Bompas & Parr is a creative studio made up of artists, architects, chefs, designers, marketeers, strategists and technologists.
Through consultancy, delivering Location Based Experiences (LBEs) and writing publications, the studio challenges the world around us with radical creativity and a thirst for provoking innovation. The studio works with cultural institutions, attractions, governments, developers and brands to deliver this work.
Founded in 2007, the company has grown from just Sam Bompas and Harry Parr into a team of 30 skilled and ambitious people eager to generate a wide range of projects.
Sam Bompas and Harry Parr first came to prominence through their expertise in jelly-making, but the business rapidly grew into a fully-fledged creative studio offering food and drink design, brand consultancy and immersive experiences across a diverse number of industries. The founders’ backgrounds in marketing and architecture play a key role in the positioning and nature of the studio’s output. The studio works to experiment, develop and produce projects and experiences as well as provide strategy, analysis and advice for brands to increase consumer engagement through experience design.
Genre-defining projects include Alcoholic Architecture, an inhabitable cloud of gin and tonic; the world’s first Multi-Sensory Fireworks display for London New Year’s Eve 2013; and the Taste Experience for the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. Bompas & Parr also founded the British Museum of Food, the world’s first cultural institution exclusively dedicated to food and drink, and has published 12 books that explore humankind’s relationship with food.
Bompas & Parr works with brands such as Coca-Cola, Johnnie Walker, Mercedes, and LVMH as well as cultural institutions such as The Barbican, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. The studio is based in south London but in the past year has realised projects on practically every continent.
Careers and Freelance Opportunities
We’re a fast-paced, creative company who love what we do and do what we love – and we’re keen to work with those who share our outlook.
Below is a list of our current vacancies.
The studio maintains a freelance database. If you’re interested in working with us on future projects, please email work@bompasandparr.com with a copy of your CV and your portfolio (if applicable) with the subject “(Your job title) - Future freelance opportunities”.
A Love Letter to Cupholders
£15
'A Love Letter to Cupholders' was written as an ode to the beloved cupholder: a beautifully crafted constant in the life of any vehicle owner.
Buy here“The road of excess leads to the
palace of wisdom...you never
know what is enough until you
know what is more than enough”
William Blake
16 Years of Innovation
Today, cross-fertilisation of creative talent lies at the heart of the Bompas & Parr world. The studio takes this collaborative ethos to generate a number of world firsts every year, alongside projects that change the course of industries for the future.
1.Good design considers everything
The Studio aims to make complete works of art.
When every facet is considered, design becomes self-explanatory and maximum pleasure can be derived. Our ambition is to create gesamtkunstwerks: total works of art that are both cohesive and complimentary.
2.Good design engages all the senses
Our most enriching daily experiences are food and drink based.
As individuals, the information we intake through our senses shapes our reality, allowing us to create personal meaning and memory. The Studio’s expertise in poly-sensory design affords a unique starting point to create
rich and innovative experiences which tell sensational stories.
3.Collaboration enriches everything that we do
The Studio does not design in isolation.
Our work is richer through our shared experiences, and richer still through the collaboration with others: artists, historians, scientists and clients.
4.Experiences are driven by narratives
Every product, place or person has a unique story.
Storytelling situates the experiences that we build, from sharing the stories of brands to creating immersive fantasy worlds.
5.Challenges are the start of a journey of discovery
The Studio makes and solves problem.
Our prototype workshop and development kitchen are vital resources for developing each project and informing a detailed understanding of a subject.
6.Education can be entertaining
Ongoing learning benefits the Studio and everyone.
Sam Bompas and Harry Parr co-founded the British Museum of Food to create a new form of participatory, entertaining, education. The Studio’s experience in curating exhibitions affects our approach to all our projects.
7.Magnificence in the mundane
The everyday deserves closer inspection: wonder is all around us.
The history, science and culture of everyday items deserves more attention. The Studio takes inspiration from the most unlikely of places.
8.The ephemeral affects the permanent
Designing temporary events helps us to understand the requirements of the permanent.
The Studio’s collective knowledge come from designing, funding, constructing, marketing and operating temporary experiences. This knowledge is invaluable in consulting on permanent installations.
9.The digital enriches and extends experiences
The Studio works with the digital to build better experiences based on our current reality.
One day an experience may be entirely fictitious, rendered through digital means and channelled directly into our sensory cortex. Until then, the digital adds a new layer of complexity. A tool for enriching and extending experiences
Creative Approach
Museum of Shakespeare
A new immersive and interactive permanent experience transporting guests to the 16th Century to walk in the footsteps of the famous playwright.
Read moreAlcoholic Architecture
Monastic themed bar featuring a walk-in cloud of breathable cocktail. It built on a concept for breathable, spatialised alcohol originally developed by the studio in 2009.
The Guinness Tasting Rooms
Designed to be the best place to taste Guinness in the world, the series of chambers at the heart St. James’s Gate Brewery, are visited by 1.4 million visitors a year and present an innovative new way to appreciate the taste of Guinness.
