Rob's Prop Shop

One of the biggest projects we’ve taken on in the past 10 years: creating a life-size T. rex for Naturalis Biodiversity Center.

We were commissioned by .decor to realize the exterior of the dinosaur, while the full mechanical drive and motion control were engineered by Berkelaer MT.

The T. rex was built using a combination of hard and soft materials. All moving elements were executed in foam latex, while the static sections were finished with a thin epoxy shell. The breathing mechanism in the nose and the blinking eyes were developed by Vincent Mensink.

Huge thanks to our incredible team:
3D modeling: Erik Hillenbrink
Sculpting: Maja D’Holosay, Merel Mons, Rob & Erik Hillenbrink
Mouldmaking: Maja D’Holosay, Merel Mons, Rob & Erik Hillenbrink, Anne Luijendijk, Nina Stankova, Alec Lugt
Foam running: Erik & Rob Hillenbrink
Fabrication & build-up: Rob & Erik Hillenbrink, Anne Luijendijk, Merel Mons, Alec Lugt
Eyes &Nose mech: Vincent Mensink
Sorry if we forgot anyone… it’s been a while. Still proud of this beast.

To finetune the pose we made 3 iterations as a scale model 1:10. This way it is easier and more tangible to look at instead of looking at the 3D model om a screen. It is also a great way to present it to your client! Printen on the mega 8ks.

Silicone premature baby, digitally sculpted in . Printed on my Form2.
Mould made with 744 pu rubber. Cast in ecoflex 0030.