Final Creative Project

As the summer begins to wind down, presentations for our creative projects are almost underway.  At the beginning of the summer we were provided the task to complete and present a creative project based at our home, the Walt Disney World Resort.  We present our ideas to a panel of judges from Walt Disney World and the greater Orlando area horticulture industry for analysis and feedback.  Our projects were labeled as "blue sky" concepts, thus meaning that anything and everything that we could imagine could be conceptualized and presented to the panel.

Blue sky projects are some of the most difficult situations a designer can be put in.  It becomes difficult to not work within certain parameters and possibilities; options become unlimited and choices can be hard to make.  Part of my job as an intern with Disney's Horticulture was to learn and self discover possibilities. I have learned to seek out the constraints and site possibilities to venture further into the blue sky process.  Through field observations, analysis, and conversations with managers and garden specialists, I have been lead through the evolution of a creative idea to the final project I present here.

My summer project will encompass the Animal Kingdom arrival sequence guests experience as they approach the park.  The site is currently themed as an open, barren, and windswept landscape with large scale paving details that sets a contrast between the Oasis of Animal Kingdom.  Over time, modifications and additions have changed the landscape to adjust the needs of our guests.  Changes such as lighting, removal and addition of vegetation, and new guest pathways have adjusted the arrival sequence over time.

My project goals included:  A) Honor original entrance design intent-  maintain sense of openness in order to contrast Animal Kingdom’s Oasis area, B) Emphasize guest’s visual arrival sequence-  a cohesive and entertaining design that interacts with guest’s view sheds,  C) Enhance guest anticipation-  provide a seamless entry sequence into Animal Kingdom.  

I discovered inspiration for this project from the Disney animated film Pocahontas.  Inspiration was taken from the film’s concepts represented through artistic forms.  The idea of a journey, and how visitors first encounter Animal Kingdom revealed the concept of expression through individuals and the landscape.  The idea of conservation reveals what we can learn from our experience at Animal Kingdom.   And lastly the movement between experiences reveals a layer of excitement and anticipation for all guests. 

Images from "Pocahontas"

The overall "story line" is based off the American Bald Eagle.  Chosen to demonstrate a patriotic salute to our country along with representing our nations greatest conservation comeback story of all time, the American Bald Eagle is the root of the story for Animal Kingdom’s main entrance.  The bald eagle soars towards the main entrance plaza of Animal Kingdom leaving behind a continuous “jet stream” of vegetation that welcomes and visually entertains guests as they approach the park.  These “jet streams” ultimately lead to the bald eagle elegantly represented in the pavement detail near the American Flag staff situated in the main entrance plaza.   

As the design process began I created many sketches and rough drawings to conceive the abstraction of an Eagle soaring towards the front entrance.  “Jet stream” style forms were continually adjusted as the final design began to emerge. 

This progress ultimately lead to this, which is the final overall site plan for the entrance to Animal Kingdom.  In a descriptive summary; rows of low growing vegetation extend outwards from the main entrance plaza towards the parking lot welcome guests together arriving from various paths of travel.  These geometric rows of low growing vegetation change into a slight phase of trees creating a canopy that condenses guests view sheds.  This condensed space then dramatically opens to reveal the central plaza as the rows of vegetation come to an abrupt end.  The rows of vegetation are then represented as “jet stream” pavement details that lead to the bald eagle mural which is constructed of various earth materials in the pavement. 

Moving into detail from the overall site plan, this zoomed in plan shows the main entrance plaza.  Situated centrally in the main entrance plaza, the bald eagle paving will be composed of many elements “stamped” into the pavement.  Elements such as gold, silver, wood and crushed stone combine to form a unique overhead mural of our nation’s symbol.  Strips of lightly colored crushed stone will follow behind the bald eagle to form a sense of flight and movement which connects to the many waves of vegetation extending to the parking lot.  The entrance plaza will also receive the addition of multi-programmable “nooks” that can be used as: seating locations, character meet and greet locations, merchandise / food sales, and also electric / cell phone outlets for guest use.  

This aerial perspective shows the guest arrival experience while approaching Animal Kingdom.  Seen here are narrow rows of vegetation (about 4ft wide)  representing the eagle’s “jet stream” gravitating towards the main entrance.  These rows of vegetation transition into rows of trees that condense view sheds before opening once more to the main entrance plaza.

Lastly these two guest perspectives show guests arriving to Animal Kingdom and how they will encounter several entertaining views that provide unique vantage points of vegetation gravitating towards the main entrance.  A feeling of expression, movement, and adventure creates a sense of anticipation as guests move closer towards the entrance while views condense and open to reveal the main entrance plaza.

Tree Canopy Transition Zone

Vegetation "jet steam" waves

This project has been a very rewarding challenge and a great way to demonstrate what this internship has exposed me to.  I cannot wait to present this concept to the panel on Thursday and also see the creative projects of my fellow interns.  It's going to be great learning experience for all of us to receive feedback on such unique projects that are based in a very unique place such as Walt Disney World.  Looking forward to Thursday. Just 2 weeks left until its "back home again in Indiana!".

