Kevin Barbee

Bio

Kevin Barbee has over 30 years of experience in master planning and designing theme parks, attractions, and mixed-use destinations, with built projects of up to US$1.7 billion in magnitude. With personality and humor, Kevin leads culturally diverse, multi-disciplinary design teams achieving innovative design solutions on complex entertainment projects. Most recently, as Senior Vice President and Chief Creative officer of IRMS, Kevin led multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural design teams creating Theme Parks, Attractions, Rides, Cruise Ships, and Integrated Resort destinations.

His record of accomplishment includes completed projects in the United States, Japan, Singapore, Macau, Australia, Korea, Brazil, Malaysia, and China. This demonstrable record shows success in meeting the particular design needs of various cultures world-wide.

Universal Studios, DreamWorks Animation, Paramount Studios, Warner Brothers, DC Comics, Hello Kitty, Peanuts, and Sesame Street are a few of the world’s leading entertainment brands that Kevin has worked with successfully to bring their characters and storylines to life. Korea’s Everland, Universal Studios Japan, Resorts World Sentosa, Universal Studios Singapore, Australia’s Dreamworld, Splendid China, Suzhou Amusement Land, Resorts World Genting, Beto Carrero World, Genting Hong Kong, and MCC China have relied on Kevin to provide creativity, design, and operational expertise to create new theme parks or improve existing properties.

During his tenure with Universal, Kevin led the original show design team and established the on-site design teams for Universal Studios Japan and led the design and on-site art direction for Universal Studios Singapore. At Six Flags, Kevin introduced Superman, Batman, and the waterpark Hurricane Harbor to Magic Mountain. And in the world of retail design, Kevin provided design services with Duty Free Stores, the Grand Canal Shops for The Venetian Macau (with RTKL), and HMSHost.

His formative early years in the design profession were spent with the illustrious firms The Jerde Partnership and RTKL where he used old fashioned tools such as an airbrush, a fax machine, and parallel rule to create master plans for large-scale, mixed-use projects, drawing ink-on-mylar sections, writing countless storefront and interior design criteria, and environmental graphic design programs.

Kevin sold hot dogs and Coca Cola at Disneyland to pay his way through college. Now an expert on experiential design, environmental branding, ride design, theme park planning, and creativity, Kevin is an architect and holds a Master of Architecture in Urban Design.

Invited Speaker

• TEA Storytelling, Architecture, Technology & Experience conference, Guanzhou, China, October 2018: “Influences Changing the way Stories are Told”
• Condé Nast: Abu Dhabi, UAE, December 2017: “Designing World Class Theme Parks and Entertainment Centers”
• Zhongshan, China, August 2017: “Trends in Themed Entertainment Design”
• Blooloop LIVE, Singapore, June 2017: “Here Comes the Brands” (History of brands in entertainment venues)
• Shenzhen 5th Asia Theme Park Development Forum, Shenzhen, China, December 2016: “How to Succeed in the Theme Park Business”
• China’s Theme Park Construction Association, Beijing, China, November 2016: “16 Rules for Theme Park Success”
• IAAPA Asia Expo, Hong Kong, June 2013: “Branding for Entertainment”
• IAAPA Singapore 2012 Panel Discussion
• Republic Polytechnic 2012, “The Making of Universal Studios Singapore”
• Theme Park Design Panel Discussion 2010, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Workshops Given

• “Designing for Story,” Singapore 2013, sponsored by Association of Singapore Attractions and Singapore Tourism Board

Invited Judge

• Singapore Experience 2013 + 2014 Judge
• City of Shenzhen, Theme Park Design Review, 2007

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