Exceptional Experiences From Concept to Execution
Experience Design & Creative Services
Every Great Build Starts With a Story.
Ours Just Happens to Be Three-Dimensional.
Our job is to tell your story in three dimensions, at scale, in ways people do not just see, but experience.
NPARALLEL + Atomic Props is a full service experience design and creative fabrication company based in Minneapolis. Our team of experiential designers, graphic artists, engineers, and studio fabricators work together from concept through completion, all under one 160,000 square foot roof.
Got a napkin sketch? Perfect.
Have a fully baked creative brief? Even better.
We meet you where you are and move the work forward with clarity, momentum, and quite the creative audacity.
Strategy. Renderings. Prototyping. Production-ready engineering. We handle it all. And the person designing your experience sits about ten feet from the person who will actually build it.
No handoffs into the void. No crossed fingers.
Just collaboration that works.
What Does an Experiential Design Team Actually Do?
(Short answer: a lot.)
We are experiential designers, graphic designers, engineers, studio artists, print specialists, and fabrication leads. Together, we take ideas from strategy to something people can see, touch, photograph, share, and remember.
Here’s how that breaks down.
Experiential Design
Big ideas. Real space.
The big-picture thinkers who shape the experience. Our experiential designers handle 3D spatial concepting, environment design, renderings, and animated walkthroughs. They translate your story and objectives into a physical journey people move through and react to.
It is not just about looking impressive.
It is about creating moments that connect.
Graphic Design
Brand clarity at every inch.
From touchscreen interfaces to 60-foot wall graphics, our graphic designers make sure every element feels unmistakably you.
Campaign visuals. Exhibit graphics. Environmental storytelling.
If it has a surface, it has a story.
This is the kind of team that learns your brand so deeply, it feels like we’re part of it, because we are.
Engineering
“Can we build this?”
Our engineers are in the conversation from day one. Not at the end. Not as a surprise.
They handle structural planning, material specification, prototyping, and buildability review. If something needs testing before it scales, they prototype it using 3D printing, CNC routing, and hands-on studio fabrication.
Ambition is welcome here.
We just make sure it is buildable.
Graphic Production
Because color matters.
Every surface tells part of the story. Our graphic production team handles large format printing, brand specific color matching, and production graphics for everything from custom trade show exhibits to transit advertising to building wallscapes.
From first proof to final install, we obsess over the details so your brand shows up exactly as it should: vibrant, consistent, and impossible to ignore.
Fabrication
Where ideas grow muscle.
The shop floor where designs become physical objects. Our fabrication team handles CNC routing, metalwork, carpentry, scenic construction, and large-scale builds. They weigh in on materials and construction methods during the concept phase, so nothing gets designed that cannot be built.
Designers and builders in the same building. Every day. That changes everything.
Studio Artistry
The details machines cannot fake.
The handwork that gives custom pieces their character. Our studio artists handle sculpting, painting, finishing, and specialty surfaces. When a project calls for a one-of-a-kind prop, an oversized dimensional element, or a finish that no machine can replicate, this is the team that makes it real.
Sometimes it takes a machine.
Sometimes it takes a human hand.
We know the difference.
How Does Our Design Process Work?
At NPARALLEL + Atomic Props, every project moves through three phases: Imagine, Create, and Ignite. The Design and Creative team leads the first phase and stays involved through the second. Here is what that looks like in practice.
Imagine
Where dreams begin.
We listen, explore, concept, and refine until we land on a direction that is both ambitious and buildable.
Understand the Brief
We start with the essentials: What is the message? Who is the audience? What is the space? What are the timeline and budget realities? The clearer the story, the sharper the design.
Develop the Concept
Sketches. Mood boards. Early renderings. This is where the big idea takes shape. We explore multiple directions and present real options, not just one path.
Refine and Detail
Once a direction is chosen, we dial it in. Renderings gain depth. Materials get specified. Engineers weigh in early. If something needs prototyping, we build it here.
Revision rounds vary by complexity, and we are transparent about when additional refinement impacts timeline or budget.
Create
Where the magic gets real.
Final design approval is the signal that the concept is locked and production begins. At most companies, this is where the designer steps back and a separate team takes over. At NPARALLEL + Atomic Props, the transition from Imagine to Create barely feels like a transition at all.
Our designers and fabricators share the same 160,000 square foot facility. The people building your project have been part of the conversation since the concept phase. They have seen the renderings evolve, weighed in on materials and construction methods, and flagged anything that could cause problems on the shop floor.
During this phase, our graphic production team handles large format printing and brand specific color matching. Our engineers finalize structural details. And if anything needs to change mid-build, the designer who created it is ten feet away, not on the other end of an email chain.
Ignite
When the lights turn on.
This is when the project goes live. Our project management team coordinates logistics, shipping, installation, and on-site support. Because they have been involved since the Imagine phase, they know every detail of the build: what is structural, what is cosmetic, what is fragile, and what your team cares about most.
