Overview
When Broadway visionary David Korins needed a show-stopping entrance for Cannabition—an interactive, immersive experience within Planet 13, the world’s largest cannabis store—Smash Design got the call. We were tasked with fabricating something that had never been seen before! Our challenge? Sculpting a three-dimensional portal complete with lighting effects that would transport visitors from retail reality into an otherworldly experience. It became a mind-expanding journey creating this glowing, green psychedelic gateway!
Process
Bringing the scenic design genius behind Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, Beetlejuice, The Pee-Wee Herman Show, and Here Lies Love to life inside Planet 13 meant adding a little theatrical magic to experiential retail. The unique entranceway design was an inspired idea to make Cannabition’s squared-vortex logo a three-dimensional space visitors can actually pass through! We needed to capture Korins’ vision while engineering an entrance that could handle thousands of daily visitors at Las Vegas’s busiest cannabis destination.
Our process went as follows:
- Scenic Fabrication: Constructing the vortex structure using precision-cut EPS foam segments, each carved to create the illusion of motion while maintaining structural integrity for a high-traffic entrance.
- Lighting Integration: Channels and mounting points for the neon-look lighting systems that would create the signature green glow, working with lighting designers to ensure perfect placement throughout the “spiral.”
- Surface Finishing: Applying specialized hardcoats, color, and textures that would interact perfectly with the lighting design, creating depth and dimension that amplifies the portal effect while meeting commercial durability standards.
- On-site Installation: Coordinating with Planet 13’s operations team to install this massive piece within an active retail environment, ensuring seamless integration with the existing signage and architecture.
After fabricating the entrance piece in our Texas studio, the Smash Design team delivered it to Cannabition Las Vegas in anticipation of the attraction’s grand opening.
Result
The finished vortex entrance instantly became an attraction unto itself! It’s a great photo-op spot and selfie station where visitors can capture the mesmerizing green glow. Stepping through the portal feels almost irresistible. We like to think our scenic fabrication successfully bridges David Korins’ theatrical vision with the neon aesthetic of Las Vegas. The entranceway creates a physical transition that feels both welcoming and wonderfully disorienting!
This project really showcases Smash Design’s ability to translate high-concept creative visions into functional, experiential environments. Collaborating with a Broadway legend to create a cannabis retail experience is just another fantastic day in our magical world! Our finely tuned scenic fabrication skills translate across industries, from theater stages to retail spaces. We truly love building impossible monuments out of foam.
This Cannabition vortex was the perfect opportunity to combine experiential branding with scenic fabricating to create a places that stops stoners in their tracks. Step through to the other side at Cannabition Las Vegas!
