Magictecture is an imaginative startup founded by Sean Larochelle, John Eggers, Michael Larochelle, and Matthew Eggers, focused on designing and building immersive, story-driven roller coasters and entertainment experiences. By merging engineering precision with cinematic creativity, the company creates groundbreaking ride systems for personal and commercial clients alike.

As a co-founder and the Technical Lead of Magictecture, I’m responsible for transforming creative concepts into engineered reality. My role spans from CAD design and system engineering to sourcing materials, managing fabrication processes, and integrating mechanics, electronics, and automation across our projects. I also contribute heavily to logistics, quoting, and long-term planning, ensuring every project is scalable and manufacturable.

Mark Rober Official Video

Our Behind the Scenes

In one of our most high-stakes collaborations to date, Magictecture was contacted by Mark Rober’s team to design and build a fully operational roller coaster in just four weeks. This high-profile project needed to be camera-ready for what would become one of Mark Rober’s biggest videos. I played a key technical role, designing the ride vehicle drive mechanism, track profile, structural layout, and electrical implementation, taking the coaster from concept to reality in record time.

This compact but powerful ride vehicle could accelerate up to 20 mph and handle two adult riders. It featured a self-contained propulsion system with remote start, allowing it to be launched safely and without the rider operator being in its immediate proximity. It was one of the only launch-around-turn coasters in the world, and its modular track system made it portable and easy to assemble.

Time was the biggest constraint. I had only days to create the CAD design, source all materials, and produce a Bill of Materials limited exclusively to off-the-shelf or locally fabricated components that could arrive within days. I reused the base chassis from our previous "Little Thunder" coaster, reinforcing it with a new frame, dual seating system, and a rear-mounted drive wheel powered by four go-kart motors.

To ensure performance and safety, I built a comprehensive spreadsheet tool that calculated every key parameter—launch distances, motor torque, top speed, gear ratios, banking angles, and power requirements. Using this tool, I determined we needed over 14,000W of peak continuous power, provided by four motors and a heavy-duty gearing setup. This ensured the coaster could hit 20 mph quickly and safely, with about 20hp and almost 150ft/lb of torque.

Due to the short timeframe, I built the ride vehicle’s drive mechanism a week in advance using custom laser-cut parts and quickly sourced go-kart hardware. I handled all ride vehicle wiring, including the battery system, remote activation safety interface, contactors, and e-stop circuit, compressing what would normally take weeks into just days. The coaster was painted and assembled on-site in under a week, and Mark Rober himself called it one of the craziest builds he’d ever been part of.

Coaster-in-a-Box was developed to bring immersive coaster experiences to residential backyards. Traditional coasters rely on costly infrastructure—complex wiring, large-scale motors, and high voltage—but our design flips that model. The ride vehicle contains all the brains, power, and motion, including lithium-ion batteries, PLC control, brushless motors, and onboard braking systems.

Instead of a smart track and a passive vehicle, our solution reverses the equation. The track is modular and lightweight, while the ride vehicle handles propulsion and positioning. This portable system allows homeowners to set up a fully operational coaster without hiring electricians or construction crews. I led the technical development, from ride vehicle design and track layout to electronics integration and sourcing components.

I created many of the system’s early CAD models, developed 3D renders for presentations, and coordinated cost estimates and design specs for investors and customers. I also created calculation tools and part-selection spreadsheets that allow us to quickly customize builds based on user needs and budget.

This modular concept allows for future feature expansions like animatronics, theming, and interactive elements, while maintaining simplicity and affordability. It's a cornerstone of our effort to democratize coaster ownership and expand into broader markets.

Little Thunder marked the first full-scale Magictecture project where every co-founder operated in their current roles. The 1,000-foot track featured a PLC-controlled automation system, interactive elements, and an advanced animatronic character. The ride combined storytelling, engineering, and interactivity in a way never before seen in the backyard coaster space.

I oversaw track and ride vehicle fabrication, working directly with welders and technicians to meet structural and timeline targets. I also designed critical components of the animatronic character, including its head articulation and movement subsystems, in collaboration with our animatronics specialist.

I led the integration of the interactive IR gun system, the relay-triggered lantern device, and the animatronic’s sensor feedback into the coaster’s central PLC system. I also physically wired and installed much of the ride’s control electronics on-site, ensuring compatibility across all interactive and safety systems.

Little Thunder gained significant media attention and social traction. Its success proved that a small team could deliver thrilling, interactive coaster experiences in non-traditional environments—laying the groundwork for Magictecture’s business plan and future client projects.

The Matterhorn coaster, a 400-foot backyard ride inspired by Disneyland’s classic, was where the founding team first came together. Though Magictecture hadn’t formed officially, this ambitious build—with its mountain-like stucco facade, themed ride path, and animatronics—set the tone for everything that followed.

My primary responsibility on Matterhorn was creating a lifelike Yeti animatronic to surprise riders mid-course. I designed and 3D printed the head, developed a servo- and ball-screw-driven movement system, and installed linear actuators to give the character lifelike movements and sound cues.

Working with makeup artists and the rest of the team, I helped transform the Yeti into a complete theatrical encounter. While I wasn’t the technical lead on this build, the project was a vital foundation that taught us how to merge storytelling and engineering in a physical space.

Little Thunder gained significant media attention and social traction. Its success proved that a small team could deliver thrilling, interactive coaster experiences in non-traditional environments—laying the groundwork for Magictecture’s business plan and future client projects.