But Ignite is more than set-up. It is showtime. We stay present, proactive, and ready to solve in real time so you can focus on connecting with your audience.
But Ignite is more than set-up. It is showtime. We stay present, proactive, and ready to solve in real time so you can focus on connecting with your audience.
After the event, we manage asset storage, inventory tracking, and refurbishment planning for your next activation, keeping your investment working long after the doors close. And when it is time to do it again, we are already one step ahead.
Why Does Creative Fabrication Under One Roof Change Everything?
Most design firms hand off files to a fabricator and hope it translates correctly. And most fabrication shops build what they are given, even if they see a smarter way.
We don’t work like either of those models.
Our designers and fabricators are in the same physical building. They meet every Monday to review active projects. In between, collaboration happens the old-fashioned way.
Someone turns their chair around and asks, “can we actually build this?”
That proximity changes everything:
• Ideas get reality-checked early
• Materials are discussed at concept stage
• Budget surprises get minimized
• Fabricators contribute creative solutions
• Designers understand real-world constraints
The result? Ambitious and buildable designs.
Creative concepts that do not unravel on the shop floor. A team invested from first sketch to final install.
"Can We Actually Build This?"
The question that gets asked every day in our facility. And the answer shapes better designs.
What Does Experiential Design Look Like in Practice?
Ecolab
Turning a small product update into the most photographed moment
Ecolab needed to highlight a subtle redesign to their spray bottle at a Home Depot supplier show in Las Vegas.
We designed and fabricated an eight-foot-tall scale model of the bottle. What could have been a minor product update became the visual anchor of the entire exhibit hall.
Oversized scale. Instant conversation starter. Clear communication of innovation.
Small change. Big moment.
AT&T | NCAA
Where speed, rhythm, and technology collide
At the NCAA Final Four AT&T Fan Zone, fans stepped into an interactive basketball experience that transformed touch and movement into sound and light.
It was immersive. Competitive. Shareable.
And it proved that when physical design and digital interaction align, connection follows.
Who Are the Designers & Engineers Behind the Work?
Our design and creative department brings together multiple disciplines under one roof:
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Experiential Designers 3D spatial design, environment concepting, renderings, and animated walkthroughs
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Graphic Designers Visual design at the brand level, campaign graphics, and exhibit visuals
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Engineers Structural planning, material specification, and buildability review
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Studio Artists Hands on artistic expertise that shapes design decisions from day one
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Graphic Production Specialists Large format print, color critical production, and finish execution
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Fabrication Leads Hands on fabrication expertise that shapes design decisions from day one
Tools & Software
Rhino · ZBrush · Aspire · ArtCAM · 3D Studio Max · Formz · Twin Motion · Vectorworks · Adobe Creative Suite · Lychee · Bambu Studio · Cura Slicer · Simplify3D
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Typical Timeline From Brief to Final Design Approval?
There is no one-size-fits-all timeline and that is intentional. It depends on the size, scope, and complexity of what we are building together.
A focused activation with a clear brief can move from concept to approval in just a few weeks. A large-scale immersive environment with multiple stakeholders and custom fabrication may take several months to get right.
Once we understand your vision, your goals, and your constraints, we map out a realistic timeline that balances momentum with thoughtfulness so the experience is not just fast, but exceptional.
What Does A Preliminary Design Include?
How Many Design Revision Rounds Are Typically Included?
It varies by project, but we design our process to keep revision rounds focused and intentional, not endless.
While complexity and stakeholder input can shape the timeline, we guide the review cycle with clarity and momentum. The goal is sharp creative, confident decisions, and a streamlined path forward that protects both your budget and your launch date.
Do you create 3d Walkthroughs or Virtual Reality Previews?
What Happens If We Need Design Changes During Fabrication?
How Do You Balance Creative Ambition With Budget Constraints?
It all starts with the story. When the message behind the experience is clear, every design decision has purpose.
We shape the space to bring that story to life, then focus your investment on the moments that truly connect with your audience. Not the flashy distractions that look great in a rendering but fall flat in real life. Every element earns its place. Every detail drives impact.
Can We Hire You For Design and Strategy Without Fabrication?
Absolutely. While many of our clients partner with us from first sketch to final install, we also lead design and strategy engagements where your team or another partner handles the build.
If you need bold thinking, smart strategy, and a concept that is grounded in real-world execution, we’re in. We’ll plug in where it makes the most sense for you and make sure the vision is clear, cohesive, and built to perform.
Ready to Start the Conversation?
Whether you have a fully formed vision or you are still asking, “what is even possible?” we would love to hear about it.
Tell us about your project.
We will bring the curiosity.
The strategy.
The build expertise.
And we will turn your idea into something people can walk through and remember.
We’ve got you.