Disney's Animal Kingdom - A Wild Time

Just over two weeks ago I began working at Disney's Animal Kingdom.  Working with the many resident gardeners, I quickly learned of the unique and diverse landscape Animal Kingdom covers.  Animal Kingdom in my opinion is one of the most diverse of all the Disney parks.  A combination of many factors, such as extremely rare plant life, live animals on exhibit, and heavily themed areas / attractions make for a distinctive park atmosphere and guest experience.  My job as an intern is to work along side the individuals that maintain the quality of show each day for these uniquely themed areas throughout the park, covering everything from the landscape of Expedition Everest to the wide open African Savannah and all the animal exhibits in between.

The first area of Animal Kingdom I began to work in was Africa along with the village of Harambe.  Africa at  Disney's Animal Kingdom is a small village that is home base for the Kilimanjaro Safari attraction along with the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail.  Cindy was the garden specialist I worked with in this area of the park. She was very knowledgeable of many plants and we worked together on several small projects throughout the area, such as maintaining the randomness of the African village.  We wanted to make the landscape feel as if no gardeners were presently even working in the area.  Here are some photos of the Harambe village.  Its one of my most favorite themed lands at Disney World.

Also located at the village of Harambe is the Kilimanjaro Safari attraction.  Grace, Jesse, and I all worked throughout the savannas during the past week.  It was an awesome experience to work and understand what goes into creating an artificial landscape at such a vast and grand scale.  All animals have different habitats with different design intents which makes for unique maintenance procedures.  

The next area of Animal Kingdom I worked in was Asia.  Asia includes the village, Kali River Rapids, Expedition Everest, and the Maharajah Jungle Trek.  For this area of the park I once again worked with my two other fellow interns Grace and Jesse. Together we worked with Bridgett who was the garden specialist for this area of the park.  

Working with Bridgett was one of the most fun and educational experiences of my entire internship thus far.  Working in Asia gave me insight into the rare plant life and animals on exhibit.  Many of the trees and plants used in Asia are the only species of their kind existing in North America.  Also, many trees are so rare that they must be self pollinated and heated in the winter in order to survive.  Bridgett taught us the ins and outs of how to maintain the quality of show in Asia and it was fascinating to see and understand the amount of work that it takes to pull off such a wild atmosphere.  

We worked in very unique places with Bridgett such as the Tiger exhibit. Exhibits are strictly designed and maintained in certain ways.  Precautions are taken every day such as: the removal of any toxic plants, maintaining view sheds for guests, keepers, and animals, and the maintenance of all plant life throughout the exhibits.

Did I mention how creepy it is to walk around this place at 3:00am... dark paths, animal noises, and a light breeze make for an interesting work environment.  Did we forget the generator? 

One other area we worked in with Bridgett included the Flights of Wonder bird show.  The unique landscape must be maintained within certain parameters in order for the show to be pulled off each day.  We took many factors into account when assigned this project.  Details such as; turf height must be kept at a certain length in order to view birds feet, grasses and shrubs must be kept within certain heights based on location so that all audience members can enjoy a view, no color can be used in this landscape due to birds flying towards bright colored objects, and all edges surrounding the theater must create a visual green enclosure.  Here is the Flights of Wonder stage:

   

Next we worked together with Rob and Karen who are the garden specialist for the main entrance of Animal Kingdom along with the entry sequence into the park called The Oasis, and Discovery Island home of the Tree of Life.  We worked on several diverse projects with Rob and Karen such as maintaining the entrance plaza to Animal Kingdom, maintaining many of the Oasis animal exhibits, and working throughout Discovery Island on many projects.  Here we are working just under the Tree of Life: 

Working along the waterways of Discovery Island: 

Throughout our time at Animal Kingdom we also worked with Habitat Crew.  This group of people tackles large scale habitat projects that must be completed in a very timely manner.  We learned to work with efficiency together as a team in unique, but difficult locations.  We completed so much work in such a short time, it was very impressive to me how fast jobs were finished.  One of the most unique habitats we worked in was the gorilla exhibit, but no pictures could be taken here.  There were also many other unique locations where this was the case also.  

Overall working at Animal Kingdom was the absolute most unique job I think I will ever have.  The experiences we had here together are once in a lifetime.  The workers and gardeners here are amazing and I thank them all for showing and teaching us so much in such a short amount of time.  I also thank them for there extreme generosity each day they showed towards us.  From long talks about new plant life technology in the animal browse fields to buying us breakfast and lunch and even making us dinner, these workers are some of the most generous I have ever worked with.  They love to share their knowledge and experiences to help us better understand the landscapes in which we live and create each day.  Animal Kingdom provides a sense of surprise and uniqueness with live animals each and every day along side the elaborate themeing of various lands.  The experience of working in such a place will surely help me as a design student in the future with the capability to better understand a living, breathing, and ever changing wild landscape.     

Lastly what I enjoyed the most at Animal Kingdom were the BEAUTIFUL sunrises every morning along with the wake up calls of hundreds of animals.  One of the most unique experiences ever.

My time at Animal Kingdom is up, but now its time to move down the road to the Coronado Springs Resort and work with more fellow interns.  The summer is winding down fast, but the excitement is building as our final projects are soon to be presented to Disney's Horticulture team.  My project will be redesigning the entrance to Animal Kingdom.  More to come soon!