matthew horton
Creativity + Experience
I am an experienced set designer of immersive narrative
environments for themed entertainment and cultural
attractions championing the project creative vision and
design intent in pursuit of superior guest experience
With over 10 years of experience, my work can be found in Disney and Universal theme parks, Smithsonian museums, as well as regional and local entertainment and cultural attractions all over the United States and the world
Professional Experience
Universal Creative
2022 – Present
Building Information Modeling (BIM) Manager
Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) manager coordinating the sharing of digital 3D information - including models, laser scanning, and cad - between creative, engineering, and facility teams for entire themed land consisting of an E-ticket and C-ticket attraction, multiple food and beverage and retail buildings, as well as overall area development
Gallagher & Associates
2021 – 2022
Exhibit Designer
Set designer for museum master plans including exhibition galleries, interactive experiences, educational centers, retail stores, area development, and other public spaces, producing realistic concept renderings for marketing teams, show set bid packages for fabricators, guest circulation diagrams for managers, and sight line studies creative directors using the latest modeling, drafting, and visualization software
Make Design Studios
2020-2022
Architectural Designer, Freelance
3D architectural and interior designer delivering turn-key projects for clients in the restaurant, retail, service, hospitality, entertainment, and residential construction industries using Revit to produce 3D models, draft detailed architectural drawings, and use real-time rendering to depict interior and exterior designs
Nassal
2017-2021
Design Manager
Manager and lead designer for 3 international and 2 domestic top-tier 7+ figure theme park contracts, covering ride and show, queue, and land show set design, fabrication, and installation including leading a team of 12 designers through 2 years of design development delivering 60 drawing packages totaling 3,000 sheets for the fabrication of over 40,000 scenic elements for an entire immersive land for a new theme park
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
2014-2017
Design Manager
Designer, Producer, and Art Director of digital and print media; animation and motion graphics; and photography and videography for immersive exhibits, interactive websites and apps, live broadcast productions, and social media platforms using the latest 3D modeling, motion graphics, graphic design, animation, and video editing software
