Architecture of Reassurance Exhibit in Washington, D.C.
Page 2 of 2
Room 4: Adventureland and Frontierland
Out the door and upstairs lies the rest of the exhibit starting with Adventurland and
Frontierland. Reads the guide…
"Adventureland and Frontierland re-create places where American style civilization meets nature, a threshold where pioneers and adventurers encounter people different from themselves. Full of danger and romance, this story lies at the center of American mythology. The buildings of Adventureland are hybrid affairs, their indigenous vernacular adorned with the corrugated tin roofs and Victorian scroll-work of the explorer. Frontierland’s original architecture ranged from palisaded forts and wigwams to the false-fronted stores of Western movies. Over time, however, Disney’s Frontierlands move from a mythic West of forts and Indians and made-for-TV adventure to a more inclusive and realistically depicted rendering of a region that would also include the prairie farmstead."
Here are the marvelous drawings of a bird’s eye view of the Jungle Cruise, early concept art for the Tiki Room Restaurant, plans for Indiana Jones and several different image and design ideas for the Haunted Mansion.
For me, the highlight here is getting to play with the Tiki Bird, who has been set under glass but is made animated with the press of a square blue button. It was wonderful to see the technology working up close!
Room 5: The Tomorrowlands
Constantly changing because tomorrow always comes, Tomorrowland was always a huge
challenge for Walt and Imagineering. In this room we are treated to works illustrating
"Discoveryland in Disneyland Paris," "Nighttime on the Avenue of the
Planets" and a scale model for the Astro Orbiter. Additionally there are sketches of
the Monsanto Home of Tomorrow, the proposed Land-Sea-Air building and artwork depicting
the fascination with transportation of the future. There is a tension between "what
we thought the future was going to be like," and "how the future turned
out." Rounding out the mix and representing "what we hope the future is
not" is a pair of designs for the Alien Encounter exterior at Walt Disney World and a
detail rendering of its "Oppressed Worker."
Room 6: Theme Park Architecture in the Real World
The unique vision and creativity behind the design of EPCOT are highlighted here. Video
clips share with us Walt’s vision for EPCOT and his ideas and thoughts on urbanism.
"Showcased in the artwork are the two original theme hotels at Walt Disney World - the Contemporary and the Polynesian - designed in collaboration with an architect (Welton Becket), built from modules prefabricated on the site and detailed to a specific thematic mood. The gallery’s focal point, Project X, is Walt Disney’s unrealized plan for a real industrial city - inspired by his own observations and the doctrines of architect and planner Victor Gruen. Many of the designers’ advanced ideas concerning waste disposal and traffic circulation were realized at the Magic Kingdom and other areas of Walt Disney World. The exhibition concludes with a demonstration of the design process used in creating the new Walt Disney Gallery in Santa Ana, California."
Themed shopping and dining have entered our everyday world from the Disney imagination and transformed the way we see, and build, our everyday world. Photos from the Disney Gallery, Las Vegas and a rendering of a Disney Gallery display case illustrate the total theming and transformation of a simple shopping experience.
Room 7: Simulations
You could call this final portion of the exhibition, "The World, Only
Better." Here the model of the un-built Trivoli Gardens takes the center of the room.
Artwork from both built and un-built entrances to the countries of the World Pavillion
scale the walls in beautiful rich color. Photos and illustrations of MGM Studios show the
re-creation of Sunset Boulevard and Grauman’s Chinese Theater. Joining the mix are
the colored rendering of Hollywood Hotel, Tower of Terror and the original storyboards for
the attraction. I especially enjoyed spending time with the storyboards, not just because
they are interesting, but because they illustrate a very unique method of harnessing
creativity and directing the creative process.
The exhibition leaves us to ponder just how much Disney creativity, imagination and engineering have permanently changed our real lives.
The enjoyment of the exhibit for me came from seeing the actual works of designers and Imagineers I had only read about. The talents of Claude Coats, Herb Ryman, Mary Blair, Marvin Davis, and so many more combine to make real the treasure that is Imagineering.
The Catalog
Like all good exhibitions, The Architecture of Reassurance: Designing Disney’s Theme
Parks has a wonderful catalog that outlines the works shown in the collection. Missing
from the book, however are photographs of the models, which were my favorite pieces. The
book is available at the museum shop for $50.
There are also Educational Programs at the museum in the Disney Theme. You can get more information by visiting the National Building Museum at www.nbm.org.
Gallery Talk
With Chrysanthe B. Broikos
Coordinating curator
Saturday July 14, 1:00-1:45pm
Related Links
- Purchase the book Designing Disney Theme Parks: The Architecture of Reassurance from Amazon.com
- Architecture of Reassurance Exhibit at the National Building Museum
- National Building Museum
- Michael Eisner receives award on behalf of the Disney Company
About the Author
Allison Keaney is co-owner of What Would Walt Do? - a Cast Member
recognition program and website. For more information, visit the What Would Walt Do?
website.
-- Posted June 21, 2001
-- Story by Allison Keaney