The goal was to turn an unused wall into an attraction for guests entering or leaving the park. For decades the building's sign simply identified it as a hardware store, with no story behind it, so I proposed that the store sold dynamite, which was period-accurate for the 1880s.
As guests approach, voices from an overhead vent ask, “Do you smell smoke?” A burning fuse then lights up inside the display, synced with layered sound effects that make it seem the shop is about to explode.
I handled concept development, built the faux window and scenic elements, hand-painted the glass gilding, and designed and programmed a custom electronics cabinet to run the effect. It's triggered by an ultrasonic sensor, the same type found in many newer cars, hidden beneath a weathered vinyl banner and reliably detecting guests up to a few meters away.