Lava Field I: Inspiration

Lava Field is a 10 acres themed area concept that explores mankind's fear, awe and curiosity for volcanoes. Through rich architecture, authentic landscapes and immersive storytelling, this proposed area features two E-ticket rides, an amphitheatre and tells a story that centres around a newly constructed geothermal power plant situated in an exquisite, but geologically active landscape.

Due to the extensive nature of the land and its multitude of rides and design components, this article will be split in the multiple parts. In this section, we would explore Lava Field's overarching concept and its masterplan. 

An overview of the proposed Lava Field, an approximately 10 acres of themed area with two thrilling anchor rides and a dedicated outdoor theater, all wrapped up in an immersive, surreal environment that transports guests into the world of volcanoes and mysteries. Click to enlarge.

Lava Field is a celebration of the sciences, technologies, legends and myths that surround the mysterious tectonic forces. It attempts to be a combination of a thrilling theme park, an exciting science museum and an immersive field trip to some of world's most hostile environments. 

The Lava Field area consists of three main anchor attractions:

1. A thrilling, high speed roller coaster ride that places guests face to face with nature's most violent forces as a routine field visit to the Lava Field Geothermal Plant turns into a hurdle through the deepest cavern of an active volcano.  
2. A scenic drive through the barren landscapes of a lava field as part of a scientific expedition. 
3. A multi-media performance that celebrates the myths of the goddesses that flame the volcanoes. 

These three anchor attractions are wrapped up in an immersive environment that places guests in various peculiar and strange volcano-related formations, such as lava tubes, caves and geysers. 

A guide map for the Lava Field area, along with a detailed description of the various attractions, rides, shops and restaurants.

The Inspiration

The idea of the Lava Field first came to me on my trip to Iceland in summer 2014. Surprisingly, the most jaw-dropping sights weren't active volcano mouths with bubbling red hot lava as depicted in Hollywood films. Instead, it was the otherworldly yet wonderful lava landscapes and formations that have captured my imagination. Hiking on the endless and still-steamy lava field, you can't help but feel lost in nature's vastness, and vividly experience the scar that tectonic forces have left on the surface of the earth. Here are some photos I've taken on my trip.

Most importantly, it was the experience of strolling on the Lava Field which I endeavour to recreate in this themed land: Walking along the undulating path defined by the seemingly flowing lava; seeing the eerie geometries and towering landscapes sculpted by basalt frozen in time; feeling the mighty forces of exploding geyser; hearing the sizzling sound as smoke rises from deep beneath the ground; smelling the rotten sulphur the seeps through cracks and faults. 

Diagramatic relationship between a volcano and a lava field.

Geologically, lava fields are a large and almost flat-lying areas where lava has flown across. The solidified lava has a signature dark tone, and has a wide variety of accompanying landscape features, such as lava caves and lava tubes

A rough illustration of the formation of lava tube and lava cave. To see other possible formations, see this website

So, why bother building the Lava Field and not just go to Iceland and see the sights? Well, just like any theme park, authentic re-creation is definitely part of the spirit, but there is more. Lava Field is a re-creation of nature's beauty with a human touch and imagination. That is the genesis of the idea of blending a geothermal power plant with lava formations in this themed area. Furthermore, the Lava Field is not a 1:1 copy of a place you can find. Instead, it is a amalgamation of sights from various locations around Iceland, which are then further blended with inspirations from volcanic tales and legends from around the world.

The Concept

A volcano-themed experience is not a new concept by any means. However, it has always been explored in a very limited way: On the one hand, we have theme parks thrill rides based on volcano. Some of my favourites are Journey to the Centre of the Earth at Disney Sea in Tokyo, and Volcano, The Blast Coaster at Kings Dominion in Virginia. On the other hand, we have dedicated volcano museums that educate the science and geology behind volcanism. My favourite is definitely Vulcania in France.  

Lava Field is an attempt to bridge the gap between the two extremes --- theme park and science museum. It combines the thrill and storytelling of theme park, and the authenticity and educational value of a museum. In order to do so, the Lava Field offers a wide spectrum of experiences and themes around the central idea of the Lava Field. Each experience is designed to evoke and highlight a particular relationship between human and volcanoes.

1. Fear. Ever since the very first record of volcanoes, there has been myths and legends about this destructive force that rises from the ground. People feared, and people created stories about.
2. Curiosity. Gone were the days when we thought lava is the tear of God. Nowadays, not only are lava fields scientifically exciting to study, its beautiful barren, and almost other-worldly landscapes have attracted visitors from around the world.
3. Conquer. Ultimately, mankind has learnt how to conquer and master these tectonic forces. In 1904, the first geothermal power generator was successfully tested in Italy. And ever since, we have been extracting energy from deep beneath the earth to generate electricity. 

These three distinctive emotional connections between man and volcanoes have inspired the three anchor rides & attractions that the Lava Field has to offer. 

In the next part, we will explore the master planning of the Lava Field area.