raceway usa
A road trip-themed mini-golf adventure
ROLE
Art Director, Creative Designer, & Team Coordinator
PROCESS
TBD
DECISIONS
TBD
RESULT
A fully playable 9-hole mini-golf course that taught me to collaborate with a team on a large-scale project, adapt to unexpected roadblocks, and deliver under pressure.
Raceway USA transforms American into an interactive racing adventure where guests become drivers competing across a miniature cross-country journey. The experience blends competitive gameplay, environmental storytelling, and playful world-building to create a memorable attraction for families and racing enthusiasts.
Our class designed this mini-golf course through blue sky ideation, fabrication, and installation for our school’s Games Expo.
case study
↓
Team: Theresa Varga, Cassandra Chu, & Aiden Lim
Created for USC CTIN-395 & CTIN-396 (Mini-golf Design).
2025–2026
my role
PROJECT SCOPE
9 destinations with my team focusing on Las Vegas and Miami
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Guided the project lifecycle from early ideation through final construction.
ART DIRECTION & TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Concept Development & 3D Layout Design
Fabrication, Scenic Painting, & Final On-Site Installation
Cross-Disciplinary Project Management
blue sky & pre-production
RESEARCH & IDEATION
Investigated historical contexts and iconic regional landmarks to generate initial rough sketches and refined final concept art.
INTERACTIVE GAME MECHANICS
Pitched, designed, and engineered a custom "Roulette Wheel" feature to add risk and unpredictability to the gameplay.
THEMATIC INTEGRATION
Maintained strict aesthetic cohesion by directly translating Las Vegas casino culture into an active, physics-based hole-in-one or reset hazard.
Miami Final Concept Art
Las Vegas Final Concept Art
Sketches
Art Deco Hotel Designs
3d models
3D MODELING & CAD
Acquired proficiency in Rhino 3D to develop detailed, dimensionally accurate environmental models in collaboration with design partners.
DIGITAL FABRICATION PIPELINE
Modeled precise spatial curves and technical dimensions specifically optimized for Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining.
PRECISION CONSTRUCTION
Produced production-ready fabrication files to ensure the exact physical translation of complex structural course elements.
fabrication
CONSTRUCTION
Measured, cut, and assembled wooden components while collaborating with the team to hot-wire foam into a curved ramp for the Miami racetrack.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Coordinated the production schedule and delegated tasks based on team members’ strengths to keep fabrication organized and on track.
PLAYTESTING & REFINEMENT
Iteratively tested and refined the ramp-to-roulette-wheel connection to ensure consistent ball movement and reliable gameplay.
lights & mechanics
LIGHTING DESIGN & SOURCING
Planned and implemented lighting for multiple mini-golf holes while collaborating with the budgeting team to source and order LED strips, power adapters, and materials.
CUSTOM FABRICATION
Learned and applied soldering techniques to construct a custom faux-neon “Take a Gamble” sign.
MECHANICAL DEVELOPMENT
Fine-tuned the roulette wheel ramp through iterative testing and adjustments to ensure smooth, reliable gameplay throughout production.
Las Vegas Roulette Wheel & Sign
Miami Lights
Las Vegas Welcome Sign
finishing & install
COLOR & ART DIRECTION
Collaborated with the art team and professor Gordon Meier to refine the course color palette and establish a cohesive visual identity.
SCENIC PAINTING & DETAILING
Hand-painted the majority of buildings, signage, and scenic elements for the Las Vegas and Miami holes, using reflective film and paper to create illuminated window effects.
ENVIRONMENTAL FABRICATION
Cast and finished the Miami ocean with epoxy resin, adding depth and realism to the environment.
INSTALLATION & INTEGRATION
Transported and assembled scenic elements on the soundstage, collaborating with the lighting and installation teams to position, adjust, and refine the final environment.
Filmed & Edited by Charlie Blumling