Patrick Larsen: Two Decades of Design Across Five Continents

Patrick Larsen | Founder, Studio Bound | Singapore

From regional theaters in Utah to ceremonies watched by millions, from Olympic broadcast sets to permanent installations across Asia and the Middle East, the path of a production designer rarely follows a straight line. Over twenty years, the work has taken me to more than fifteen countries, designing for audiences speaking dozens of languages, working under deadlines where failure simply isn’t an option.

This is a look at where the work has gone, organized by the places it’s taken Studio Bound and me since founding the practice in Singapore.

Building in the Middle East

Voice of Tolerance | Dubai (2019) | Set Design by Studio Bound | Directed by Filippo Feraresi

The Middle East has become central to Studio Bound’s work over the past five years. What started with Expo 2020 Dubai expanded into ongoing relationships across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar.

Voice of Tolerance required designing for cultural and diplomatic messaging, creating environments that support complex narratives across audiences from different backgrounds. It’s the kind of project where every visual choice carries weight beyond aesthetics.

Lusail Music Festival | Doha (2022) | Production Design by Studio Bound | Produced by Five Currents

In Qatar, the Lusail Music Festival brought different challenges: large-scale outdoor performance with specific cultural and technical requirements. In Saudi Arabia, the work has been extensive. The VIA Riyadh Opening Ceremony in 2023 with John Legend marked a major collaboration with Five Currents and artistic director Franco Dragone. Terhal showcased environmental design with dramatic projection mapping and golden sphere elements. Souk Wonders in Riyadh, our most recent Saudi project, blends traditional aesthetics with contemporary production.

The Hwādi Project brought us to a large-scale tented installation seating around 2,300 people with multiple stages and mobile scenic elements. Arabia added another major production. Warner Bros Christmas Spectacular and Plaza Stage in Abu Dhabi expanded our UAE presence.

Expo 2020 Dubai remains the most technically complex project we’ve undertaken. Our team created environmental design and scenic elements for both opening and closing ceremonies beneath Al Wasl Plaza’s 130-meter dome, the world’s largest 360-degree projection surface at the time. Over 3,000 lighting fixtures, 1,000 speakers, 1,300 costumes, professionals from 56 countries. The closing ceremony involved over 400 people from 56 countries with 745 custom costumes, representing 192 participating nations.

American broadcast and theatrical work

Education Nation | NBC News (2012) | Set Design by Studio Bound | Emmy Award: Outstanding Achievement in a Craft

The Emmy Award in 2012 for NBC News Education Nation recognized production design in broadcast journalism, designing environments that support credibility without calling attention to themselves. It’s a different challenge than entertainment design.

Piers Morgan Tonight | CNN | Set Design by Studio Bound | BDA Silver Award

Piers Morgan Tonight for CNN earned a BDA Silver Award, demonstrating our capabilities across news formats. The work with NBC Universal, CNN, and CTV from 2010–2016 built Studio Bound’s broadcast credentials before the Singapore founding of Studio Bound.

Olympic broadcast environments for Vancouver 2010 (CTV, NBC Universal) earned a BDA Gold Award and established our credentials at the highest level of global television. Rio 2016 for BBC Sport continued that work, designing production environments for billions of viewers. A Canadian Gemini Award nomination came from the Vancouver coverage.

In Las Vegas, Bob Marley: Hope Road (2025) is our most recent major American production, a residency with immersive circular stage design and kinetic light canopy. Amystika: The Secret Revealed (2022) brought collaboration with Criss Angel and Franco Dragone on steampunk theatrical environments for magic.

The theater and opera work continues. Aida at Utah Festival Opera (2023) shows our ongoing theatrical design. Earlier credits include Into The Woods, Joseph, and work at La Jolla Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre and Skylight Opera.

Asia-Pacific base and expansion

Singapore serves as Studio Bound’s home. National Day Parade 2019, the nation’s flagship celebration, demonstrated our ability to design for Singapore’s multicultural population at stadium-to-broadcast scale. Lightseeker at Resorts World Sentosa, Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Singapore, Singapore Flyer Gallery, Sing50 Concert, all show our regional roots.

