehistoric environment to life.

Returning in 2025: Bigger, Bolder, and More Immersive

In 2025, we returned for a second year with Universal Kingdom, pushing scale and ambition even further.

At the heart of the experience was Thunderhorn Plains, a life-sized Triceratops engineered from over a tonne of steel and illuminated with coloured acrylic. Designed by Joe Blanck and fabricated by our team, this 360-degree centrepiece was fabricated in sections due to its immense scale and commanded attention from every angle, day and night.

Soaring overhead, a suspended inflatable Pterodactyl, sculpted, hand-painted, and animated using the winch system, added dramatic life-like movement. The new Raptor Run debuted with ten LED-lit raptors racing down a pathway, creating a fast-paced, interactive experience for children. By popular demand, the Dinosaur Bone Graveyard also made its return.

Completing the experience was a creative playground of dinosaur projections, encouraging exploration, play, and connection.

Universal Kingdom reflects our ongoing commitment to thoughtful large-scale sculpture, immersive lighting, puppetry, and interactive design. From our Melbourne studio, A Blanck Canvas is grateful to collaborate with festivals, cultural institutions, and public spaces both in Australia and internationally, creating experiences where creativity and craftsmanship quietly come together.