“Visitors ‘fly’ to Mars on-board a digital planetarium, choose an astronaut suit and explore the planet. They then devote themselves to the job of making bread on Mars”
The SpaceBakery project for Puratos allows visitors to learn about baking on Mars / de pinxi
Launched in 1991, de pinxi creates interactive experiences across culture, tourism, education and leisure. As the Belgium-based company celebrates 30 years in the business, general manager Philippe Chiwy talks to Attractions Management about some intriguing projects.
How was your anniversary year? 2021 was our 30th anniversary and it was a good year filled with nice work. Last year saw de pinxi involved with three major projects: A chocolate museum renovation in Bruges, Belgium; the development of an experience to highlight research into the possibilities of baking on Mars; and the creation of a new wine museum in Colmar, France.
Choco-Story Bruges reopened last year after a complete renovation by de pinxi, with immersive décor, interconnected media, amazing displays and interactive games.
What can you tell us about the wine museum you’re working on? The Wine Museum Colmar will focus on the local wines of Alsace, and will offer a unique visitor experience, combining a rich collection with immersive media and decor, and will be aimed at families.
This will be an entertaining and educational experience – it’s due to open this autumn, and we’re excited about showing off our work.
For this project, we’ve carried out the research and development of the content and media experience, which includes information about local wines, their history and the process of producing them since Roman times. We’re now developing the media experience – the museum will feature various immersive video-mapping zones and interconnected games to support the theme of each room. The games are connected to the process of producing wine or to the tradition of the region.
We’re also developing historical reconstitutions for the museum and for this de pinxi is creating the content (video, special effects, animation, computer graphics and programming) as well as customised interfaces and electronics to match the storytelling.
A sneak preview example is the game of ‘organising the barrels’ – visitors will have two minutes to store a barrel in a very crowded wine cellar.
You worked with Puratos on the SpaceBakery project. What did that involve? This was a really interesting project we worked on with the baking industry food manufacturer Puratos.
In order to support ongoing innovation efforts, Puratos has launched the SpaceBakery research programme with the ultimate objective of being able to produce bread on Mars. To achieve this, the entire production chain is taken into consideration, from the cultivation of grain in a hostile environment to the baking of the bread by the future inhabitants of the red planet.
de pinxi was brought on board to try and explain the research programme to visitors (international customers and Puratos employees), and has devised an immersive experience that transports the visitor to the planet Mars, and gives them a taste of the adventure that may be in store for future pioneers.
The experience allows visitors to ‘fly’ to Mars on-board a digital planetarium, choose an astronaut suit and VR helmet and explore the planet. They can then devote themselves to the job of making bread on Mars, while learning about Martian resource subjects – the jobs involved in the making of bread and the energy values of the food are presented in explanatory multimedia formats and interactive challenges.
de pinxi has designed and produced the media, the programmes, the engineering and the installation of the visitors’ Martian experience by Puratos. We’re very proud of having set up a digital dome infrastructure and show from scratch, after being part of the very first digital dome in the world back in 2000 (New York’s Hayden Planetarium).
de pinxi
"Choco-Story Bruges reopened last year after a complete renovation by de pinxi, with immersive décor, interconnected media, amazing displays and interactive games," – Philippe Chiwy general manager, de pinxi
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2022 issue 1
Editor's letter: Supersensory
With our growing insight into how to engage visitors’ more complex senses, it’s time for a new approach, says Magali Robathan
Immersive experiences: Joseph Wisne
Truly ambitious attractions providers need to push the boundaries of immersive design by engaging visitors’ senses of pain, danger, balance, justice and more, argues Roto’s CEO
Interview: Esther Dugdale
As the Burrell Collection relaunches and Eden Qingdao takes shape, Event’s creative director shares her tips for creating experiences that spark joy and curiosity
The arts: Room to grow
Could the space age, ultra flexible design of the new Taipei Performing Arts Center provide a model for future attractions spaces?
Museums: Ones to watch
From an AI museum built by robots to the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum, we take a look at some exciting 2022 openings
Research: All of history
As demand for growing honesty in relation to links to slavery and colonialism grows, should attractions be open about their history? Jon Young investigates
Opinion: Vince Kadlubek
Art engages and delights visitors. Kadlubek argues that attractions should embrace and support artists and look for shared initiatives
Waterparks: Waves of change
As The Wave inland surf lake announces plans to open six more sites, we go along for a surf and a sit down with CEO Craig Stoddart
Experience economy: Joe Pine
Experience platforms represent one of the biggest growth opportunities in today’s experience economy, argues Joe Pine. Here’s how to get them right
Interview: Cale Heit
With new themed coasters open at Motiongate Dubai and some intruiging projects underway, Forrec is making the most of the pent up demand for shared experiences. CEO Cale Heit tells us more
The Spa Life UK Convention returns from 21–23 June 2026 at Whittlebury Park Hotel, Spa &
Golf Resort, bringing together spa managers, directors and owners for two days of focused
education, meaningful connection and commercial insight. [more...]
“Visitors ‘fly’ to Mars on-board a digital planetarium, choose an astronaut suit and explore the planet. They then devote themselves to the job of making bread on Mars”
The SpaceBakery project for Puratos allows visitors to learn about baking on Mars / de pinxi
Launched in 1991, de pinxi creates interactive experiences across culture, tourism, education and leisure. As the Belgium-based company celebrates 30 years in the business, general manager Philippe Chiwy talks to Attractions Management about some intriguing projects.