Ba Na Hills Entrance Arch | Danang, Vietnam (2022) | Production Design by Studio Bound | Sun Group and Dragone

In Indonesia, Varuna and Sun of the Sea at Bali Safari Park are marine-themed permanent installations. Son of the Sea at Bali Marine Park and The Great 50 Show at Taman Safari Indonesia added theatrical and circus work.

Vietnam’s Ba Na Hills Entrance Arch in Danang is a permanent architectural landmark we designed with Sun Group and Dragone.

In China projects include Splendor and Steam Journey in Wuxi for SUNAC with Dragone, creating themed entertainment for the Chinese market.

Metaverse of Magic | Australia Tour (2023–2024) | Set and Costume Design by Studio Bound | Led by Ash Hodgkinson (Ash Magic)

Australia brought Metaverse of Magic (2023–2024), an interactive magic spectacular touring Sydney, Canberra, and Brisbane. We designed sets and costumes for this production.

European venues and partnerships

BBC Wimbledon | Broadcast Set | Production Design by Studio Bound | BBC Sport

BBC @ Wimbledon required designing broadcast sets for one of sport’s most prestigious events, balancing traditional aesthetics with contemporary broadcast technology. BBC Sport work for Rio 2016 Olympics also established our UK network credentials.

RIXOS Land of Legends | Antalya, Turkey (2017) | Production Design by Studio Bound | Produced by DRAGONE — Directed by Franco Dragone

In Turkey, Land of Legends Boat Parade brought our collaboration with Dragone to nighttime water spectacle with lights and mythical theming.

In France our relationships include Puy du Fou. The Cyprus theater work at Strovolos Theatre from my freelance years established early European connections.

What the geography means

Over two decades, the work has spanned:

• Middle East: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar
• North America: United States, Canada
• Asia-Pacific: Singapore, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Australia
• Europe: United Kingdom, Turkey, France, Cyprus

Broadcast design for NBC Universal, BBC Sport, CNN, CTV. Ceremonies for Expo 2020 Dubai and national celebrations. Themed entertainment for Universal Studios and SUNAC. Permanent installations across Asia. Theater and opera. Las Vegas residencies.

Clients include NBC Universal, BBC Sport, CNN, CTV, Warner Bros, Universal Studios, Disney, MGM Resorts, Dragone, Five Currents, Google, Samsung, Intel, IBM, Volkswagen, Ford, GM, Aston Martin, Genting, SUNAC, Puy du Fou, Resorts World Sentosa and Taman Safari Indonesia.

The geographic diversity reflects Studio Bound’s Singapore positioning. Access to both Eastern and Western markets. Cultural fluency across contexts. Operational infrastructure for global work. Singapore sits between East and West, which matters when you’re designing for truly international audiences.

Different countries bring different constraints, different cultural considerations, different technical requirements. But the underlying questions stay consistent: does the environment support what we’re trying to make people feel? Does it work for the people experiencing it, not just the people designing it?

That’s what keeps bringing the work back, regardless of location.

Patrick Larsen | Founder, Studio Bound | Singapore

About Patrick Larsen

Patrick Larsen is an Emmy Award-winning production designer and founder of Studio Bound in Singapore. His career spans over two decades designing environments for global audiences, from regional theater and opera in the United States to Olympic broadcast sets, World Expo ceremonies, and themed attractions across five continents.

Patrick earned his Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, San Diego, and received early recognition with a Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Award. He worked as VP Design Director at Jack Morton Worldwide in New York and Chief Creative Officer at Pico Art International in Singapore before founding Studio Bound in 2015.

His work has earned an Emmy Award (2012) for NBC News Education Nation, a BDA Gold Award for Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics broadcast design, a BDA Silver Award for Piers Morgan Tonight on CNN, and a Canadian Gemini Award nomination. Patrick’s major projects include Expo 2020 Dubai opening and closing ceremonies, Olympic broadcast environments for Vancouver 2010 and Rio 2016, Universal Studios Singapore themed attractions, Singapore National Day Parade 2019, and extensive work across Saudi Arabia, UAE, China, Indonesia, and Las Vegas.

Patrick has collaborated extensively with artistic director Franco Dragone and producer Five Currents on projects spanning multiple countries and continents. He has worked with clients including NBC Universal, BBC Sport, CNN, Warner Bros, Universal Studios, Disney, and major brands across automotive, technology, and entertainment industries.

Visit studiobound.sg to see the full portfolio.