Design-build firm Roto to acquire Orlando’s Brilliant Creative Fabrication
Leading design-build firm Roto announced it will acquire Orlando-based custom fabrication studio Brilliant Creative Fabrication. By joining forces, the two firms will expand design-build and production offerings for themed entertainment and attractions projects worldwide, including museums, restaurants, hotels, zoos, aquariums, and other brand destinations.
As part of the agreement, Brilliant will continue to operate in Orlando as a wholly-owned but independent affiliate led by industry veterans David Piper and Leo English. At the same time, Roto will expand operations to include a new satellite design studio in Orlando.
The announcement builds on a trio of recent collaborations between the two firms, including Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration in Montgomery, Alabama, the Space Odyssey exhibition at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois, Wyoming.
The partnership continues the evolution of Roto, which was founded in 2004 by Joseph Wisne, who was recently named one of the top 50 Museum Influencers of 2021 by Blooloop. Over the past two years, Roto completed 22 projects, including six museums, four children’s museums, four science centers, one aquarium, two zoos, two art museums, two branded destinations, and a theme park project. The firm has more than 75 employees working from a 60,000-square-feet facility in Dublin, Ohio, and satellite offices in Boston and Charlotte.
Brilliant specializes in building themed environments for clients, including Walt Disney Imagineering, Universal Resorts, Miami Children’s Museum, Aloft Hotels, and Peloro Four Seasons. Its team of more than 50 artists, engineers, builders, and craftspeople work out of the company’s 50,000-square-feet manufacturing space.
“David and Leo have built one of the industry’s most respected companies by melding old-school craftsmanship with state-of-the-art technology,” said Joseph Wisne, President, CEO, and Founder of Roto. “This partnership will enable both Brilliant and Roto to become even more brilliant. We are looking forward to providing enhanced capabilities to projects worldwide while creating experiences that engage and inspire visitors.”
“Brilliant’s collaboration with Roto has resulted in creating fantastic visitor experiences,” said Brilliant partner David Piper. “Our complementary disciplines and similar cultures of excellence are exciting, and the results speak for themselves.”
Wisne added that the partnership enables the firms to offer clients stronger design-build accountability. By leveraging Roto’s expertise in strategic planning, experience design, immersive media, and interactive engineering with Brilliant’s custom fabrication capabilities, Roto and Brilliant can guarantee cost and schedule in advance, ensuring that projects finish on time and budget.
About Roto
Roto is an interdisciplinary creative design agency offering planning, experience design, immersive media, interactive engineering, and custom fabrication for museums, brands, attractions, and architectural placemaking. Its clients include the National Museum of American History, the Legacy Museum, the Columbus Center of Science and Industry (COSI), the Northern Virginia Science Center, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and the National Museum of Military Vehicles.
About Brilliant Creative Fabrication
Brilliant Creative Fabrication is a custom builder of award-winning attractions and environments for theme parks, museums, restaurants, retail, and hospitality. Skills include technical design, engineering, millwork, architectural metalwork, scenic arts, and FRP. Clients include Walt Disney Imagineering, Universal Resorts, Miami Children’s Museum, Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, Florida Museum of Natural History, Flight Club, Frontera Cocina, Chotto Matte, 3M Innovation Centers, Aloft Hotels, and Peloro Four Seasons.
Image credit: Denver Museum of Nature and Science: Space Odyssey exhibit, a recent collaboration between Roto and Brilliant Photo courtesy of Roto