How was your anniversary year? 2021 was our 30th anniversary and it was a good year filled with nice work. Last year saw de pinxi involved with three major projects: A chocolate museum renovation in Bruges, Belgium; the development of an experience to highlight research into the possibilities of baking on Mars; and the creation of a new wine museum in Colmar, France.
Choco-Story Bruges reopened last year after a complete renovation by de pinxi, with immersive décor, interconnected media, amazing displays and interactive games.
What can you tell us about the wine museum you’re working on? The Wine Museum Colmar will focus on the local wines of Alsace, and will offer a unique visitor experience, combining a rich collection with immersive media and decor, and will be aimed at families.
This will be an entertaining and educational experience – it’s due to open this autumn, and we’re excited about showing off our work.
For this project, we’ve carried out the research and development of the content and media experience, which includes information about local wines, their history and the process of producing them since Roman times. We’re now developing the media experience – the museum will feature various immersive video-mapping zones and interconnected games to support the theme of each room. The games are connected to the process of producing wine or to the tradition of the region.
We’re also developing historical reconstitutions for the museum and for this de pinxi is creating the content (video, special effects, animation, computer graphics and programming) as well as customised interfaces and electronics to match the storytelling.
A sneak preview example is the game of ‘organising the barrels’ – visitors will have two minutes to store a barrel in a very crowded wine cellar.
You worked with Puratos on the SpaceBakery project. What did that involve? This was a really interesting project we worked on with the baking industry food manufacturer Puratos.
In order to support ongoing innovation efforts, Puratos has launched the SpaceBakery research programme with the ultimate objective of being able to produce bread on Mars. To achieve this, the entire production chain is taken into consideration, from the cultivation of grain in a hostile environment to the baking of the bread by the future inhabitants of the red planet.
de pinxi was brought on board to try and explain the research programme to visitors (international customers and Puratos employees), and has devised an immersive experience that transports the visitor to the planet Mars, and gives them a taste of the adventure that may be in store for future pioneers.
The experience allows visitors to ‘fly’ to Mars on-board a digital planetarium, choose an astronaut suit and VR helmet and explore the planet. They can then devote themselves to the job of making bread on Mars, while learning about Martian resource subjects – the jobs involved in the making of bread and the energy values of the food are presented in explanatory multimedia formats and interactive challenges.
de pinxi has designed and produced the media, the programmes, the engineering and the installation of the visitors’ Martian experience by Puratos. We’re very proud of having set up a digital dome infrastructure and show from scratch, after being part of the very first digital dome in the world back in 2000 (New York’s Hayden Planetarium).
de pinxi
"Choco-Story Bruges reopened last year after a complete renovation by de pinxi, with immersive décor, interconnected media, amazing displays and interactive games," – Philippe Chiwy general manager, de pinxi
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2022 issue 1
Editor's letter: Supersensory
With our growing insight into how to engage visitors’ more complex senses, it’s time for a new approach, says Magali Robathan
Immersive experiences: Joseph Wisne
Truly ambitious attractions providers need to push the boundaries of immersive design by engaging visitors’ senses of pain, danger, balance, justice and more, argues Roto’s CEO
Interview: Esther Dugdale
As the Burrell Collection relaunches and Eden Qingdao takes shape, Event’s creative director shares her tips for creating experiences that spark joy and curiosity
The arts: Room to grow
Could the space age, ultra flexible design of the new Taipei Performing Arts Center provide a model for future attractions spaces?
Museums: Ones to watch
From an AI museum built by robots to the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum, we take a look at some exciting 2022 openings
Research: All of history
As demand for growing honesty in relation to links to slavery and colonialism grows, should attractions be open about their history? Jon Young investigates
Opinion: Vince Kadlubek
Art engages and delights visitors. Kadlubek argues that attractions should embrace and support artists and look for shared initiatives
Waterparks: Waves of change
As The Wave inland surf lake announces plans to open six more sites, we go along for a surf and a sit down with CEO Craig Stoddart
Experience economy: Joe Pine
Experience platforms represent one of the biggest growth opportunities in today’s experience economy, argues Joe Pine. Here’s how to get them right
Interview: Cale Heit
With new themed coasters open at Motiongate Dubai and some intruiging projects underway, Forrec is making the most of the pent up demand for shared experiences. CEO Cale Heit tells us more
Global Wellness Day (GWD) will mark its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider,
HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its
site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna.
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant
redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining
training, recovery and relaxation.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French
West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to
celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD).
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, in Malaysia, has revealed a schedule for Global Wellness Day
(GWD) that includes guided rainforest walks, mindful movement and guided coastal meditation
experiences.
Longevitix, a clinical platform for preventive and longevity medicine, has launched its AI-
powered intelligence system to help physicians deliver continuous, personalised longevity-
focused care at scale.
Atmantan Wellness Centre, an integrative wellness destination in Mulshi, near Pune in India, is
expanding its portfolio by adding a new centre in Hyderabad that will launch between 2028 and
2029.
A recent survey by the UK Spa Association (UKSA) into the industry’s approach to cancer care
has revealed that almost half of participating respondents (46 per cent) are unaware that
cancer is a disability and guests with a cancer diagnosis must be given
The Spa Life UK Convention returns from 21–23 June 2026 at Whittlebury Park Hotel, Spa &
Golf Resort, bringing together spa managers, directors and owners for two days of focused
education, meaningful connection and commercial insight. [more...]
