LOST ISLAND THEMEPARK – WATERLOO, IA

A true theme park, Lost Island Themepark opened in mid-June of 2022. New theme parks in the U.S. are uncommon. This is especially true of extensively themed parks based on original concepts.

The new theme park is comprised of five distinct realms, each with its own unique architecture, culture, and characters. The colorful, action-packed realms embody the five elements, Mura (Fire), Awa (Water), Udara (Air), Yuta (Earth), and Tamariki (Spirit).  Park guests will discover enticing environments in every realm, complete with themed rides, entertainment, food, and shopping.

Designed and built by a team of theme park and entertainment specialists, Lost Island incorporated the client’s desire to evoke a far-away, exotic journey with thrilling attractions, themed restaurants, and retail outlets. The design team included BDR Design Group (concept creation and master planning), The Weber Group (theming, fabrication, and construction), and Bleck & Bleck Architects (architecture and engineering).

Our services included: Architect of Record and Engineer of Record for all buildings and rides, ride foundations, civil engineering bridges and seawalls for the park’s 40-acre lake, and engineering analysis for refurbished rides (ensuring code compliance).  Once into the project, we worked with Bleck Engineering Company to finish the civil engineering for the entire park.

Building an entirely new theme park comes with construction and engineering challenges. With 65+ years of theme park experience, we were able to offer solutions in water management, engineering, and ride foundations that saved the client considerable time and money. The project was also planned and executed during a global pandemic. And once construction began in 2019, the design & construction team worked through pandemic and weather challenges to deliver the project.

Our team is so appreciative of the opportunity to deliver wow moments to theme park guests and to bring the Bertch family’s dream to fruition.