From the very first discussion, back in 2018, between Darren McLean (Executive Director of Pico Play) and Charles Rickard (Managing Director of Rickard Engineering), it was clear our teams were on the same page. Both Rickard Engineering and Pico Play are driven by a shared passion: creating immersive environments that blend creativity with engineering.

Pico Play brings the imagination: their bold ideas, creative storytelling and world-building spark curiosity. Rickard Engineering takes those big ideas and provides mechanical means to turn them into buildable, long-lasting realities.

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What expertise Rickard Engineerung brings

Rickard Engineering specialises in Glassfibre Reinforced Concrete (GRC), a material that is incredibly strong and flexible, perfect for creating detailed features in themed environments. Whether it is an ancient temple, the trunk of an ancient tree or the flow of a cascading waterfall on the jagged rock face, GRC lets us deliver high-impact designs that look incredible.

It is not just about the technical side by Rickard Engineering (although we take that seriously too), it is also about making sure every piece supports the bigger story being told by Pico Play.

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Engineering collaboration in action: The process

The best results come from working with Pico Play’s design team from the very beginning. Early involvement allows the Rickard Engineering team to provide practical engineering advice to ensure designs are not only creative but also strong, buildable, and sustainable in case of long-term applications.

See an example, one of our first projects, Mandai Wildlife Reserve (also known as Singapore Zoo). The project began with Pico Play’s initial artistic sketches and mock-ups. These early prototypes allowed Rickard Engineering to understand the design intent and evaluate how the GRC would function structurally, and what the best solution was from the engineering point of view, forming the basis for detailed engineering input.

We followed up by conducting brainstorming sessions between Pico Play and Rickard Engineering to reach the stage where we agreed on both the vision and the physics supporting it. In the meantime, the mock-up GRC panels were tested and evaluated to confirm they met performance and durability requirements. Typical panels, including suspended ceilings, vertical walls, and raking cantilevered sections, were analysed and designed to ensure structural reliability. Unusual ones required separate modelling. The supporting steel framework was carefully engineered to secure the panels and allow for smooth installation on site.

The effect can be seen below:

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Looking ahead

We are excited for what is next. The work between Pico Play and Rickard Engineering continues to evolve, and we are always exploring new techniques, materials and ideas to push the limits of what we can create.

In our next articles, we will take a closer look at some of the standout projects we proudly completed together.